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African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF)

CALL FOR PROPOSALS : AWDF 16 DAYS AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE 2017 ( $2,000 grant)

by OFA August 21, 2017

written by OFA

Application Deadline: 12^th September 2017.

Since its founding by women’s rights activists in 1991, the 16 Days Campaign has been used as an organising strategy by individuals, groups and women’s rights organisations around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women. Ending violence against women has been at the centre of AWDF’s work for several years. As part of AWDF’s support to the cause to eliminate VAW, AWDF supports the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign by awarding grants to women’s organisations in Africa to organise and coordinate activities around the event.

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is therefore putting out a call for proposals for activities to mark 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence in 2017. To support the 2017 global campaign to end violence against women, AWDF will fund small sized women’s rights organisations on the African continent to lend their voice to the campaign as well as participate in activities that will end all forms of violence against women and girls in their communities. The focus for this year’s call will be on eliminating violence against women and girls living with disabilities.

AWDF would therefore give priority to projects that:

Raise awareness, using innovative and community driven activities, about violence against women and girls living with disabilities
Provide a platform for women and girls with disabilities to amplify their voices and speak against gender based violence issues
Combat violence against women and girls living with disabilities

The current call is opened from 16th August to 12^th September 2017. Applicants are to send in proposals with innovative and effective advocacy strategies to address issues around eliminating violence against women and girls living with disabilities.

Applicant Organisation:

Must have been in existence for at least 3 years
Must be duly registered, at least with its local government structure
Must be led by a woman and have a focus on Women’s Rights
Must have the needed organisational structures for effective implementation of

the project

Must have an appreciable financial management system to properly account for funds received
Must be capable of reporting back on the outcomes of the project
Must be highly recommended by a donor agency, a grantee or partner of AWDF or the local government office
Must complete the necessary application forms
Must have an annual budget not more than $100,000

Grant Size & Period

The grant size is $2,000. Therefore eligible projects should have a budget of not more than $2,000 to be supported by AWDF funds. The grant period will be for 4 months from the date of award.

How to Apply

Interested small sized women’s rights organisations should send in their proposals using the required application guidelines to the AWDF secretariat via email to [email protected]; [email protected]. The applicant must also complete and include a financial management assessment form and an outcome form.

NOTE: Please note that this is a very competitive process. Only successful applicants will be contacted.

Find the full application guidelines and required forms below.

2017 16 Days Full Application Guidelines and Eligibility Requirements

Financial Management Form

AWDF Budget worksheet 2017

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the AWDF 16 DAYS AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE 2017

August 21, 2017 2 comments

Call for Applications

African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) Feminist Leaders & Governance Coaching Project 2016

by OFA July 26, 2016

written by OFA

Application Deadline: August 8th 2016

In 2014, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) launched a feminist coaching project on leadership for women leaders of its grantee organisations. In 2015, the project was expanded to include strengthening governance frameworks within participating organisations. The project is based on our knowledge of the persistent challenges of African women’s organisations with issues related to resource mobilisation, communications, governance, leadership transition, safety and wellbeing.

Given these constraints and the external context women’s organisations work in, they tend to focus on narrow short-term advocacy or urgent service-delivery projects, with little capacity to expand alliances, envision innovative strategies and be forward thinking.

This coaching project seeks to develop the individual leadership skills and values of participating CEOs/EDs as well as those in second level management. It is also aimed at strengthening the institutional and governance structures of participating organisations and providing an enabling framework fortheirrelevance and sustainability.

At AWDF, we believe that a well-grounded leader in feminist values, ideology and clarity of purpose can accelerate the process of social justice and development effectively. Therefore, investment in both individual leaders and governance frameworks of African women’s rights organisations is vital.

By September this year, the third batch of 10 AWDF grantee organisations and 20 women leaders will be completing the coaching project. So far, these grantees are reporting improvements in leadership and communication styles, effective staff management and active engagement of their board members. Leaders have improved their visibility and fundraising abilities through written articles and their media appearances.

