Overview - the current phase of this programme has now ended
The Civil Society Support Programme (CSSP) was a capacity development programme supporting Ethiopia’s civil society and its contribution to the government’s policies and strategies for national development, poverty reduction and advancement of good governance.
When we say poverty reduction, sustainable development, these are the outcomes we want to achieve through CSSP [...] These outcomes cannot be achieved without addressing issues of women and girls [...]
Funded by Irish Aid, FCDO, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Embassy of Sweden, Embassy of the Netherlands, Canadian International Development Agency, it prioritised capacity development for hard-to-reach Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) through regionally-led programming, to improve implementation of pro-poor government policies and more inclusive public services for poor people.
Capacity development was provided to CSOs via tailored training, mentoring and systems development, and Learn and Share workshops. Grant funding was offered at local, regional and national levels to encourage innovation and creativity in CSOs, to develop capacity, and foster collaboration among stakeholders, including government.
CSSP placed particular emphasis on supporting gender equality and reducing violence against women and has direct benefits for women, including challenging attitudes towards gender based-violence, strengthening livelihoods and supporting rights of women prisoners and their children.