The document outlines Progressio's work empowering women in fragile states, highlighting that women disproportionately suffer the effects of poverty and conflict. It presents facts about the challenges women face in areas like education, economic participation, and political representation. The campaign "Unbreakable" aims to get the UK government and EU to support greater recognition of women's roles in fragile states and include a specific gender goal in their post-2015 development plans.

1. Unbreakable campaign

2. Progressio & gender
Progressio has a long-standing history working
on gender-based issues
Empowering women and
working with women‟s
movements
Pioneering masculinities
work in central
America (1990s)

3. Facts about women and development
60% of the world’s extreme poor are women (UNDP Gender Equality)
1/3 women will suffer physical or sexual abuse (UN Women)
2/3 of the world’s illiterate people are women - 41 million girls
are denied education (UN Women)
Only 20% of politicians are women
Less than 4% of global government aid has been allocated to
gender equality

4. Facts about women and development
70% of small-holder farmers are women and they produce 50%
of global food. (Action Aid & FAO 2011)
Investing in women benefits the whole community: girls and
women spend 90% of income on their families,
while men only spend 30-40% (Nike Foundation, The Girl Effect)
Women and children are the main water collectors in 76% of
households (45-country survey: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply and
Sanitation 2010)

5. Fragile states
Progressio works in 4 of the top 10 most fragile
states (Fund for Peace‟s Failed States Index 2013)
States lacking
stability, legitimacy, ca
pacity, or willingness
to provide for basic
needs & rights
Often affected by, or
recovering
from, conflict and
more susceptible to
shocks

6. Fragile states
Fragile states: 26% of global population
35% of the world‟s extreme poor live in fragile states
51% of under 5 deaths
46% of children out of school (SCF 2010)
“The cost of a single failing state is est. $100billion” (Paul Collier, The
Bottom Billion)

7. Global poverty
is declining
sharply…
Except in
fragile
states

8. Why focus on women in fragile states?
Conflict and insecurity are major factors affecting women‟s
safety, well-being and economic and political opportunities
Dysfunctionality of the state and its institutions mean
discriminatory customary practices often take the place of the
legal and judicial system, perpetuating gender inequality.
Women also affected by the economic turmoil faced by these
countries, women tend to come last in access to education and
economic participation.

9. Why focus on women in fragile states?
Sexual violence is worst in conflict and post-conflict situations;
disproportionately affects women & girls (UN resolution 2106)
<8% of post conflict needs assessments address women‟s needs
(UNIFEM)
Women and girls suffer disproportionately from the MDG deficit
(OECD)

10. Why focus on women in fragile states?
Women in Yemen, Timor Leste and Zimbabwe attained less than
two thirds of the levels of education, health, political and economic
participation of men.
These women are the poorest of the poor (Global Gender Gap Index)

11. “We live in a fragile state, but we are not
fragile people”
Abeer al
Absi, Progressio
Country
Representative, Yemen

12. Yemen
We are working with local partners Abu Mousa and IDF Sana'a to help
poor and vulnerable women to achieve equality within Yemeni
institutions and society, including strengthening the institutions within the
police force in favour of women and girls in domestic abuse cases.

13. Somaliland
Working with local women‟s network NAGAAD, we pushed for the adoption
of a political quota for women within Somaliland‟s government. In the 2012
local elections, 142 women stood for election, compared with 10 in the
previous local elections.

14. Timor-Leste
In partnership with Rede Feto, the national umbrella organisation for
women‟s rights in Timor-Leste, we are working to help improve the
organisation‟s effectiveness and reach, and to lobby for legislation to
protect women‟s rights country-wide.

15. Unbreakable
women’s voices must be heard
Our goal:
A bigger role for women in political, environmental and social
decision-making in fragile states

16. Unbreakable
women’s voices must be heard
Our campaign will:
Change policies at UK and EU level
Hear the voices of women living in fragile states
Challenge ourselves to live in solidarity

17. How the campaign will run: first steps
The 58th Commission on the Status of Women
10 to 21 March 2014
UN headquarters in New York
Political & civil society leaders meet
Outcome document
The CSW58 aims to review the MDGs for women &
girls with a focus on the post-2015 framework

18. What do we want?
We want the UK Government to:
Show commitment to women’s political & social participation in fragile
states
Support a gender goal in the post-2015 framework with specific
reference to fragile states & conflict-affected areas
Make the link between women and fragile states

19. Why?
Women are often the most marginalised of these
communities
Women should be the key drivers to construct a safe &
equitable future
UK Government has not yet made the link between women
& fragile states

20. The MDG
deficit is
concentrated
in fragile
states.
No fragile
state has
achieved a
single
Millennium
Development
Goal

21. How are we going to achieve this? Part 1
Through Policy & Advocacy work
Direct lobbying of key decision makers by our Policy &
Advocacy staff in NYC
Includes a side event
at the CSW58: „How faith
empowers and constrains
women in fragile states‟

22. How are we going to achieve this? Part 2
We need you! We have until 10 March to
influence the government.
We can do this in 3 steps…
1. Sign our petition to Justine Greening
2. Get in contact with your MP
3. Hold a Progressio Wadahadal

23. 1. CSW58 Hand in
Petition hand-in in NY
Progressio postcard
Online

24. 2. Get in touch with your MP
To raise the profile of the CSW58…
Our MPs need to know about the CSW58 and
why it is important to us
Our MPs need to let Justine know how
important the CSW is

25. What does success look like?
UK speaks out in support of women‟s political &
social participation in fragile states
CSW58 outcome document to call for a gender
goal in post-2015 with specific reference to fragile
states & conflict-affected areas

26. Let‟s go!

27. Host a Progressio Wadahadal!
Gathering of people to talk to each other (Somali)
Focused between now and International
Women‟s Day – 8th March.
Sign the cards, raise some money, make people
more aware.

28. Your Progressio Wadahadal
£120 a year empowers someone with Progressio
quiz night at the pub
coffee morning at the office
cake sale at college
A gathering, join the conversation!

29. Your Progressio Wadahadal
Take a poster
Tell us what
you‟re planning
Get in touch for
info and ideas
catherine
@progressio.org.uk