The Project
Sexual Health and Empowerment (SHE) Project aims to empower women and girls to secure their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in six (6) disadvantaged and conflict-affected regions of the Philippines. With funds from the Global Affairs Canada through OXFAM worth CAD 17.5M, the 5-year (2018 – 2023) project aims to do the following:
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Improve knowledge and awareness on SRHR particularly among women and girls, including the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV);
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Strengthen health systems and community structures to deliver rights-based comprehensive SRHR information and services; and
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Improve the effectiveness and capacity of women’s rights organizations (WROs) and women’s movements to advance SRHR and prevent GBV.
SHE Project has two main components:
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Promotingdemand for SRHR information and services by transforming discriminatory social norms through awareness-raising and mobilization activities focusing on improved access to SRHR information and services, including GBV prevention and support services.
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Building the capacity of WROsand networks of people’s organizations to advocate for women’s rights and for improved SRHR and GBV services. The project provides capacity-building support and funding to 10 WROs/networks working on SRH and GBV, and establishes a responsive funding mechanism to provide timely funding to WROs/networks to carry out actions in support of SRHR, GBV and women’s rights.
SHE directly benefits approximately 85,000 men and women in 6 regions (Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga). It indirectly benefits 270,000 people in 13 provinces including some geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
The Context
In the Philippines, the key barriers that prevent women from exercising their SRHR include 1) gender inequality and limited decision-making power; 2) sex trafficking; 3) low access to SRHR information and services; 4) sexual and gender-based violence; and 5) a range of discriminatory socio-cultural practices, including child and early forced marriage.
SHE project aims to addresses these barriers by doing the following:
- It improves knowledge and awareness of sexual reproductive health and rights, particularly among women and girls, including the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV);
- It strengthens health systems and community structures to deliver rights-based comprehensive SRHR information and services; and
- It improves the effectiveness and capacity of women’s rights organizations (WROs) and women’s movements to advance SRHR and prevent GBV.
The Partners
As could be gleaned from the Project Map, SIKAP is the implementing organization covering the Provinces of Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte of Caraga Region. In Surigao del Sur, SHE covers the municipalities of Cagwait and Lianga while in Agusan del Norte, SHE Project covers the municipalities of Jabonga and Santiago. In total SIKAP covers 47 barangays.
