Year: 2019
Interning at the African Women’s Development Fund (Summer 2019)
Interning at the African Women’s Development Fund (Summer 2019)
By: Sabine Afodanyi, Knowledge Management Intern
I began my internship with the African Women’s Development Fund with eagerness and desire to soak in as much knowledge as I can concerning African feminism. I had the opportunity of interning with the Knowledge Management department, which is responsible for archiving and analyzing feminist knowledge produced by the African Women’s Development Fund and its grantee organisations. As someone who is interested in development and advocacy work, I
believe this internship gave me the opportunity to learn what it entails to accomplish such type of work. My six-week internship, supervised by Knowledge Management Specialist Rita Nketiah was a thought-provoking, fulfilling and memorable experience. During this process, I was amazed by the critical work and impact that AWDF has and will continue to accomplish in the venture to support its grantee organisations in radically transforming the state of women’s rights
in the African continent.
The work of AWDF is quite fundamental in advancing the state of women’s rights in the African continent, as it is in a unique position of providing funds to various women’s organisations in order for them to actualise the principles of African feminism in their local communities. For example, NETRIGHT is involved in aiding rural women to reclaim knowledge concerning land rights in the northern region of Ghana. This is done through a knowledge
building initiative which allows for these rural women to adequately fight for their rights so they can be able to be in control of their own economic futures without having to rely on male figures within their households. Having the opportunity to craft stories around organisations such as NETRIGHT opened my eyes to what African feminism really entails. In my opinion, I believe a key mechanism through which African women can be empowered is for the actualisation of their true economic autonomy in addition to their social and political rights. Organisations such as NETRIGHT allow for African women’s empowerment in a system which has long allowed for their oppression from and dehumanized them as a result of colonialism and patriarchy. Seeing how the AWDF is working to further advance this goal allows me to further understand how these systems have held African women back from truly actualising their personhood in political,
economic and social spheres.
Beyond obtaining the opportunity to gain knowledge about how a pan-African organisation such as the AWDF supports its grantees, I was also able to strengthen my writing abilities. A key aspect of my internship was being able to adequately and efficiently produce stories concerning important work grantees have been doing with support from the AWDF. Initially, I felt intimidated to write for a much larger audience beyond that of a classroom audience. This was my first opportunity in writing from the perspective of a women’s rights organisation with a large audience. With the support and guidance of my supervisor, I quickly overcame this uncertainty, allowing for me to confidently produce two key short profiles on AWDF grantees. For me, this is a testament to one of AWDF’s goals of supporting young African women in growing their voice and leadership capabilities. I also was able to build my ediorial skills by contributing to AWDF’s knowledge generation series Bread and Butter series, which offers radical feminist macroeconomic analysis to shape and transform policy. Having the opportunity to collaborate with my supervisor on this task was also another manner in which I was able to further enhance my knowledge of how African women are leading the way in transformational approaches to macroeconomic policies. Apart from enhancing my writing and editorial skills, I subsequently had the opportunity to support with the weekly operations of the Resource Centre. The Centre houses hundreds of materials on African feminist knowledge including books, films and institutional reports. As a support staff, I had the opportunity to meet with members of the public who visited the Centre to access materials or needed a quiet study space away from the noisiness of Accra. As a KM intern, I also contributed to researching and
uploading content to AWDF’s online repository called AfriREP. This process allowed me to engage with key African feminist knowledge producers, through open source platforms.
In summary, my internship experience with the AWDF is one which I believe will positively impact my educational career and beyond. There were many thought provoking questions, such as the role of social class in African feminism, and how this impacts the lives of everyday African women. While I was not able to visit some of the local organisations supported by AWDF, I am amazed by the important work the AWDF is doing with its revolutionary take on confronting injustices committed against African women through systems rooted in patriarchy and colonialism.
Voice And Choice & State of Women in SADC Barometers Launched
Voice And Choice & State of Women in SADC Barometers Launched
Gender activists from across Southern Africa launch the#VoiceandChoice 2019 Barometer alongside the State of Women in SADC 2019 report.
The Barometer has been produced for the last eleven years by the Southern African Gender Protocol Alliance, a network of Women’s Rights Organisations that campaigned for the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development in 2008, its updating and alignment to the Sustainable Development Goals in 2016.
In keeping with global and regional trends, reflected in the #MeToo, #TimesUp, #TotalShutdown and related campaigns, the 2019 Barometer departs with past tradition in focusing specifically on Sexual Reproductive Health and Right (SRHR).
