The Fondo Centroamericano de Mujeres (FCAM) or Central American Women's Fund is a feminist organisation supporting women's rights in Central America, based in Nicaragua.[1][2] FCAM is the first and only foundation in Central America, focused on resourcing grassroots women's organisations.[3] As a women's fund, it works towards guaranteeing women's human rights through physical and emotional integrity, economic justice, and political participation. FCAM provides money, capacity building, and opportunities for the defence and promotion of human rights.[4]
 | |
| Abbreviation | FCAM |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2003 |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 12°08′15″N 86°17′12″W / 12.137611°N 86.28675°W |
Region | Nicaragua |
| Website | www |
History
editFCAM was founded in 2003, and registered in Nicaragua in 2006.[2] Its founder and first executive director was Ana Criquillion.[5] From 2009, it has been led by Carla López (currently at February 2024 the Executive Director); also (until at least 2021 but not in 2024) on the board of the umbrella organisation, the International Network of Women’s Funds also known as Prospera, since 2013.[6]
FCAM was set up to gather new sources of funds from individuals in the Central American region and the diaspora in the United States, for redistribution to women's rights organisations, particularly those led by and comprising young underprivileged women.
When FCAM was founded, over 50 percent of the population of Central America (then 20 million people) was living on less than $2 per day. Even more disturbing was the gendered nature of this context: the average per capita income for women was only 50 percent of that of men, illiteracy was higher amongst women than men, maternal mortality rates were growing, and one in four women admitted to being victims of often unreported domestic or sexual violence.[5]
Achievements
editIn the first six years of its existence, FCAM's annual budget grew from $25,000 to $1.5 million, and the number of grantee partners increased from five in Nicaragua to 140 in six countries.[7]
According to the FCAM website,[8] (March 2024), 'over the past two decades, FCAM has awarded 2,568 grants with a total value of 32 million U.S. dollars to more than 600 organisations and activists in Central America'.
Since its inception, FCAM has worked on empowering marginalised communities of women, in particular the indigenous, the young, lesbian, bisexual and trans women, those living with HIV/AIDS, and sex workers.[3][4] More recently, FCAM has been linking the issues of climate change and gender justice, finding that environmental destruction is leading to increased violence against women.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b Paul, Stella (20 May 2016). "How Climate Change Is Fueling Violence Against Women". Thomson Reuters Foundation/Huffington Post. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ^ a b "Fondo Centroamericano de Mujeres (FCAM)". International Network of Women's Funds inwf.org. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ^ a b "Central American Women's Fund". The Channel Foundation channelfoundation.org. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ^ a b "Fondo Centroamericano de Mujeres / Central American Women's Fund". International Human Rights Funders Group ihrfg.org. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ^ a b "Ana Criquillon Poulhazan". Ashoka Innovators for the Public ashoka.org. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ^ "Prospera - 2021 in Retrospective". Retrieved March 7, 2024.
- ^ "Struggling with complexity". Alliance alliancemagazine.org. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- ^ "women take the lead - a democratic fnding model". Retrieved March 7, 2024.