Accelerating Women's Empowerment
AcceleratingWomen'sEmpowerment
Accelerating Women's Empowerment (AWE) is CESO'sflagship program that launched in 2020 in partnership withGlobal Affairs Canada (GAC).
The SDGs most relevant to our work are:
ULTIMATE OUTCOME Through AWE, CESO aims to achieve improved economic and/orsocial well-being of the poorest, most marginalized and vulnerablepeople, particularly women and girls, in developing countries, with aview to contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
CESO empowers and connects people, businesses, communities andinstitutions. We enhance governance and drive economic growth by:
CESO'S MISSION & WORK
For over 50 years, our volunteer CESO Advisors have been collaboratingwith local partners to build inclusive businesses and strengthengovernance, both in Canada and around the world.
By leveraging their expertise in AWE, CESO Advisors will deliver capacitybuilding activities that help our partners realize their full potential.
CESO ADVISORS
Strengthening capacity to engage, innovate and prosper Delivering the right expertise, experience and networks Fostering locally driven, sustainable solutions that areequitable, inclusive and environmentally responsible
MISSION
Our Advisors are Canadian citizens with at least 15 years of professionalexperience across sectors and industries.
CESO ADVISORS
Manufacturing &ProductionInformation TechnologyTourism & HospitalityFinanceEnvironment &Renewable EnergyAgribusiness &AgroforestryNutrition & Health
We seek your expertise in:
OUR AREAS OF FOCUS
Governance &InstitutionalStrengthening
General & Results-BasedManagement
HumanResources
StrategicPlanning
DigitalMarketing
VirtualFacilitation
MSMEDevelopment
GenderEquality
Supply ChainManagement
Operations
ceso-saco.com/volunteerLearn more:
CESO Advisors are highly-skilled professionals who advise, mentor andshare strategic and technical expertise with partners and clients throughplanned assignments—delivered both virtually and in-country during AWE.
Our interventions are guided by Canada'sFeminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP).
Createopportunities to accelerate
gender equalityand women's
economicempowerment
(GE/WEE)
Support women-led
micro, small &medium
enterprises(MSMEs)
Strengtheninstitutions and
build the capacity of our partners
Contribute to local, regional,national andinternationaldevelopment
KEY OBJECTIVES OF AWE
Women
Youth
Indigenous populations
Remote communities
Individuals with disabilities
Other vulnerable populations
We will impact the lives of:
CESO's GE/WEE approach is centered on three pillars:
When a woman has the capacity to obtain productiveresources to enhance her economic position
Women’s access to resources
When a woman has the capacity to make decisions andact on opportunities that lead to economic advancementand the ability to influence her surroundings
Women's agency
An enabling environment for GEThe underlying context where GE and WEE exist,including the regulatory and legal framework
GENDER EQUALITY & WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT (GE/WEE) APPROACH
Gender equality (GE) refers to theequal rights, responsibilities, statusand opportunities of women andmen on political, social, economicand cultural levels.
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GE is an overarching theme throughout the program.
Our activities are based on a country-specificanalysis and contribute to long-term outcomes.
CESO's three-pronged GE/WEE approach will:
Be integrated & cross-cutting
Be targeted & strategic
Raise awareness & build capacityWe ensure sustainability by equipping partners withtools, knowledge and best practices.
GENDER EQUALITY & WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT (GE/WEE) APPROACH
We will promote the equal participation ofwomen as agents of change in economic,social and political processes.
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Our Gender Sensitive Value Chain (GSVC) approach isdesigned to increase our impact in four sectors of focus:
GENDER SENSITIVE VALUE CHAINS (GSVC)
CESO will design and implement interventions that improvewomen's access to resources and agency, as well as create anenabling environment for women and other vulnerable groups toparticipate fully in value chains.
