VZCZCXRO8522
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHPA #0077/01 0510030
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 200030Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY PRAIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1951
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHPA/AMEMBASSY PRAIA 2932

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 PRAIA 000077 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR S/GWI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN PREL SOCI PHUM CV
SUBJECT: CAPE VERDE: S/GWI PROJECT PROPOSAL 
 
REF: SECSTATE 132094 
 
PRAIA 00000077  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
¶1. (U) Embassy Praia is pleased to submit this funding request 
for the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues' Small 
Grants Initiative to support the construction of the first 
shelter for victims of domestic violence in Cape Verde, as 
proposed by the Association of Battered Women of Cape Verde 
Islands, Inc. (BWCVI). 
 
 
PROBLEM STATEMENT 
----------------- 
 
 
¶2. (U) Violence against women in Cape Verde is a widespread 
problem deeply rooted in the country's traditional gender roles. 
 The most common form of gender-based violence is spousal abuse. 
 In fact, an estimated 60 percent of Cape Verdean women have 
been physically or sexually abused at least once by their spouse 
or domestic partner.  In recent years, public awareness 
campaigns organized by the GOCV and NGOs have encouraged victims 
to report criminal offenses such as rape and spousal abuse.  As 
a result, more and more victims are speaking out to bring this 
once private matter into the public view.  However, victims who 
denounce their abusers suffer from a lack of a support system 
and many victims remain in or return to their abusive 
relationship. 
 
CONTEXT 
------- 
 
 
¶3. (U) While visiting Cape Verde in August 2009, Secretary 
Clinton praised the government of Cape Verde (GOCV) as a model 
of democracy and economic progress in Africa.  She commented on 
the high level of female participation in government and noted 
that women account for more than half of the GOCV cabinet.  This 
broad, public participation by women should not mask the deeper 
issues of violence against women that pervade all levels of Cape 
Verdean society.  The key area that the Secretary viewed as a 
shortcoming was in the response to domestic violence and she 
appealed to the GOCV to take action to combat gender-based 
violence. 
 
¶4. (U) The Secretary's statement on gender-based violence has 
been pivotal in increasing the pace of change to address this 
important issue.  Since her visit, gender-based violence in 
general and violence against women in particular has been the 
subject of extensive public debate.  In response to the 
increased public consciousness, the government and women's 
organizations have intensified their efforts to mobilize the 
resources necessary to respond to the growing needs of victims 
of domestic violence.  However, few concrete steps have been 
taken and many women continue to face domestic violence without 
any support or hope.  This lack of support services adds to the 
intensity of fear, despair, and confusion for victims.  Post 
believes that the construction of this shelter will provide an 
important tangible step forward in addressing the issue of 
domestic violence. 
 
¶5. (U) If selected for funding, the shelter will builds on the 
Embassy4s efforts to combat gender-based violence and promote 
gender equality.  The Embassy has been active in raising public 
awareness and supporting legal reform thus far, but a key 
component that has not been addressed is a safe location to 
support victims that are fleeing an unsafe environment.  This 
shelter will be especially critical since it is slated for 
construction on the island of Fogo, which according to the 
Institute of Gender Equality and Equity quality, currently has 
the highest rates of domestic violence per capita in the country. 
 
PROJECT PROPOSAL 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Post and BWCVI propose the construction of a shelter for 
victims of domestic violence on Fogo.  While victims in Fogo 
will be the first to directly benefit from the shelter, it will 
also offer educational programs and increase awareness to 
promote systematic change throughout Cape Verde.  The project is 
intended to be done on a cost sharing basis since the full cost 
for construction will be USD 250,000.  BWCVI has already secured 
USD 72,000 for the project and the U.S. support would likely 
encourage the GOCV and other foundations to move forward with 
the proposed contributions.  Post is requesting USD 100,000 from 
S/GWI to form the cornerstone investment and enable construction 
to move forward.  If approved, the S/GWI funds will be able to 
participate in a much larger project than the 100,000 USD 
contribution could provide on its own. 
 
¶7. (U) The primary goal of this project is to improve safety and 
provide refuge for domestic violence victims and their 
dependents.  In addition, the project will provide access to 
 
PRAIA 00000077  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
psycho-social services, transitional living, life skills 
education, professional training and legal advocacy. 
Comprehensive programming at the shelter will also include 
education and prevention programs to educate the public about 
domestic violence, its consequences, and how to eradicate it 
from Cape Verdean society. 
 
¶8. (U) Overall, BWCVI has a two-phased approach to addressing 
the problem of domestic violence in Fogo which began in 2007. 
(1) It established a support office to provide social and 
psychological counseling to women victims of domestic violence 
or at risk of becoming victims.  The organization is now ready 
to embark on (2) the construction of an appropriate building to 
shelter women and children victims of domestic violence.  The 
shelter will also allow for the provision of support services 
and job training programs to help victims break the cycle of 
violence and economic dependency. 
 
The BWCVI shelter will include: 
- Six Rooms with private bathrooms to accommodate up to 24 
victims and their dependents 
- Kitchen and cafeteria facilities 
- An amphitheater - capacity more than 200 people 
- An office for technical personnel to attend victims 
- An office for administrative support 
 
Note: Detailed architectural plans and artists renderings are 
available upon request. End note. 
 
BUDGET 
------ 
 
 
¶9. (U) The shelter for victims of domestic violence is a 
cost-sharing project with a total budget of USD 265,000.  BWCVI 
has received land to construct a permanent shelter and is 
actively seeking funds from national and international partners, 
including the GOCV and the African Women's Development Fund, 
Mama Cash, to finance the construction costs.  To date, over 27% 
(USD 72,000) of the expected costs have been raised through 
private institutions and individual donations.  BWCVI is 
requesting USD 100,000 from the Secretary's Office of Global 
Women's Issues' Small Grants Initiative as a one-time cost to 
cover partial construction costs of the project.  BWCVI 
anticipates that construction for the shelter will be completed 
in six months after receiving the funding.  BWCVI already has 
two engineers who will oversee the construction phases of the 
project, on a pro-bono basis. 
 
