The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is putting out a call for its annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence Grant.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence Campaign is a global campaign that has been used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women. The campaign takes place annually between 25th November and 10th December.

Key dates include:

• 25 November: International Day of No Violence Against Women
• 1 December: World AIDS Day;
• 3 December: International Day for the Disabled;
• 10 December: Human Rights Day

2015 marks the 24th year of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign and the theme is: “From peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education Safe for All”.

Ending violence against women is a key focus of AWDF’s work. For several years, AWDF has supported the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign by giving grants to African women’s organisations to coordinate activities around the event.

To support the 2015 global campaign to end violence against women, AWDF will fund small to medium sized women’s right organisations on the African continent to participate in activities that will end all forms of violence against women and girls in their communities.

AWDF would therefore give priority to projects that:

• Raise awareness, using innovative and community driven activities, about harmful traditional practices such as FGM, Child Marriages, sexual violence, physical and mental violence against women and girls.
• Provide a platform for women and girls to raise their voices on gender based violence issues
• Combating gender based violence in schools

The 16 Days of Activism to end Gender Based Violence is under the AWDF small grants programme. They are usually one off activities and events to commemorate the days in question.

Time frame for the call

The current call is opened from 10th August to 11th September 2015. Applicants are to send in proposals with innovative but effective strategies to address issues on gender based violence.

Eligibility Criteria

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 organizational structures
• Must have an appreciable financial management system
• 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 of no more than $50,000

Grant Size & Period

The grant size is a $1,000. Therefore eligible projects should have a budget of not more than $1,000. The grant period will be for 4 months from the date of award.

How to apply

Interested small to medium sized women rights organisations should send in their proposals using the required application guidelines to the AWDF secretariat via email to awdf@africlub.net/awdf; grants@africlub.net/awdf or post to:

The African Women’s Development Fund

Office: Plot 78 Ambassadorial Enclave, East Legon

Post: P.M.B CT 89 Cantonments, Accra, Ghana

Tel : +233 289 669 666

The applicant must also complete and include financial management assessment forms and an outcome form, all downloadable from here:

Application Guidelines: 16 DAYS Guidelines 2015/ campagne 16 jours- canevas

Financial-Management-Assessment-Guidelines-ENGLISH/ Evaluation-Gestion-Financière-Directives-FRANCAIS

Framework for Measuring Outcomes/ Cadre de mesure de Succes

Expectation

The successful applicant is expected to send in one comprehensive report highlighting the various activities, lessons learnt, stories and achievements of the project. The organisation must be able to document stories and lessons learnt for sharing with AWDF and other stakeholders. Labelled photographs of project activities in j-peg format should be attached to the report.

NOTE: Please note that this is a very competitive process and only organizations with innovative but effective strategies who will be supported. Only successful applicants will be contacted.