Category: News

Are you a Portuguese-speaking feminist passionate about advancing gender justice across Africa?
Are you ready to be part of a vibrant Pan-African team supporting powerful feminist movements and organisations working to create long-lasting social transformation?

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is thrilled to announce an exciting internship opportunity that could be your next big step.

About the Role

AWDF is looking for a Programme Assistant Intern (Portuguese-speaking) to join our team on a short-term basis. You will work closely with the Programmes and Grantmaking teams to support our engagement with feminist partners—particularly in Portuguese-speaking African countries.

Your responsibilities will include coordinating grant-related tasks, facilitating communication with grantee partners, supporting programme officers, and assisting with mapping and outreach efforts in Lusophone regions.

 Internship Duration

18 months, full-time (Monday to Friday), based at the AWDF office in East Legon, Accra, Ghana.

This is more than an internship—it’s an opportunity to contribute to meaningful change across Africa by supporting the people and organisations at the forefront of gender justice.

Apply Now

Send in your application no later than Wednesday, 14th May 2025.
Due to limited capacity, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Click here to apply

Join us, and help write the next chapter of feminist solidarity and social transformation in Africa.

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a Pan-African feminist fund that resources, strengthens and upholds feminist movement partners and women’s rights organisations (WROs) across Africa to make gender justice a reality for all on our continent and worldwide.

We seek the services of a consultant to support our work aimed at mapping

• Feminist movement partners, WROs, networks and coalitions in the Portuguese-speaking region of Africa – these include partners who are active as individual activists, small community-based non-traditional and emerging actors and collectives, community-based organisations, as well as partners who work at scale, through grassroots and local networks. 
• The issues that they advocate for at local, sub-national, national and regional levels
• The social, cultural, and socio-economic contexts that inform their agendas
• The targets of advocacy at local, sub-national, national and regional levels
• Approaches for activism, networking, peer learning, organising and movement building 
• Identify the support and institutional strengthening needs of feminist movement partners and WROs
• The donor community who are providing support in these locations and areas of work

The findings from the mapping will be used internally within AWDF to inform our programming, and may also be shared with other women’s funds and donors supporting work in this area. The countries of focus are: Angola, Mozambique, Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde.

CONSULTANT’S PROFILE

The consultant should have:

Registration status, be based in and working in Africa

Leadership by women and/or gender-diverse persons

Expert knowledge of women’s rights advocacy, organisations and movements in the focus countries 

Experience in conducting stakeholder mapping using participatory methods

Excellent writing, reading and speaking proficiency in English and Portuguese are essential

Excellent interpersonal skills and flexible attitude

Commitment to feminist values and principles, and human rights principles of equality and diversity

DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The assignment shall be for 20 working days, including submission of the final document. 

The Consultant shall be required to submit the first draft for review by June 30, 2025, and the final document incorporating all comments by July 7, 2025.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit:

A proposed mapping approach and process, workplan, quotation including the daily consulting rate, CV and cover letter indicating previous experience and relevant field knowledge, to consultants@awdf.org.

Please put as the email subject header Application for consultancy- Portuguese-speaking countries mapping. 

Closing date is no later than 5 May 2025.

For more information on this role, please download the full Terms of Reference. 

Our world is shifting, philanthropy faces unprecedented challenges, and attacks on gender justice are growing by the day. While the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) has felt these impacts alongside many of you, we choose to respond, as feminists always have, with greater purpose. Pushing to the best of our abilities, in the face of the growing limitations, all while remaining in community with African feminists and movement actors. 

We are excited to announce the launch of our call for proposals set to amplify and continue the necessary,  bold and radical gender justice and social transformation work being initiated and led by movement actors.  This funding opportunity is specifically tailored to support nascent, grassroots organisations, unregistered groups and movements in Africa who are often left out of funding opportunities. It affirms our unwavering commitment to resource, accompany African women’s rights organisations and feminist movements led by women, girls and gender-diverse people in ways that allow them to sustain transformative work.

The Call in Focus

For this funding cycle, we have tailored five (5) funding grants targeting different movement actors working on gender justice and social transformation. The available grant opportunities include:

Inua Grants – This grant will support initiatives that strengthen the voice, agency and leadership of women, girls and gender-diverse persons to lead actions that contribute to gender justice.

Siza Grants – This crisis response grant provides flexible funding to small grassroots and unregistered groups in building sustainable solutions in crisis and conflict areas.

Matla Grants – This grant will support delivery of essential services to women, girls and gender diverse persons experiencing violence, backlash and/or discrimination.

Zimba Grants – This grant will support capacity strengthening and movement building in French-speaking Africa.