EXPENSES (USD) 
 Foundation                                      1,900 
 Stone and Cement Blocks                39,000 
 Cement Concrete (B20/A400)             70,000 
 Wall and Ceiling finishing             38,000 
 Floor Pavement                                 34,000 
 Ceiling                                         2,500 
 Doors and Windows in aluminum          23,900 
 Wood work for the kitchen               1,100 
 Network of Water and Sewage    11,600 
 Bathroom furnishings                    6,300 
 Iron works for stair protections  2,200 
 Electrical works                                7,400 
 Painting                                       27,100 
                                                ------ 
TOTAL EXPENSES                        265,000 
 
PROPOSED SOURCES OF FUNDS (USD) 
S/WGI Grant                                 100,000 
GoCV                                                    20,000 
African Women4s Dev. Foundation 50,000 
Individual Contributions                70,000 (50K already donated) 
Fundraising Events                              25,000 (22K already 
donated) 
                                                        ------ 
TOTAL REVENUES                                  265,000 
 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (U) BWCVI is a non-profit organization established in 
December of 2007 as a 501(c)(3) in the United States.  The 
organization has since obtained its legal status as a Cape 
Verdean NGO.  The mission of BWCVI is to empower and enhance the 
quality of life for women affected by, or at risk for, domestic 
violence.  The organization is dedicated to identifying and 
developing opportunities to improve safety for women and their 
dependents, to centralize and develop coordinated victims' 
services, and to promote empowerment and equality of women 
within their homes, communities and nation. 
 
 
PRAIA 00000077  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
¶11. (U) BWCVI has four full-time employees, and works with a 
core group of physicians, nurses, teachers, lawyers and 
psychologists who provide volunteer services.  The organization 
also provides capacity-building for women through education, 
orientation and professional training.  BWCVI works in 
partnership with Cape Verde's Network of Women Economists and 
The Institute of Gender Equality and Equity to support domestic 
violence intervention and prevention through coordination, 
training, and collaboration with systems that affect victims of 
domestic violence.  Post has worked closely with this 
organization in the past and is confident in their ability to 
successfully execute this project. 
 
¶12. (U) Once the shelter is fully funded, BWCVI will use the 
resources to: 
- Build Cape Verde's first shelter to provide safe haven for 
battered women and their dependents; 
- Strengthen cooperation and communication among the criminal 
justice system, hospitals and social agencies in Fogo, Cape 
Verde to improve the efficiency and effectiveness in handling 
domestic violence cases; 
- Provide psychosocial and referral services to affected women; 
- Educate and empower women through life skills and 
vocational/professional training that give victims marketable 
skills; and 
- Establish multiple public awareness campaigns to help educate 
and prevent future domestic violence. 
 
¶13. (U) For the past two years, BWCVI has operated a support 
center for domestic violence victims temporarily housed in the 
administration building of a local Church.  The center has 
already provided community referrals, counseling and advocacy 
services to more than 120 battered women.  Although the facility 
currently serves as an emergency shelter for victims seeking 
refuge, it does not offer adequate and suitable accommodation 
for victims looking for real protection. 
 
 
PROPOSED POST MANAGEMENT OF S/GWI GRANT 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶14. (U) Post's Self-Help Coordinator will be responsible for 
serving as the Embassy's liaison for project management and 
oversight.  The coordinator will also conduct two site visits 
during construction to ensure funds are spent for the intended 
purposes and project is executed on time. BWCVI will be 
responsible for the day-to-day administrative, financial and 
project management. BWCVI will also be required to provide 
quarterly and annual narrative and financial reports. 
 
¶15. (U) One key indicator of the shelter's success will be the 
number of victims that it protects and supports.  We anticipate 
that, if funded by June 2010, the numbers could be as follows: 
 
2010 -  50 victims protected (emergency shelter in church) 
2011 - 120 victims protected (new S/WGI project shelter) 
2012 - 160 victims protected 
2013 - 200 victims protected 
 
A second indicator of the project's effectiveness will be the 
number of domestic violence cases reported on Fogo and other 
islands.  We will see the numbers of victims decline, 
particularly in Fogo, as awareness increases and victims find 
options for a new life.  Finally, BWCVI would report on the 
number of participants in public awareness campaigns to 
demonstrate how many people the NGO is educating at the shelter 
in order to prevent future violence.  Even with quarterly 
programming, Post anticipates that BWCVI could easily train up 
to 600 people per year in the new facility, including law 
enforcement officers and school children. 
 
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND AND RELEVANCE FOR POST 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶16. (U) Cape Verde is an excellent partner in transparency, 
democracy, and development, but needs U.S. support and 
partnership to address its domestic violence challenge.  The 
construction of the first permanent shelter for victims of 
domestic violence in Cape Verde offers a tremendous opportunity 
to showcase the U.S. commitment to improved conditions for 
victims in Cape Verde.  This project not only provides a 
high-value, tangible outcome in the form of a physical refuge, 
but also establishes a sustainable platform for continued 
education and behavioral change.  This issue is one of Post's 
highest priorities and we are fully committed to supporting and 
seeing this project through.  The relationships that we 
currently maintain with BWCVI, as well as first-hand knowledge 
of the work they are already doing, will allow us to provide 
strategic oversight to the project.  Post will work closely with 
BWCVI to ensure that, if Cape Verde is awarded with the grant, 
the funds will be put to good use and improve the lives of women 
 
PRAIA 00000077  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
both today and in the future. 
BROWN