Fostering alliances to tackle economic gender-based violence in Lebanon

At the close of 2021, Lebanon-based Collective for Research & Training on Development – Action (CRTD.A), a partner of Gender at Work within the Power Up! Programme, formed a new advocacy alliance with Oxfam, marking a significant milestone towards achieving a key outcome of the PU! initiative — the shifting of harmful social norms.

While CRTD.A had previously collaborated with Oxfam, the invitation from the global organisation to serve as their strategic advocacy partner in the South West Asian/North African region for their 16 Days of Activism campaign presented a unique opportunity to address the pressing issue of economic gender-based violence (EGBV).

EGBV, a form of violence against women often overlooked and underestimated, particularly in Lebanon, persists due to entrenched patriarchal social norms. To confront and eradicate this issue, the CRTD.A team, alongside a feminist producer and Oxfam, devised a compelling social media campaign. This campaign featured an advocacy video and direct messages emphasising women’s rights to financial independence and safety.

CRTD.A’s boldness in tackling EGBV during the 16 Days initiative distinguished them as the sole organisation in Lebanon dedicated to addressing this critical issue. As the campaign gained momentum, so did CRTD.A’s online presence. The campaign’s reach exceeded all expectations, touching the lives of over 450,000 viewers.

You can watch the You have the right to live financially independently. You have the right to live safely video here and the What are some of the aspects of EGBV? video in Arabic here.

Beyond their social media expansion, the alliance with Oxfam carried broader significance: not only did it amplify CRTD.A’s key messages on global platforms, but it also provided an opportunity to influence Oxfam’s own initiatives. This impact continued to unfold as the alliance progressed, with Oxfam inviting CRTD.A to collaborate on their 2022 global campaign, which focused on inequality and its intersection with gender-based violence.