Economic Justice Grant – This grant will resource organisations to dismantle the barriers to economic justice and equality for African women, girls and gender diverse persons.

Read more and apply HERE .

Key Dates

From 28 April to 27 May 2025,  we are accepting applications in English or French and strongly encourage applicants from Portuguese and Arabic speaking countries to submit their applications in English or French. 

Tamale, 26 March 2025: In Ghana, like many other countries, sexual violence remains a particularly prevailing and complex issue often shrouded in silence. Nearly one in four women in Ghana between the ages of 15 and 49 experience some form of violence during their lifetime.  

To support the ongoing efforts to address sexual violence, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) under its KASA! Initiative and in partnership with Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA) under the powerful theme “Dreaming, Speaking Out, and Acting Collectively Towards a World Free of Sexual Violence” gathered grantees, partners, and advocates for a transformative convening at the Modern City Hotel. The event, held on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, brought together voices from civil society, government, traditional leadership, and digital activism to strategise on ending sexual violence in communities across Ghana and beyond.

The convening emphasised three critical priorities: the need for collective action, amplifying survivor voices, and strengthening institutional responses to sexual violence.

Setting the tone of the convening, Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, the Executive Director of SWIDA emphasised the need for unified efforts to dismantle systems that perpetuate sexual violence.

“This convening is not just about dialogue; it is about action. We must dream boldly, speak unapologetically, and act decisively to protect women’s rights,” she stated.

She highlighted SWIDA’s grassroots initiatives, including community education programs and survivor support networks, which empower women to break the silence around sexual violence.

In her opening remarks, Gifty Ayebea Adem, AWDF Programme Officer highlighted the initiative’s work in empowering survivors and strengthening community-led responses to sexual violence.

“Sexual Violence continues to rob lives, dreams and dignity across societies and we cannot continue to watch on. We recognize that sexual violence is shrouded in silence often due to social, cultural and religious norm practices. This impedes prevention and response,” stated Gifty Ayebea Adem.

Stressing the importance of grassroots mobilisation, Gifty highlighted: “When women and girls are safe, our communities thrive. KASA is committed to ensuring that no survivor stands alone. We also hope to foster stronger partnership among us and to see inspiring post-convening interventions.”

KASA, which means “speak out,” was launched by AWDF with the Ford Foundation and Open Society West Africa with a seed fund of $3,750,000.00 to support sexual violence interventions in Africa. The KASA initiative has supported 45 organisations in Ghana, Senegal and Nigeria, implementing various interventions to combat sexual violence.

Hajia Alhassan Bushira, representing the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, commended the organizers and reinforced the government’s role in policy implementation and legal frameworks. She underscored the importance of engaging men and boys in prevention efforts: “We have to engage the male groups, because sometimes they feel they have the right to abuse women, and they say this out of ignorance so when you engage them at the community level, I think we will be making a headway.”

Traditional leaders, particularly in Northern Ghana, play a vital role in challenging harmful cultural practices. Queen Mother Bridgetwurche Barichisu Mankir reiterated the critical role of traditional leaders in addressing sexual violence. “Culture should not be an excuse for abuse,” she asserted. She shared how queen mothers in Northern Ghana are working to end harmful practices such as child marriage and advocate for survivor-centered justice.

Beyond the physical spaces, the digital landscape offers both opportunities and challenges in combating sexual violence. Social media influencer Addy Kehinde Hussanat explained how online platforms can amplify survivor voices while calling for stronger protections against online gender-based violence. She noted: “By sharing stories, we challenge victim-blaming narratives and hold perpetrators accountable.”

Hussanat also acknowledged the risks of online harassment and called for stronger protections for women who speak out. “We need tech companies and policymakers to take online gender-based violence as seriously as physical violence.”

The highlight of the program was during the two-part panel discussions where panelists demanded policy reforms and traditional leader engagement to combat impunity for perpetrators.

The panelists agreed that ending sexual violence requires a multi-stakeholder approach. Key recommendations included:

• Ensuring laws against sexual violence are enforced with accessible justice for survivors
• Engaging men, boys, religious and traditional leaders as allies in prevention
• Promoting women’s financial independence to reduce vulnerability to abuse
• Leveraging digital platforms for awareness while combating online harassment
• Expanding psychological support services for survivors

AWDF reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to funding women-led and feminist movements across the continent and prioritising their leadership as they drive the most impactful change.

This article is written by Ewurama Attoh, a journalist based in Ghana.

Are you ready to be part of a passionate, diverse, and dedicated team working to support and strengthen feminist organisations and movements in pursuit of gender justice and social transformation in Africa?

The African Women’s Development Fund is thrilled to announce an exciting vacancy that could be the career opportunity you’re looking for.

