Fuenlabrada's Commitment to Women-Led Initiatives
The socialist government of Fuenlabrada has launched a grant program offering up to **€70,000** to fund projects in countries such as Morocco, Nigeria, and Colombia, with a significant focus on prioritizing organizations led by women. This initiative, administered by the Department of Economic Development, Employment, Commerce, and Foreign Cooperation, aligns with the city council's ongoing commitment to international cooperation efforts with regions across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia.
Among the key priorities outlined in the grant application, there is a strong emphasis on enhancing productive capacities to foster employment and entrepreneurship within vulnerable groups, specifically highlighting the importance of supporting economic initiatives spearheaded by organized women. Additionally, a **gender-based criterion** has been established to evaluate projects that incorporate a human rights perspective and apply equitable selection criteria for beneficiary populations.
Geographic Focus and Local Implications
This grant opportunity is geographically limited to a predefined list of countries. In the North Africa and Middle East region, Morocco is included alongside Mauritania, the Sahrawi refugee population, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon. The broader list encompasses seven Sub-Saharan African countries, including Senegal, Mali, and Ethiopia, as well as nineteen nations from Latin America and the Caribbean, from Colombia to Venezuela, with the Philippines being the sole Asian destination.
However, this initiative comes at a time when Fuenlabrada faces a structurally high unemployment rate, currently exceeding the average across the autonomous community. According to the latest data from the Local Employment Observatory of the city council, the unemployment rate in December 2025 stood at **7%** of the working-age population, compared to **5.9%** in the wider Community of Madrid. This disparity has sparked discussions regarding municipal spending priorities; while the city allocates €70,000 to international cooperation projects, locally, **61.6%** of the unemployed are women, reflecting a significant gender gap of 23.3 points.
The evaluation criteria for applications introduce a facet connecting international efforts with local impact. A criterion assessing the **local impact** grants up to six points out of 100 if the project is conducted in a country with a notable migrant population in Fuenlabrada or representation on the municipal coexistence table. The remaining scoring—85 out of the 100 possible points—depends on the applicant's organizational capacity, the quality and coherence of the proposed intervention, and its alignment with the **objectives of Spanish Cooperation**, which includes gender sensitivity, environmental sustainability, and operations in countries with lower human development indices as per UNDP assessments.
Applications will be resolved through a **competitive process**, with a maximum evaluation period of six months, overseen by a commission that includes the general director of the Social Area, a municipal technician, a representative from the coexistence table, and another from the UNED Chair of Social Services. The final decision lies with the Local Government Board.
As reported by okdiario.com.
