The Tawanmandi Civil Society Strengthening programme was established in 2011 with financial support from a consortium of donors (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom).

Tawanmandi works to contribute to the development of a vibrant and inclusive civil society, with focus on issues of policy and practice in the areas of access to justice, anti-corruption, human rights, media, and peace-building and conflict resolution, with due attention to disability, gender and youth as cross-cutting themes.

Tawanmandi supports Afghan civil society organizations (CSOs) in three main ways: by providing CSOs with grant financing, by providing CSOs with capacity development support according to their needs, and by helping to build effective CSO partnerships, networks, and coalitions.

The programme’s ultimate goal is to contribute to positive change in the lives of the Afghan people by improving human rights standards; making justice mechanisms more accountable, accessible and effective; reducing corruption; and putting in place mechanisms whereby community conflicts can be resolved peacefully.

Since the programme’s inception, Tawanmandi has financed three “rounds” of project grants, funding projects designed by 58 Afghan CSOs, with project implementation in some 140 districts across all of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. In addition, Tawanmandi has provided funding to 10 Sector-Based Core Partners (SBCPs); the SBCPs will help to build sector/thematic partnerships and networks as well as promote collaborative effort or “joined up advocacy” on key issues.

Through its support to Afghan CSOs, Tawanmandi looks to influence change at the policy and institutional levels, as well as to create an enabling environment for positive social change in Afghanistan.