About the role 

AWDF is looking for a short term Grants Administration  Support intern to support the resourcing department in its operations. AWDF as a grant’s maker receives a number of applications each year that needs to be processed. We therefore need a team member to support the grant making administrative process from the pre grant making process to the post grant making process.

Duration of the Assignment: The assignment is for a duration of 6 months and the role holder will be working from Monday to Friday.

Applications for the vacancy should reach AWDF no later than Friday, 25th April, 2025.  Due to our limited capacity, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for additional information and interviews.

See more details APPLY HERE

In line with AWDF’s Mission, qualified African women are encouraged to apply.

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is thrilled to announce five exciting opportunities to join our team and contribute to advancing feminist agendas across the continent. We are currently recruiting for two full-time positions and three short-term consultancy roles. If you are passionate about feminist movement-building, capacity strengthening, and transformative development, we encourage you to apply!

Job Opportunities

1. Programme Officer – “At Scale” Partners
   This role focuses on building and managing strategic partnerships that amplify the impact of feminist movements through scalable, sustainable initiatives.Read more details of this vacancy and how to apply HERE

2. Programme Officer – Non-Traditional Actors (NTA)
   This position supports AWDF’s engagement with diverse and emerging actors in the feminist ecosystem, including creatives, activists, and non-conventional partners.Read more details of this vacancy and how to apply  HERE

Consultancy Opportunities

3. Consultant – Capacity Strengthening for Grantee Partners
   We are looking for a skilled consultant to support the design and delivery of tailored capacity-strengthening initiatives for AWDF’s grantee partners. For more details on this consultancy, please click HERE 

4. Consultant – Implementing Capacity Support for National Feminist Forums
   This consultancy aims to bolster the work of national feminist forums through coordinated support and innovative facilitation strategies. Read more HERE .

5. Consultant – Programme Evaluation of the Kasa! Initiative
   Join us to evaluate the impact and learnings of the Kasa! initiative—AWDF’s bold effort to support feminist voice and action across Africa. Apply Here 

Ready to make a difference?

Thirty years after the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, feminists from around the world converged in New York for the sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), held from 10–21 March 2025. This was not just a moment to reflect on a historic milestone, but a critical time to take stock of the gains, the setbacks, and the shifting terrain for gender justice globally.

CSW as a Site of Feminist Strategy and Solidarity

The session focused on reviewing implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action—a document that remains one of the most ambitious, visionary blueprints for women’s rights. CSW is often a collision of worlds: grassroots organisers and movement leaders rub shoulders with diplomats, donors, and bureaucrats. But it’s also a vital space where feminist solidarity is rekindled, collective priorities sharpened, and political strategies debated.

Celebrating Gains, Confronting Realities

And yet, this year’s CSW felt bittersweet. While there was cause for celebration—the political reaffirmation of the Beijing Platform for Action, the powerful convening of feminists across generations—the broader context is troubling. Hard-won feminist gains are under attack. Sexual and reproductive health rights are being rolled back. Gender-based violence laws are being weakened or ignored. Space for feminist organising is closing in the face of rising authoritarianism and anti-rights agendas. Trans and queer communities are being criminalised and erased. Women human rights defenders face targeted harassment and violence. And economic policies continue to devalue women’s labour—especially in the informal and care economies—under the guise of post-pandemic recovery.

AWDF at CSW69: Political Presence and Purpose

In this context, AWDF’s presence at CSW69 was both strategic and urgent. Our focus was clear: to stand with our partners and movements, to amplify African feminist voices, and to push for sustained, flexible funding for women’s rights work—especially for those organising at the margins.

Resourcing Feminist Futures: A Call to Action

AWDF CEO Françoise Moudouthe opened the session with a powerful call for meaningful investment in gender justice. “We must immediately commit to protecting not just gender equality but gender justice for all—not with words, but with resources,” she declared. Her message resonated with urgency and clarity, calling on governments, international institutions, and philanthropic actors—especially those in the Global South—to back their commitments with real, sustained funding.

Strategic Convenings and Collective Visioning

Throughout CSW69, AWDF created spaces for strategic alignment and collective visioning. We hosted and co-hosted key events such as the Leading From the South (LFS) Collective Care event on Safeguarding Feminist Activism in Times of Polycrisis and a strategic meeting with the LFS Consortium. These spaces centred care, safety, and political strategy as feminist responses to a world in crisis.

Legacy, Leadership, and Intergenerational Dialogue

We also convened an intergenerational dialogue bringing together African feminists from across the continent and diaspora. The session explored legacy, mobilisation, and what it means to pass the baton without dropping it. As Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi reflected, “This is a movement. Intergenerational organising is about all of us being in the race, knowing we will be doing different things at different times, and playing different roles.”

