Belgium will make available €1.1 million to support cooperation projects around gender issues, the largest sum of money the federal government has ever invested in such initiatives.
The project call around gender issues titled "As long as it's needed" is the largest ever and will help support organisations that are focused on gender equality, combatting gender-based violence and generally improving the living conditions of women in the country.
"Since the beginning of my mandate, I have sought to promote the extraordinary work of associations fighting for women's rights, the feminist, trans and intersex movements," Secretary of State for Gender Equality, Equal Opportunities and Diversity, Sarah Schlitz, said.
"In Belgium, we are lucky to have a real network of associations, from the North to the South of the country, to which we owe a lot in terms of the advancement of rights, social justice and the emancipation of citizens. This work is finally being recognised at the federal level," she added.
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The project call will mainly support organisations that are combatting gender-based violence in line with the recently adopted National Action plan for the Fight against Gender-Based Violence, strengthening the representation of women in public spaces, promoting women's economic autonomy and improving their access to health care, among others.
"It is about strengthening the organisations of the first-responders who work daily for greater gender equality, first through a federal project call in 2022 and then through structural funding starting in 2023," Schlitz said.
Every project can be given between €25,000 and €60,000. Organisations must submit their application for this support by 21 April.
