Mama Cash-led Consortium selected as strategic partner of Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In January, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced its selection of strategic partners in its “Dialogue and Dissent” 2016-2020 partnership framework. Through this framework, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will enter into strategic partnerships to provide support to civil society organisations in low and low-middle income countries to build their lobbying and advocacy capacities. As lead partner, Mama Cash is thrilled to share the news that the Count Me In! Consortium*has been chosen by the Ministry as one of its 25 strategic partners. We are extremely grateful for the Dutch Ministry’s continuing commitment to funding women’s human rights and its expression of confidence in our work.
The Consortium’s main goal is to achieve women’s human rights and equality for women by supporting the lobbying and advocacy capacities of women’s civil society organisations and women human rights defenders advocating for change in their countries. In the five years ahead, the Count Me In! Consortium will use the funding from the Dutch Ministry to build the capacities of women’s rights groups, particularly those representing constituencies most affected by injustice and discrimination, so that they are able to participate in lobbying and advocacy to influence policymaking processes from which they have typically been excluded. “We see this as an opportunity to include and elevate the voices of those who have been most ignored in policy processes,” according to Nicky McIntyre, Executive Director of Mama Cash.
The Count Me In! Consortium consists of five feminist organisations who came together to build on their collective experience and commitment to supporting and advancing women’s, girls’ and trans people’s rights globally: the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID, Canada), CREA (India), Just Associates (JASS, USA), Urgent Action Fund-Africa (Kenya), and Mama Cash (The Netherlands). Together we’re looking forward to the next steps in shaping a partnership with the Dutch government to fight together for women’s human rights.
Mama Cash is also pleased to be part of the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA) together with Fondo Centroamericano de Mujeres (FCAM) and Both Ends. GAGGA sets out to unite and strengthen the capabilities of grassroots organisations, and use the momentum generated by collective power, to lobby and advocate for women’s right to water, food security and a clean, healthy and safe environment.