Project Goal

To enhance the capacities of leaders of four women's NGOs in Sri Lanka to face challenges and to create opportunities for strengthening women's participation in grassroots democracy; broaden the understanding and awareness of women's contribution to democracy strengthening among NIU faculty and students.

Project Objectives

Provide an opportunity for selected women NGO leaders in Sri Lanka to engage in a dialogue with counterparts at NIU on democratic processes critical to women's participation in sustainable grassroots democracy.

Broaden the understanding and awareness of women's contribution to democracy strengthening among NIU faculty and graduate students who will be involved directly or indirectly in the project.

Design and implement a capacity building program for the identified leaders of the four national level women NGOS, to enhance individual, institutional and community capacity for effective participation in grassroots democracy in Sri Lanka.

Strengthen the networking capabilities of NIU and the four selected women NGOs by establishing effective, responsive, democratic and "ordinary women-friendly" channels of communication, including an internet-based communication.

Sharpen the leadership skills of women's coalitions in Sri Lanka through training in advocacy strategies for effective policy formulation on prioritized women's issues.

Set up horizontal and vertical partnerships with women's resources and organizations in the U.S., in Sri Lanka, and other parts of the world to share this rich experience and to explore innovative strategies for pooling technical and capital resources for future sustainability of the project.