Eligibility Requirements:

Interested organisations should fulfil the following criteria in order to be considered for this project:

Be an AWDF grantee and should have received grants from AWDF in the last 3-5 years
The organisation should have an existing board which will be available for the governance strengthening trainings.
The organisation should have a minimum of 3 full-time staff
The organisation should have access to reliable internet and be able to use Skype and email.
The organisation should have functioning office space with basic office infrastructure.
The organisation should work in any of these areas; Violence against Women (VAW), Health and Reproductive rights (HRR), Economic Empowerment and Livelihood (EEL) areas and with women especially young women.
Two staff members from an organisation’s leadership. That is one CEO/ED/programme Manager/Coordinators and one staff from the next level in management.
Applying leaders should be within the ages of 18 – 45 years.
Leaders should be able to communicate in either English, French or Amharic.
Leaders should be able to communicate via internet, Skype, telephone and email.
Leaders who have demonstrated the potential to develop.

Project Duration & Methodology

This is a 9-month coaching project on leadership and governance from December 2016– August 2017. The project is targeted at CEO/EDs/Programme Managers/Coordinators and those in second level management of AWDF grantee organisations within the age bracket of 18 – 45 years.

The coaching project will entail the following:

1. Attending a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) forum. This is a 3 day event for orientation, skills sharing, strategy development and networking for participating leaders, coaches and AWDF. This event will be held in Kenya from 15- 17 November 2016.
2. Engaging in one-on-one coaching via phone calls, email, Skype conversations and occasional inperson meetings with their personal coaches from December 2016 – August 2017
3. Governance strengthening activities for boards of participating organisations.
4. Writing of opinion pieces or articles by leaders about their work and development.
5. Participating in at least one AWDF skill building training/workshop where necessary.

Application Procedure:

To be considered for the project, your organisation is required to send your application to the AWDF Capacity Building Unit at [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] justifying why you and your organisation should be selected for the project. All applications MUST be received by 8th August 2016

Please include the following in your application:

❖ Names and positions of 2 staff from your organisation who will be participating in the project
❖ Why your organisation should be considered (highlighting on leadership & governance issues).
❖ Your last grant from AWDF, the year and for what project.
❖ Which level(s) your organisation typically engages in i.e community, national or regional
❖ Challenges you hope to overcome in the process
❖ How the project will enable you achieve your individual and organisational objectives.
❖ Include a written recommendation from your board endorsing you and your participation in the project
❖ Any other information to strengthen your application is welcome.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) Feminist Leaders & Governance Coaching Project 2016

July 26, 2016 1 comment

Fellowships

African Leadership Center Peace and Security Fellowship 2016 for African Women (Fully Funded to UK)

by OFA January 14, 2016

written by OFA

Application Deadline: 17:00 hrs, Friday 18 March, 2016:

The African Leadership Centre (ALC) was established in Kenya in June 2010 as a joint initiative of King’s College London and the University of Nairobi. The ALC is pleased to announce a call for applicationsa for the Peace and Security Fellowship for African Women for 2016/2017.

This Fellowship is an intellectual and financial award to those who are able to portray convincing demonstrable or potential capacity to bring about intellectual, policy or other change in their field. The Fellowship is a postgraduate non-degree programme, and does not lead to an academic qualification.
Since October 2011 the ALC, Conflict, Security and Development Group, King’s College London and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Nairobi, have delivered the Peace and Security Fellowships for African Women in partnership.
The ALC aims to build a new community of leaders generating cutting edge knowledge on peace, security and development. To this end, the ALC undertakes to do the following:

Create an enabling environment for ideas that are grounded in African realities;
Provide space for interaction with role models;
Build capacity for independent thinking;
Expand the knowledge base to develop transformational ideas that can be nurtured to create visions of change;
Create opportunities to transfer knowledge to achieve multiplier effects for communities;
Connect with processes nationally, regionally and globally, especially in the field of peace and security; and
Build lasting partnerships that will maintain an African-led vision of change.

The Fellowships bring together African women in the early stages of their careers to undertake a carefully designed training programme in conflict, security and development. This training is followed by an attachment to an African Regional Organisation or a Centre of Excellence to acquire practical experience in the field of peace and security.

It is intended that this project will train African women to develop a better understanding of African peace and security issues, in order to increase their participation in conflict management processes and other areas of security concerns for Africans.

