NETHERLANDS: National Gender Action Plan Kicks Off

The second Dutch National Action Plan 1325 (NAP 1325-II) kicked off on 21 February 2012. Nuffic is one of the 40 signatories of the four-year plan, which aims to improve the political position of women in conflict zones in Afghanistan, Burundi, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Sudan, the Republic of South Sudan and the MENA region.

The plan, that was set up to implement the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, was signed on 19 December 2011.

The plan is funded and coordinated by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by the signatories, through country groups. Each signatory is represented in an NAP country group.

The ministry has allocated € 2 million per year for NAP-rooted projects in the six NAP countries and € 2 million for projects in the MENA region.

The ministry is in the process of preparing the selection criteria for the NAP projects. Proposals will be prepared by local (women's) organisations in the NAP countries, together with the NAP country groups, based on action plans. Two signatory organisations of the group will assist the local organisation in implementing the projects.

Nuffic's contribution to NAP 1325

Nuffic will participate in various country groups. Furthermore, Nuffic will inform the embassies and NAP country groups about the potential of Nuffic-administered programmes to contribute to the objectives of the NAP 1325-II.

These programmes are:

The Netherlands Fellowships Programmes (NFP) which provide fellowships for short courses, master's degree programmes and PhD studies

The NFP Tailor-Made Training programme (TMT) which provides group training

Nuffic will be monitoring the TMT applications and fellowships awarded in NAP countries for annual reporting about the NAP 1325-II.