Effective Approaches to Adapt and Scale Prevention of VAWG Innovations – Assessing the Womanity Award Model

Background 
Adaptation and scaling of violence prevention interventions are complex and challenging processes which require support, yet there is little empirical evidence on what makes an effective technical assistance partnership model. At the same time, many scale-up partnerships are top down, with programs developed, tested, and funded by the Global North. The Womanity Award aims to change these dynamics by supporting partnerships among organizations in the Global South to take proven solutions to scale.

What We’re Doing
GEH, in collaboration with Womanity, conducted a qualitative, multi-site case study to explore what works well and how to enhance the Womanity Award, and to generate evidence on effective technical assistance and partnership models.

Approach
Through feminist, participatory research approaches, we explored partnership models and power dynamics among funders, program designers, and implementers involved in Program H (Lebanon), Take Back the Tech Campaign (Mexico), Safetipin (South Africa), Legal Promoters Training and Community Care Model (Cape Verde), and Transforming Masculinities (Nigeria). Together with Womanity and our Advisory Board members, we learned a lot that is broadly applicable to anyone working in the global development space, including:

• what works to successfully adapt programs and cultivate equitable partnerships
• how donors can best support adaptation, capacity strengthening, circular learning and scale
• how research institutions can build equitable partnerships and integrate feminist principles into their work

Impact
Findings from this study led to the improvement of various aspects of the Womanity Award, including selection, implementation, and post-Award engagement processes. Additionally, research insights have contributed to ongoing dialogue surrounding the decolonization of research and programs, feminist funding principles and devolution of funder power.

To learn more about the study and to access a set of practical recommendations for cultivating equity-centered partnerships please refer to the following featured materials:

• Read the full research report
• Check out our provocation in the Global Social Challenges Journal
• Learn more about our experience at the 2024 Sexual Violence Research Initiative Forum in Cape Town, South Africa via our blog “Shifting power through equity-centered action: sharing experiences, building community”