The Peace and Security Fellowship Programme for African Women is designed to expose professional African women at early stages of their careers to the complexities of conflict, security and development. The exposure is to equip them for careers in this field by developing their expertise to generate African-led ideas and processes of change for addressing challenges on the African continent. The Fellowships aim especially to ground this expertise on peace and security in integrity and the pursuit of excellence.

The Fellowship is conceived against a number of background factors:

First is the comparatively low number of African women exposed to rigorous academic writing and policy analysis in the field of peace and security especially when compared with those involved in human rights and development issues.
Second is the need to assist African women to meet the demands of the Beijing process and the subsequent UN Security Council Resolution 1325 that calls for the inclusion of women at all decision making levels in “all national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts”.

Eligibility Requirements:

Candidates must be female citizens of African countries.
Successful candidates must hold valid travel documents prior to acceptance.
Candidates must have knowledge of, or experience of women’s rights, gender and development issues.
Candidates must be able to demonstrate a commitment to contribute to work on peace and security in Africa
Candidates must demonstrate commitment to the core values of the programme: Independent thinking; Integrity; Pursuit of Excellence; and a Value for all forms of Diversity
Candidates must have a relevant institutional base and be endorsed by an organisation with which they have been involved for at least two years. Exceptional candidates without such organisational ties may be given special consideration
Candidates must have a demonstrable plan for how to utilise knowledge gained in the Fellowship upon return to their countries and organisations
Candidates must hold a Master’s or Bachelors degree with an equivalent level of professional experience.
Candidates must be fluent in spoken and written English

Programme Details:

This is a one-year Fellowship, divided into two six-month phases. The first phase will be delivered at the ALC/ King’s College London. During the training, the Fellows will be encouraged to engage critically with the discourse on conflict, security and development in Africa.
They will also visit and study institutions working in the field of peace and security in Africa and Europe. This phase will include a simulation seminar series during which mock conflict management situations will be practiced.
In the second phase, Fellows will be attached to an African regional organisation or Centre of Excellence to undertake practical work in the field of peace and security including peace and conflict management processes.

Fellowship Worth:

This is a fully funded* opportunity, not including any visa application and processing costs. Funds will be made available to the Fellows to cover tuition, subsistence in the UK and Africa, and all travel expenses related to the programme in both phases.
While funding will be made available to pay for accommodation, successful applicants are expected to find their own accommodation both in the UK and Africa. Fellows are strongly advised to make all necessary accommodation arrangements prior to taking up their positions on the Fellowship Programme.

* This project is supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), the Allan & Nesta Trust and the Ferguson Charitable Trust. Fellowship opportunities are subject to continued funding support.

Application Process:

Applicants to the Fellowship Programme must make individual successful applications to the MSc Security, Leadership and Society by 17:00 hrs, Friday 18 March 2016. The MSc is a separate but parallel application procedure handled by King’s College London, rather than ALC. To be accepted on to the Fellowship, applicants must be accepted on both the MSc programme by King’s and the Fellowship Programme by ALC.

To be considered for the Fellowship please apply through the Online Application System by 17:00 hrs, Friday 18 March, 2016:

Ensure the following documents are attached in PDF format.

A letter of application detailing your relevant experience and qualifications.
A supporting statement no longer than 1,000 words, detailing why you think that this programme is important and future plans for engagement with peace and security issues.
2 letters of recommendation (after you submit names and contacts of referees, they will receive an email asking them to submit the reference using our online system. These references received directly from the Referees must be received by the deadline of 17:00 hrs, Friday 18 March, 2016).
Recent curriculum vitae.
Two writing samples (maximum 3000 words each).

Please indicate in your application letter, if you have completed the University application (Note that you are required to submit your application to the M.Sc. Security, Leadership and Society, King’s College London, as detailed above by the deadline of 17:00 hrs, Friday 18 March, 2016).

Please ensure all documents are attached as PDF attachments when using the Online Application System.

All supporting documents should be submitted via the online portal. Please note that no email applications will be accepted. If you are experiencing problems with the online application portal, please contact us at [email protected]

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the African Leadership Center Peace and Security Fellowship 2016 for African Women

January 14, 2016 3 comments