ACT was contracted by UN Women and UNFPA within the framework of the Joint Programme “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together against gender stereotypes and gender-based violence”

In January 2023, ACT was contracted by UN Women and UNFPA within the framework of the Joint Programme “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together against gender stereotypes and gender-based violence” funded by the European Union, to carry out the data collection for the Follow-up Assessment on gender norms and stereotypes in the six countries of the project - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Follow-up assessment aimed at measuring progress to overcome gender stereotypes and negative norms and practices and develop gender-transformative behavioral change, through the implementation of civil society organization (CSO) initiatives.

The assignment involved extensive preparatory work and required smooth coordination and cooperation with the UN Women and UNFPA country offices implementing the joint Programme as well as complex and specific arrangements for each of the six countries prior to the data collection, since it targeted beneficiaries of the joint Programme’s interventions. Preparatory work as well as data collection process were fully and successfully managed and coordinated by ACT in all six countries and implemented with the help of local vendors.

The Study applied a mixed-methods approach and collected quantitative as well as qualitative data on gender stereotypes and harmful social norms and practices in-line with the comprehensive Follow-up Assessment Methodology developed by UN Women and UNFPA.

As a result of the joint efforts from all involved parties, it was managed to complete total of 1643 quantitative interviews, 46 focus group discussions and 18 in-depth interviews with seven target segments (youth, fathers, healthcare professionals, women with disabilities, women living with alcohol addiction, perpetrators- and victims of domestic violence) and other population groups (young women and men, mothers and fathers of children with disabilities and partners of fathers).

Once finalized, the follow-up assessment analytical report will be published on UN Women and UNFPA websites.

On behalf of ACT, project team would like to express sincere gratitude and appreciation to all involved parties and individuals, namely Mrs. Olga Osaulenko / Programme Manager, UN Women and UNFPA Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia; Mrs. Dilara Buyuktas / Programme Associate, UN Women and UNFPA Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia; Guillem Fortuny Fillo / International Expert on Gender studies and UN Women and UNFPA country offices and local implementing partners from all 6 countries - for their invaluable support and level of cooperation throughout the project implementation.