UN Women is pleased to announce applications for advancing the rights of women engaged in sex work in the COVID 19 context.

Under the framework of its current Strategic Note 2018-2022, UN Women in Nepal continues to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in national and local level decision-making processes and to empower women economically by supporting women and girls who are subjected to the most acute marginalization and exclusion, and who are most likely to be left behind.

Objectives

The pilot initiative will support 500 individuals who are involved in sex work in province 3, with the aim to:

• Address their immediate needs as the crisis evolves with a comprehensive support package – in terms of cash, food and non-food items;
• Address vulnerabilities which are rooted in intersecting oppressions, by providing alternative livelihood opportunities, enhancing access to information, services and resources; and
• Facilitate the strengthening of their voice and agency. This will support organizing and advocacy efforts including through policy dialogues and networking; which include challenging norms and systems which lead to, and maintain deep-rooted intersecting inequalities and harmful practices.

Funding Information

The budget range for this proposal should be approximately (USD 200,000)

Expected Results

• Outcome: Individuals involved in sex work in Nepal have voice, choice and agency to exercise their human rights and live dignified life free from violence and discrimination
• Indicators:  
  • Percentage of project participants who self-report increased confidence to exercise leadership to engage in advocacy  
  • Evidence of shifts in the narratives of project participants on dignity of their personal/collective identity  
  • Percentage of policy recommendations made through dialogue platforms between rights holders and duty bearers accepted by the local, provincial and federal government.
• Output: Excluded groups11 have strengthened leadership capacity, voice and agency to demand accountability and transparency for inclusive governance and access to justice at the federal and local levels advancing the implementation of SDG 5 and 16
• Indicators:
  • Number of project participants who received comprehensive relief package and livelihood support.  
  • Number of project participants benefitting from access to vocational, entrepreneurial and leadership development opportunities.  
  • Number of businesses launched through the project  
  • Number of project participants engaged for the advancement of SDG 5 and 16 implementation on inclusive governance and justice through dialogue mechanism to promote gender equality and its intersections and social inclusion

Target Group/Constituency

The initiative should target 500 individuals from diverse groups in Province 3, who are involved in sex work. In terms of diversity among this group, this should include as wide a representation as possible of sexual and gender minorities, single women, adolescent women and girls, women with disabilities, women living with HIV, pregnant and lactating women, homeless/destitute women, women involved in wage work and daily labour etc. In line with UN Women’s LNOB approach, they will centre those that are most likely to be left behind.

Eligibility Criteria  

• Proven technical competencies in the application of human rights-based and intersectional feminist approaches to advance gender equality and for ensuring the voices and needs of those involved in sex work as rights holders  
• Demonstrable organizational experience in working with those involved in the sex work from the right-based approach and ability to facilitate the formation of a consortium of diverse individuals involved in sex work and reflect it well in the applied proposal  
• Sound knowledge and technical expertise on gender and intersectionality in humanitarian action
• Demonstrable experience in implementing programmes on gender equality and women’s empowerment, rooted in an intersectional feminist approach, and in formulating result-oriented programme, monitoring programme based on indicators and quality reporting  
• Proven organizational experience in building strategic partnerships, connections and networks with relevant partners, including government agencies, community-based organizations, CSOs at the provincial local level  
• Demonstrable commitment to working with women, girls and other genders that are economically, socially, culturally, or otherwise excluded, excluded and/or marginalized.

For more information, visit UN Women.