WUNRN

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http://www.aiwr.org/armchair/development

Armchair Development Program

Providing A World of Volunteers To Central Asian Women’s Rights Groups

The Alliance currently works with women’s rights organizations in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan. We refer to these organizations as our partner organizations. The Alliance’s partner organizations sometimes need assistance with projects that can be accomplished completely through e-mail contact with a volunteer. Although projects can vary greatly in subject matter, many of the projects fall within the categories of communications and research. The projects also can vary greatly in length and complexity. Some projects might take half an hour while others require several hours or even days of work. The following are just some examples:

Communications projects

Armchair Volunteers often assist the Alliance’s Central Asian partners with writing and editing documents that have been translated into English, such as grant proposals, website materials, articles, letters, and reports. For example, Armchair Volunteers have assisted partners by editing quarterly reports to donors, editing and revising grant proposals, and editing correspondence with international organizations. By having Alliance Armchair Volunteers assist with editing and writing, the partner organizations are able to improve their standing and communication with the international community and donors.

Research projects

Armchair Volunteers with particular technical skills (such as lawyers, professors or fundraisers) can help by conducting research for the Alliance’s partner organizations, including compiling examples of laws from other countries that relate to women's rights issues; providing examples of fund raising techniques or business expertise; researching experts and organizations in specific areas of women's rights issues, such as trafficking, domestic violence or sexual harassment, and helping the partner organization make contacts with the expert or organization.

Interested individuals should complete the Armchair Volunteer Application, found on the Apply page (http://www.aiwr.org/armchair/apply), and e-mail it to lisaherb@aiwr.org. The Alliance will review each application and will work with the volunteer to try to match an appropriate project with the volunteer's skills and availability.