The Canada World – Voice for Women and Girls program is a major four-year development project led by Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) in partnership with Global Affairs Canada. Operating across Tunisia and Syrian refugee communities in Turkey, the initiative uses independent media and rights-based journalism to protect human rights, promote gender equality, and elevate the leadership of women and girls in public life.

The aim of this project is to strengthen local news agencies and to create collaborations with CBOS, colleges and decision-makers. This project enables local journalists to be trained in gender-sensitive reporting so that the news coverage becomes more than just a reporting type of job.

The project led to a number of improvements in the field of politics and communities, including changes that benefited Syrian refugees in Turkey. Thanks to JHR’s advocacy, the housing policy has received the attention of political leaders, which resulted in the introduction of mediation measures in eviction cases. As a consequence of this advocacy, Gaziantep University reopened its courses in Arabic languages that facilitate the education of thousands of young Syrian women.

In Tunisia, the initiative focuses on political participation and survivor support. Program workshops empowered local leaders like Syrine Mrabet, who transitioned from training participant to elected member of parliament. To address gender-based violence, JHR collaborated with government ministries to establish five new shelters in southern Tunisia, providing safe refuge and recovery services for women.

For development partners, donors, and regional CSOs, the JHR program demonstrates how targeted media capacity building can produce measurable policy changes. By combining media training with advocacy and institutional reform, the initiative offers a sustainable model for advancing human rights across the MENA region.