Zeedah Meierhofer-Mangeli called for intentionality in passing on feminist knowledge: “Let us not leave it to coincidence—we must train, we must hand over, we must make legacy building deliberate.” Coumba Toure added her rallying voice: “Don’t wait for leadership to be handed to you. Take it. Push. Shift. That’s what the young have always done in this movement.”

Feminists on the Ground: Listening and Learning

Beyond panels and speeches, AWDF also took to the streets—with Warkha TV—to hear from everyday feminist activists. We listened, we learned, and we documented the power and plurality of feminist voices at this pivotal moment.

Movement Support in Practice

In line with our commitment to solidarity and movement support, AWDF enabled over 25 African feminist partners to attend CSW69. Partners like Nyaradzo Mashayamombe of Tag a Life International (TALI) and Anuli Aniebo of Heir Women Hub shared reflections on what it means for African women’s rights organisations to be present, visible, and resourced at global platforms like CSW.

The Road Ahead: From Commitments to Action

The session closed with a political declaration reaffirming the commitments made in Beijing, and calling for strengthened national systems, women’s machineries, and increased financing for gender equality. It was a reminder that while declarations matter, implementation—and resourcing—is what defines progress.

Moving Forward With Purpose

As AWDF, we leave CSW69 with sharper political clarity, deeper solidarity, and renewed urgency to fund, protect, and amplify the work of African feminists. The moment demands nothing less.

*Leading from the South (LFS) is a feminist funding initiative that supports women’s rights activism in the Global South through flexible, movement-led grantmaking. LFS is made up of  African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), FIMI – Indigenous Women’s Fund, Fondo Mujeres del Sur (FMS), and Women’s Fund Asia (WFA).

The African Women’s Development Fund seeks a consultant to implement capacity strengthening activities for National Feminist Forums. The consultancy is expected to cover the period from April- September 2025.

Expectations:

• Develop tailored capacity strengthening programs based on the needs assessments and mapping findings.
• Design and deliver various capacity strengthening approaches and initiatives including but not limited to workshops, training sessions, and mentoring programs .
• Provide technical assistance and support to NFFs in implementing their action plans.
• Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework to track the progress and impact of the capacity strengthening activities.
• Conduct regular monitoring visits and collect data on the effectiveness of the interventions.
• Prepare progress reports and a final evaluation report.

Application Process

Interested consultants should submit:

• A technical proposal outlining their understanding of the assignment, methodology and workplan.
• A financial proposal with a detailed budget,
• A CV or profile highlighting relevant experience.

Submit your application to consultants@awdf.org  by 14 April 2025.

Read more HERE .

The African Women’s Development Fund is thrilled to announce two exciting vacancies that have arisen in its team.

Are you ready to be part of this passionate diverse and dedicated team working to support and strengthen feminist organisations and movements in pursuit of gender justice and social transformation. Then apply to join our team.

As part of our strategy, AWDF is building on its approach of strengthening partners, through a more transformative and de-colonised approach which gives feminist and women’s rights activists, organisations and collectives in Africa the ownership and space to make transformative choices and impact their communities across the African Continent. The following exciting opportunities will help you contribute to achieving these objectives

Programme Officer – “At scale” partners

The Programme Officer (PO) will work closely with the Senior Programme Officer (SPO) “At scale” Partners”  to support the “At scale” Partners cluster. The Programme Officer (PO) will support the implementation of AWDF’s resourcing strategy to strengthen and uphold the voice and agency of African women’s and feminist organisations and movements.

Read more details of this vacancy and how to apply HERE

Programme Officer – Non Traditional Actors (NTA)

The Programme Officer (PO) Non Traditional Actors (NTA) will work closely with the Senior Programme Officer (SPO) – Non-traditional and Emerging actors & collectives to support the Non Traditional and Emerging Actors and Collectives entities.  The Programme Officer PO – Non Traditional Actors (NTA) will support the implementation of AWDF’s resourcing strategy to strengthen and uphold the voice and agency of African women’s and feminist organisations and movements.

Read more details of this vacancy and how to apply  HERE

How to Apply: 

Using the relevant online application form Qualified and interested persons should send:

A cover letter of not more than 2 pages to the Human Resources Manager explaining their interest and excitement in applying for the position to work for AWDF; and highlighting their experience and competencies as they relate to the specific areas of duties indicated in the vacancy to demonstrate a good fit for the role.

A CV of not more than 3 pages outlining their educational qualifications and employment records with key achievements on relevant positions held.

Closing dates

Applications for these vacancies should reach AWDF no later than Tuesday, 8th April 2025. Due to our limited capacity, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for additional information and interviews.