Tourism &Hospitality
Agroforestry Nutrition& Health
Agribusiness
AWEInnovationFund
Opportunities for womenWomen’s access to and controlover resources Women’s quality of lifeWomen’s confidence in theirabilities
Why is the fund needed?Our partners do not always have the means toimplement recommendations from CESO Advisors.
Who will benefit?The poorest, most marginalized and vulnerablepeople in our program countries, especially women.
What does the fund do?The fund allows CESO partners to procureequipment and supplies to implement innovativerecommendations.
What does this mean?We will accelerate productivity, efficiency, salesand income for our partners.
The fund aims to improve:
WHERE WE WORK
Latin America &the Caribbean
Asia
AnglophoneAfrica
FrancophoneAfrica
G l o b a l A f f a i r s C a n a d a
L o c a l E m b a s s i e s & C o n s u l a t e s
I N T E R N A L
I n - C o u n t r y T e a m s
C E S O A d v i s o r s
I n t e r n a l C E S O D e p a r t m e n t s
E X T E R N A L
P a r t n e r s
CESO'SPARTNERS
GovernmentsLocalState /ProvincialNational
Local &InternationalNGOs
GrassrootsOrganizations
Civil SocietyOrganizations
Foundations
Associations
Cooperatives
MicrofinanceInstitutions
Micro, Small& MediumEnterprises
TradeBoards
Chambers ofCommerce
Universities
Training Centres
ResearchCentres &Laboratories
PROJECT ORGANIZATION CHART
Oversees strategic direction and implementation of the program in alignment with Global Affairs Canadaand CESO objectives
Program Management
Carries out strategic recruitment of CESO Advisors and both operational and logistical support for volunteerdeployment
Volunteer Services
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning | Collects and analyzes data, identifies ways to create deeper impact, and shares learningsGE/WEE & GSVC Advisors | Guide development of GE/WEE and GSVC strategies through training, tools and support
Program Development & Learning
Engages Canadians through strategic marketing and communication activities that showcase CESO's successes
Communications & Engagement
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS
Finance & Accounting | Oversees program budget and manages expenses and reportingHR | Supports recruitment, contracting, and training and developmentIT | Provides technical guidance and support
Finance
Country Representative | Builds and maintains strategic partnerships and ensures successful implementation of assignmentsProject Officer | Provides in-country support for assignments and contributes to learning and engagement efforts
In-country teams
Advise, mentor and share strategic and technical expertise with partners through assignments
CESO Advisors
Undertake assignments that support the strategic growth of their business, organization or community andimprove economic and/or social well-being
Partners
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS
CESO Advisors will create an enabling environmentfor partners to promote GE/WEE issues andopportunities through tools and trainings that areintegrated into assignment design and delivery.
Result:Enabling environment developedto support and promote women’seconomic involvement.
(Outcome 1220)
Capacity BuildingCESO Advisors will provide partners with technicalassistance, such as training, mentoring and thedevelopment of processes and tools, withinstrategic sectors and value chains, to enable thepartner's delivery of inclusive, innovative andenvironmentally sustainable initiatives.
Result:
Increased capacity of developingcountry partners to design and deliverinclusive, innovative andenvironmentally sustainabledevelopment initiatives.
(Outcome 1210)
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
CESO will expand recruitment efforts to further develop our rosterof experienced Canadians who support partners by sharing theirskills and expertise in specific sectors of strategic focus.
Public Engagement
CESO will engage Canadians on international developmentand GE/WEE issues and share stories about how we areenhancing the social and economic well-being of the poorest,most marginalized and vulnerable people in the world.
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Result:Increased access of developingcountry partners to highly skilledCanadian women and men throughactive engagement of CESO Advisors.
(Outcome 1120)
Result:Improved appreciation/understanding of Canadians aboutinternational development issues,particularly GE/WEE.
(Outcome 1110)
For more information, please contact [email protected].
We look forward to creating a lastingimpact with you!
CESO-SACO.C
OM
CESO gratefully acknowledges financialcontributions from Global Affairs Canada.