CHANGE Project
Capitalizing on the Human Dimension Mandate to Advance Gender Equality Launched in 2021, the OSCE Office for Democratic ODIHR supports OSCE participating States in Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) CHANGE implementing these commitments by strengthening project employs a transformative approach to institutions, addressing discriminatory laws and promoting gender equality, women’s human rights policies, and promoting women’s full and equal and safety. It integrates a broad range of elements participation in political and public life. from across ODIHR's mandate to address obstacles to achieving gender equality. The project addresses CHANGE operates at three levels — individual, issues relevant across the OSCE region, laying the collective, and institutional — to advance gender foundation for long-term change at national level by equality and address violence against women engaging with democratic institutions, the security (VAW), recognizing that sustainable change in sector, civil society, political leaders, human rights behaviour and practices can only be achieved by defenders and under-represented groups. The addressing the issue from multiple angles and countries currently benefiting from tailored support engaging diverse stakeholders. The project not only are Georgia, North Macedonia, Poland and Uzbekistan. helps states to address systemic inequalities but also amplifies the voices of women from Gender equality is fundamental to human rights and under-represented groups, while engaging men as is a key element of comprehensive security and allies in building a more inclusive and democratic future. sustainable democracy. OSCE participating States have made extensive commitments to advancing At the individual level the project is designed to gender equality, recognizing it as essential for equip men and women with skills and abilities to peaceful, secure and inclusive societies. See, for challenge negative attitudes toward women’s example, the 1991 Moscow Document, the 2004 leadership and empowerment. At the collective OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender level the goal is to support civil society, women’s Equality, Ministerial Council Decision No. 7/09 on networks and human rights defenders in their Women's Participation in Political and Public advocacy for better gender policies. At the Life, and Ministerial Council Decision No. 4/18 on institutional level the project aims to encourage Preventing and Combating Violence Against democratic institutions, the security sector and the Women. judiciary to adopt gender-sensitive policies and practices. Individual level ● The project facilitates a wide range of dialogue initiatives in Poland and North Macedonia, aimed at ● The project empowers civil society leaders, human strengthening cooperation between democratic rights defenders working on gender issues (including institutions and civil society. It encourages inclusive gender-based violence and discrimination), faith dialogue, ensuring that men actively support gender community leaders, youth leaders, people with equality and that women from under-represented disabilities, parliamentarians, politicians and members groups, particularly Roma women, have a platform to speak. of Roma and Sinti communities, both women and men. Institutional level ● For example, the project has worked with young women active in politics from Georgia, North ● CHANGE provides expert guidance to political actors Macedonia, Poland and Uzbekistan, equipping them on institutional solutions for preventing and addressing to lead the drive for gender equality in their countries. violence against women in politics, both online and offline. Roma women in North Macedonia and Poland were trained in self-advocacy, and Roma men and leaders ● In North Macedonia, training provided on VAW has from religious and traditional communities were directly contributed to the creation of the country’s supported to engage in promoting gender equality and Gender Action Plan, and work is underway on stand up to VAW. preparing a parliamentary Code of Conduct. ● In Poland, both women and men now have open access to the Flying Academy, the first e-Learning The CHANGE project will continue to drive policy platform on gender equality and human rights in development, institutional engagement and advocacy to Polish. The platform provides interactive learning ensure OSCE participating States work towards modules to strengthen the understanding of sustainable progress on gender equality, through: fundamental rights, promote inclusive policies, and support OSCE commitments on gender equality. ● Strengthening transnational networks to promote gender inclusiveness and pluralism; Collective level ● Countering gender equality backsliding by monitoring, addressing and reversing setbacks in ● The CHANGE Transnational Network, established gender equality; under the project, brings together human rights defenders and civil society actors from Georgia, North ● Engaging men as allies in promoting gender Macedonia and Poland to prevent, monitor, address equality and preventing violence against women; and reverse gender equality backsliding, while advocating for consistent implementation of gender ● Combating violence against women in politics, both equality policies at the national and international level. online and offline; ● CHANGE fosters collaboration with religious and belief ● Facilitating dialogue among diverse stakeholders, communities to address VAW and encourage men’s including religious and belief communities, gender active engagement as allies in gender equality efforts. advocates, democratic institutions, and civil society, to foster inclusive and constructive discussions on Resources gender equality.
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Miodowa 10, 00-251 Warsaw, Poland Tel.: +48 22 520 0600 Project Duration: 1 June 2022 to 31 March 2027 Fax: +48 22 520 0605 Project Budget: 3.19 million euro, funded by the Czech Republic, E-mail: office@odihr.pl Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, www.osce.org/odihr United Kingdom and the United States of America. Follow ODIHR For further information please see https://www.osce.org/odihr.change