11 Philippine groups to get Canada Fund backing in 2020

This is a press release from the Embassy of Canada.

The Embassy of Canada is pleased to announce that 11 organizations from across the Philippines will receive support from the Canada Fund this year.

“By working with Philippine organizations through the Canada Fund, the Embassy of Canada is championing the values of inclusive and accountable governance, including by promoting human rights, women’s empowerment, gender equality, and respect for diversity,” Crista McInnis, the embassy’s chargé d’affaires, said.

“Advancing inclusive governance is a strategic priority for Canada in the Philippines. We are partnering with civil society organizations in addressing barriers that prevent marginalized groups from realizing their full potential and participating in the development and prosperity of their families and communities,” Ms McInnis added.

The following organizations and their respective projects will receive Canada Fund grants: 

• Active Citizenship Foundation’s Safe Campuses Project is promoting safe spaces by establishing safe space desks for women and LGBTQ+ students in 5 universities across the Philippines. The aim is to instill a culture of accountability, respect, and acceptance on university campuses.

• Samahan ng mga Pilipina para sa Reporma at Kaunlaran Incorporated (Spark! Philippines)’s Humanizing SOGIE aims to increase Filipinos’ willingness to accept and recognize the diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions of fellow kababayan and to advocate for LGBTQ+-friendly policies across government and private institutions. 

• Ateneo de Manila University’s Ateneo Human Rights Center, in collaboration with the provincial government of the Dinagat Islands, is improving access to justice in the province by empowering barangay officials to promote peace and order using existing alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and providing the public with improved access to basic legal services particularly in cases involving violence against women.

• Pakigdait Alang sa Pag-amoma sa Kalinaw is working with 6 communities in Lanao del Norte to sustain peace and prevent violent extremism by organizing community dialogues with Bangsamoro women and youth. The dialogues will result in the development of a common agenda for Bangsamoro living outside the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to be communicated to political leaders inside and outside the BARMM. 

• League of Cities of the Philippines is establishing evidence-based mechanisms for its 145 member-cities to share best practices for implementing gender and development (GAD) policies. The project will research examples of best policies and gather relevant statistics for publication in a database and guidebook for municipal leaders, which will allow cities to ensure maximum effectiveness of the existing GAD Focal Point System (GFPS).

• University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies will continue with Phase 2 of its Angat Bayi Women’s Political Empowerment Program. This phase builds on the previous partnership with Canada Fund by supporting and expanding a network of Filipino women political leaders committed to advancing feminist, rights-based, democratic governance. It will also identify and nurture the next generation of women leaders by focusing on young leaders in several communities across the Philippines.

• Foundation for the Advancement of Clinical Epidemiology’s Technological Intervention to Protect Teenagers Against Early Unintended At Risk Pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Illnesses in the Philippines (PROTECT) is in its second year of researching on developing an innovative chat robot on Facebook Messenger. It will provide effective knowledge about contraception and safe sexual practices to young Filipinos and link them to adolescent information and service providers.

• Bahay Tuluyan continued its work to empower marginalized youth by building their capacity to protect themselves from abuse and exploitation. The project also aims to improve the capabilities of social workers and other stakeholders to enhance its engagement with government agencies responsible for youth welfare.

• Pambansang Kongreso ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan, Incorporated’s Women in Emergencies Network in the Philippines is promoting women’s capacity in disaster risk reduction and management by boosting women’s leadership in decision making and participation in disaster risk reduction and management, climate change adaptation, and peace and security.  

• Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan is continuing its work on a nationwide project that aims to increase active and more meaningful political engagement of community-based and civil society organizations, parishes, and schools by conducting political and civic education and advocacy campaigning, and building local support networks.

• Government Watch (G-Watch) will continue to train and mobilize officials of the Sangguniang Kabataan (local youth councils) to effectively monitor anti-poverty programs in their respective barangays to enhance transparency, participation, and accountability; and improve outcomes for beneficiaries.

The Canada Fund is a competitive grants program run by the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines, which provides direct financial support to local organizations for projects that promote inclusive governance, such as by empowering women and girls, strengthening democracy, advancing human rights, and promoting the rule of law.

For more information about Canada Fund’s activities in the Philippines, including about the process for submitting proposals, you may contact the program coordinator at manil.cfli@international.gc.ca. – Rappler.com