“Progress” Social Research Public Union implemented projects on voter participation in the elections, community development and HIV/AIDS. For the implementation of the programs Public Union received grants from the MamaCash from the Netherlands, and Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation Azerbaijan. Now it has a log-term partnership with OSI Azerbaijan to work on HIV/AIDS and has been partnering with them since 2004.

PROJECTS

Name of the project: “Lobbying Women Rights through Educational Seminars and Family Planning”

Amount of the installment and when received: Amount was €2930 and it was received on September, 2004

The goals of the program were to educate the women group about their rights in the society, to educate them about the family planning and against the Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STDs).

As mentioned in the original proposal “PROGRESS” prepared brochures and training materials about the gender equity and STDs before starting the activities in the communities.  We had a meeting with the active community leaders for attracting the women groups to our trainings. As we mentioned in the original proposal there were organized community  groups by the International Organizations in order to implement the development projects. In these community groups there are 3-4 active women member. Our trainers had meeting with the women groups in the communities in Saatli and Imishli regions. With the support of them we attracted a lot of women to our trainings. We gave them brochures and training materials about the family planning and STDs and Gender Equity. We trained them how to avoid and protect themselves from undesirable pregnancy and Sexual Transmitted Diseases. We gave the wide range information about the Gender Equity and about their role in the society. We asked them to select the group leaders in order to keep in touch with them for the future activities. The group leaders were elected by the women participants. We distributed brochures to them using which will enable them to affect the other women groups. Now our organization is the winner of the new grant for activating the women groups and youth in the upcoming parliament elections in some of these communities. This project also will give a great impact and strengthen the role of the implemented project about the women rights.

Evaluating the outcome and impact of the project:
As the result of the implemented project women groups activated in the targeted communities. It was properly explained to the women groups how to avoid the STDs and undesirable pregnancy.
As the result of these trainings the death of the mothers and children will be reduced.

Their role and rights in the society properly explained to women groups. Of course with one training we activated 25-35 women in each community, for strengthening the impact of the project we will conduct trainings about the women rights in the elections in these communities with the support of the next funding opportunity that our organization became a winner. During the trainings we conducted pre and post training questions among the women, as the result of the conducted training we identified that the women groups gained a lot of knowledge about their rights, about the ways for avoiding from STDs and undesirable pregnancy.

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Benefits for the targeted groups:
Targeted groups activated in the direction of the gender equity in the society. They found out the best gynecological methods for protecting themselves and their friend and relatives from the STDs and they learned the easiest methods of the family planning. They learned how to protect their rights in the society, they learned that they have an equal right with the men in the society. ________________________________________________________________________

Follow – up activities of the project:
The trained women will support to the other community women members for the resolution of their similar problems. The distributed training materials will be shared with the other women members in the communities. The training activities of the women groups with the new funding opportunity will start effect from March 2005 in these communities in the direction of the women rights and roles in the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. Also our organization is looking for the donors for purchasing the necessary contraception means against the STDs and for the family planning purpose and distribution them among the women groups in the communities. ________________________________________________________________________

II.Financial Report:
There were some challenges because of the financial issues in order for implementing the targeted activities. Initial considered budget was higher than we received. That is why our organization conducted a meeting before starting the project and with the participation of the organization members and volunteers it was decided to use volunteers for the implementation of the project. Project coordinator and trainers did not receive a salary. Some stationary expenses reduced. Training hall payments reduced and we used community centers for the trainings. Some transport costs reduced also. Major amount spend for the educational training materials. According to the Rules and Regulations of the Tax ministry of Azerbaijan Republic, the organization which receives a grant is obliged to give a financial activity report to Tax Department. That is why, the organizations receiving grants prepare and submit financial activity reports not only to the donor but to the tax authorities as well, therefore the financial report documentation has already been prepared by this grant as well. All the receipts and vouchers had been prepared and we can send it through the post office to you. Also there are training materials that our organization prepared which is not possible to send through e-mail and we can send it through post office.