The 2019 #VoiceandChoice Barometer is the first civil society shadow report on the recently adopted SADC SRHR strategy. It measures 100 indicators in seven thematic areas including Sexual and Reproductive Health; adolescent SRHR; safe abortion; GBV; HIV and AIDS; harmful practices and sexual diversity. The State of Women report details progress made against the provisions of the SADC Gender Protocol using two important yardsticks, the empirical SADC Gender and Development Index (SGDI) and Citizen Score Card (CSC) to measure progress made towards Gender Equality in the region.
For the findings of the Barometer and to gain context on the state of Women’s rights in the SADC Region, click here.
Preventing Violence against Women: A Primer for African Women’s Organisations
Preventing Violence against Women: A Primer for African Women’s Organisations
Why this primer?
This primer provides an overview of key terms, trends, approaches, and evidence used to frame violence against women (VAW) prevention programming. It is designed to strengthen programming, advocacy, and research for evidence-based violence against women prevention in Africa. We hope that it will both contribute to individual learning and promote collective knowledge on VAW—enabling organisations and groups to engage more meaningfully in VAW prevention programming, advocacy, research, and activism.
Who is this primer for?
This primer is intended for African women’s organisations, African women’s funds, and allied philanthropic actors to broaden their understanding of the trends in the rapidly evolving field of VAW prevention. The primer also serves to increase the participation of African women’s organisations, researchers, activists, and programme developers in advancing evidence-based work on VAW prevention grounded in feminist politics.
Ultimately, it is our hope that this primer supports African women’s organisations to take the lead on VAW prevention programming, innovations, implementation, and advocacy.
HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PRIMER
Annual Report 2018: Deepening Roots
Annual Report 2018: Deepening Roots
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Deepening Roots is a report on our achievements, learnings and growth in 2018. We strongly believe in the power and potential of African women to shape our own destinies and this report is a testament to all the growth work that continues to guide our cause. The report has been structured across three major themes: growth, reflection, and learning. Each theme captures the ways that AWDF implemented our strategic vision in 2018. We stay committed to
supporting a range of African women’s organisations to live out their visions of justice and freedom for all African women. As we continue to reach upwards and outward in our feminist journeys, we also remember to dig deeper and more intentionally into the values that root us to do this work. We hope
you enjoy reading as much as we enjoyed growing, reflecting and learning in 2018.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REPORT ENGLISH VERSION
TO READ THE FRENCH VERSION, PLEASE CLICK HERE
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L’enracinement (Deepening Roots) est un rapport sur nos réalisations, nos apprentissages et notre croissance en 2018. Nous croyons fermement au pouvoir et au potentiel des femmes africaines à forger nos propres destins; et ce rapport est un témoignage de toutes les activités qui ont marqué notre croissance et qui continuent de guider notre cause.
Le rapport a été structuré autour de trois principaux thèmes: croissance, réflexion et apprentissage. Chaque thème représente les voies par lesquelles notre vision stratégique a été mise en oeuvre par l’AWDF en 2018. Nous demeurons engagées à notre volonté de soutenir un éventail d’organisations de femmes à accomplir leur vision de justice et de liberté pour toutes les femmes africaines. En poursuivant notre engagement à la cause féministe vers les sommets et l’extérieur, nous nous rappelons également de puiser profondément et de manière plus intentionnelle dans nos valeurs qui nous lient à ce travail qui nous passionne tant.
Nous espérons que vous trouverez du plaisir à lire ce rapport tout comme nous avons été heureuses de croître, de réfléchir et d’apprendre en 2018.
CLIQUEZ ICI POUR LIRE ET TELECHARGER LE RAPPORT
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Update: African Women Writers Workshop 2019
Update: African Women Writers Workshop 2019
We are happy to share this update on the upcoming African Women Writers Workshop. The number of applications received was truly amazing and we’re excited by the high level of interest in the event.
Screening is still ongoing, but due to the high number of qualified applications received, we are unable to respond to every single applicant. We will notify shortlisted applicants by 30th August 2019. If you have not heard from us by the end of August, it means you did not make the shortlist. There will be an opportunity to try for the next one.
Thank you!
The AWWW 2019 Team
Call for Consultants: Documentation of AWDF’s Timeline
Call for Consultants: Documentation of AWDF’s Timeline
AWDF has been in existence for the last 19 years and is documenting its herstory to share the transformative journey the organisation has gone through and its contributions towards achieving its vision.
OBJECTIVES OF THE DOCUMENTATION
The main objective of the assignment is to document the timeline of AWDF since the inception of the organisation as the first African women’s fund in 2000. This assignment includes capturing the transformative stories of the organisation and the role it played in strengthening the African women’s movement.
The documentation process is intended to focus on the journey of growth and success of AWDF from 2000 to 2019 and will serve as a reference document for all other publications.
