Evaluation of Integrating the Response to Gender-Based Violence, HIV, and Economic Marginalization of Swati Women program

The Integrating the Response to Gender-Based Violence, HIV, and Economic Marginalization of Swati Women program is a multi-disciplinary program led by WAGE core partner Grameen and supported by WAGE lead partner ABA ROLI. Launched in 2020, the program’s goal is to strengthen the collective capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs), first responders, service providers, and lawyers to improve legal protections for women affected by or at risk of GBV and HIV; to promote effective GBV prevention strategies; and to provide holistic services to economically activ e women, including referrals for GBV survivors. The program aims to improve outcomes for women at risk of GBV or HIV in access to justice, prevention, and support services through the following objectives:

Advocate for better laws to protect women. Under this objective, WAGE will worked with stakeholders across the Eswatini government, civil society, and the legal profession to advocate for better laws protecting women through legal analysis, roundtable dialogues, and the development and implementation of a legal advocacy strategy.

Strengthen the capacity of CSOs to prevent GBV. WAGE collaborated closely with local CSOs through civic education and gender awareness raising campaigns by supporting an existing paralegal program as well as Girls Clubs and Boys Clubs to break down harmful restrictive gender norms, prevent violence, and build self-esteem among adolescent girls and boys.

Engage men and boys to reduce discriminatory beliefs and practices. WAGE partnered with local organizations to engage men and boys between the ages of 15-29 to reduce discriminatory beliefs that men hold toward women and their role in society.

Mitigate GBV risks associated with women’s engagement in economic activities. WAGE worked to address women’s participation in economic activities by facilitating linkages between GBV-focused CSOs and CSOs focused on economic strengthening, training the latter on gender and power dynamics, and building their capacity to conduct GBV risk analyses and implement GBV-informed economic empowerment programming. 

Objectives of the Evaluation

The evaluation of this programme in Eswatini has been commissioned by ABA ROLI’s Global Programs and Africa Divisions. The evaluation aims to measure the following:

• The programme’s effectiveness in improving stakeholder awareness and knowledge of GBV, and behavior and/or values towards gender and power dynamics.
• The programme’s effectiveness in improving CSO capacities to prevent GBV and economic marginalization of women; and
• The various factors that may have affected individual and institutional changes (including program and non-program factors).
• The extent to which key activities such as the GBV Charter signing, and legal aid survey have been important ‘value adds’ to the programme.

The evaluation provided useful information for key stakeholders on possible future programming in this area. Primary users of this evaluation will be ABA ROLI, S/GWI, and WAGE programme partners in Eswatini.