CONSULTANT’S PROFILE AND QUALIFICATION
AWDF is seeking to engage a consultant with extensive experience in the production of similar documentation. Among other things, the consultant must have the following:
- Familiarity with the work of grant making foundations at the regional level – Africa
- Outstanding writing skills with the ability to synthesize information in coherent, succinct and compelling format
- Outstanding storyteller who will bring cohesion to the various components of the project.
- Expert knowledge and understanding of women’s rights issues, movements, and organisations
- In-depth understanding of feminist principles and its contextual considerations
WANT TO APPLY? CLICK HERE FOR FULL TERMS OF REFERENCE
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: 26TH JULY 2019
Adopting innovative models for feminist funding
Adopting innovative models for feminist funding
Photograph: Dinendra Haria/Alamy
Gender activism is yielding significant dividends as funding for women’s rights initiatives reach unprecedented levels. The African Women’s Development Fund has made great strides in driving donor funding towards more impactful causes with partnership initiatives such as Leading from the South, Amplify Change and the recently announced Equality Fund.
But this is not nearly enough, according to AWID’s Kasia Staszewska, Tenzin Dolker and Kellea Miller. The totality of funding for Gender Equality that goes to women’s organisations pales in comparison to the amounts that go to international organisations based in the donor countries. Read the article here
Our CEO Theo Sowa shares her thoughts in an interview with +SocialGood at Women Deliver.
Our CEO Theo Sowa shares her thoughts in an interview with +SocialGood at Women Deliver.
” The continent is emerging from some really difficult challenges and some of the drivers of that change are women and girls. The continent can do so much more and has so much more potential but we will only get there if we use 100% of our human resources and that means women and girls have got to be at the center of that change we want to see”.
To listen to the interview, click here
Emerging Stars at Women Deliver 2019
Emerging Stars at Women Deliver 2019
Edith Asamani
More than 6000 delegates from around the world participated in this year’s Women Deliver Conference in Vancouver, Canada. It was a time of sharing, learning and networking with discussions focused on diverse topics including education, economic and political empowerment, good governance, women and girl empowerment. World leaders, journalists, influencers, advocates, academics, activists, journalists were all present at the conference.
In addition to the panel discussions, competitions were held to award grants to deserving individuals and organisations who were leading on promoting gender equality and reducing gender based violence.
Ghanaian campaigner on sexual reproductive health rights, Edith Asamani, emerged the winner of a 30,000 Euro grant for advocacy to end gender based violence.
The panel which included the African Women’s Development Fund and the Global Fund for Women selected Edith, who works with the African Youth and Adolescents Network (AfriYan), out of 6 contenders.
Edith Asamani says the grant will enable AfriYAN Ghana to push to reduce sexual and gender-based violence. She added that it provides an opportunity for a youth-led network to lead change.
World Environment Day: African women champion eco-friendly agro-processing models
World Environment Day: African women champion eco-friendly agro-processing models
Manchie Women gari processors working in a smoke-free environment using Improved LPG Stoves provided by AWDF/20/05/11
By Rose Buabeng, AWDF
05/06/2019
Since inception, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) has invested in and supported several women agro-processing groups to improve their production processes into more energy efficient systems.
With a global focus on air pollution for this year’s World Environment Day, this article seeks to highlight the activities of rural women agro-processors and how these activities impact the environment and their health.
A large number of rural women in Africa are engaged in agro processing cottage industries, and most of them use solid fuels in their production processes, creating environmental risks which could have significant impact on their health and wellbeing. The burden from solid fuels disease remains most prominent in areas with limited access to clean fuels, mostly poor households in developing countries. Globally, 2.6% of all ill-health is attributable to indoor smoke from solid fuels, nearly all of this in poorer regions.
With this in mind, AWDF has partnered the women’s groups to boost their incomes and to move into more eco-friendly models that will protect not only their health but the environment in general.
Some of these groups are involved in gari processing, groundnut paste and oil processing, shea butter processing, brewing of local beer, etc. AWDF has supported such women groups with modern processing equipment, processing structures as well as clean and more efficient energy source (LPG). The groups have also received capacity building support in health, hygiene and safety with some being able to certify their production activities with quality and standards regulatory bodies within their countries.
A typical example is the Manchie Women Food Processing and Marketing Group in Ghana. Since 2008, AWDF has provided support to the tune of $100,000 to provide modernised cassava processing equipment, clean and efficient energy sources, health and hygiene capacity support, marketing and financial management support. This has enabled the women processors to produce in a pollution-free environment; expand marketing channels and increase income levels. The support has also given them credibility in the district; they are contacted or invited to participate in all development and leadership activities in the Amasaman District in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
Solid fuels will continue to remain the main source of household fuel in developing countries for the foreseeable future but collective effort must be made to scale down on its use and move into sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources.
Manchie Women gari processors using Improved processing equipment provided by AWDF/20/05/11