Sofia Omar, 19, is Muslim young woman and part of BoxGirls Kenya. She joined Box Girls whilst in high school, at the age of 16. As a result of engaging in the organisation’s programmes, she has honed her boxing skills. In addition, she has nurtured her entrepreneurial abilities and become more proficient in financial management. Currently a mini-coach and life skills facilitator, Sofia has defied the odds and transcended stereotypes on the basis of her gender and religion. As a result, she has leveraged an inborn capacity for leadership to influence her peers and mentor young girls and women in her community.

To read the rest of Sofia’s story click the link below:

Box Girls Profile: Sofia Omar

Click here for the AWDF 2016 Activity Report

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]AWARD OF GRANTS FOR 2017-2018

AWDF is happy to announce the award of the first round of grants for “Leading from the South” for Africa and the Middle East, supporting advocacy and lobbying to advance women’s rights.

The demand was tremendous and we received many very exciting applications from women’s rights organisations and coalitions from across Africa and the Middle East. After a rigorous screening, 23 grants have been approved with grant awards totalling US $4,421,805.

Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide individual feedback. Successful applicants will be contacted directly by Friday, May 26^th 2017. For information on the basis of our assessment and our selection, please see the information below. [/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]

NOUVELLE PHASE DE NOTRE PROGRAMME DE SUBVENTION DANS LE CADRE DU PROJET « LEADING FROM THE SOUTH »

SUBVENTIONS OCTROYEES AU COURS DE LA PERIODE 2017-2018

L’AWDF a le plaisir de vous annoncer sa première série de subventions octroyées en Afrique et au Moyen Orient dans le cadre du projet «Leading from the South» dont l’objectif est d’appuyer les actions de plaidoyer et de lobbying en vue de la promotion des droits des femmes.

La demande était très énorme. Les organisations de défenses des droits des femmes et des coalitions en Afrique et au Moyen Orient ont envoyé des propositions de projets intéressants et après un examen rigoureux de ces dossiers, 23 subventions d’un montant total de $4,421,805 dollars américains ont été approuvées.

Malheureusement, en raison du volume de projets reçus, nous ne pouvons pas vous faire des retours à tous les candidats. Nous allons contacter directement les organisations retenues d’ici vendredi le 26 mai 2017. Pour de plus amples informations sur le fondement de notre évaluation et sélection, veuillez consulter le tableau ci-dessous. [/tp]

Les femmes africaines rencontrent souvent des difficultés à changer les causes de leurs privations parce qu’elles n’ont pas de capacités adéquates pour entreprendre des actions axées sur les résultats. En 2003, le Fonds de Développement pour la Femme Africaine (AWDF) a créé une Unité de Renforcement des Capacités (CBU) en vue de répondre aux besoins en matière de capacités des organisations de défense des droits des femmes et leur permettre de mettre en œuvre efficacement des programmes dans cinq domaines thématiques prioritaires pour les femmes africaines. Depuis sa création, l’Unité a organisé une série de formations dans les domaines suivants : le leadership, la gestion financière, la communication, la mise en réseau, la mobilisation des ressources et la gestion axée sur les résultats à l’intention des bénéficiaires des subventions de l’AWDF afin d’assurer un impact durable.

Les organisations de Introduction à l’atelier de Programmation Axée sur les Résultats (PAR) défense des droits des femmes des pays francophones africains sont limitées dans leurs capacités d’accès aux subventions de l’AWDF principalement en raison de leurs faibles compétences en matière de préparation des propositions de financement efficaces. Souvent, leurs propositions ne font pas ressortir clairement les raisons pour lesquelles elles existent, ce qu’elles veulent réaliser avec les subventions, qui sont leurs partenaires et comment ces partenaires mesurent-ils leurs réalisations.

C’est en effet dans cette perspective que l’AWDF a organisé au Togo, du 26 au 28 novembre 2015, un atelier destiné aux cadres dirigeants de 16 organisations bénéficiaires (voir liste des participantes en annexe 1) afin de renforcer leurs capacités en matière de programmation axée sur les résultats.
Results Based Programing Report in French -Togo Report (dragged)

L ’objectif de l’atelier de trois (3) jours sur la Programmation axée sur les résultats (RBP) est d’apporter un appui aux bénéficiaires du Fonds de Développement pour la Femme Africaine (AWDF) dans les domaines de l’application du RBP dans leurs organisations et de la conception de leurs programmes. Au total, 17 participantes ont pris part à l’atelier, deux membres de l’équipe de l’AWDF, un interprète et une animatrice. La liste des participantes et le programme figurent en annexe. Le présent rapport est structuré comme suit: 1) Résumé du contenu de l’atelier; 2) Observations et commentaires du formateur sur l’atelier; et 3) Recommandations et suggestions aux fins du suivi.

Results Based Programming Report in French -Burkina Faso Workshop

What is the future of Africa if seen through the lens of women’s rights? What opportunities and potential crises lie ahead? Are our current strategies appropriate in light of where Africa is headed? Using a futures lens, how do we contribute to shaping the most just, promising and democratic futures for Africa?

In 2016, AWDF embarked on a strategic planning process focused on the question of how AWDF and African women’s organisations can contribute to shaping the future of Africa. To ground this planning, AWDF worked with Kenyan foresight practitioner Katindi Sivi Njonjo to produce a trends analysis – bringing together the gendered data around Africa’s future trajectories. The resulting report Futures Africa: Trends for Women by 2030 is the first of its kind, offering both statistics and analysis around key political, economic and social trends, and illuminating gaps in the data needed to accurately plan for the future.

Alongside this empirical process, the AWDF staff team and advisors brought in their creative imaginations to generate scenario stories that depict four possible states for Africa in 2030 from a feminist and woman’s rights perspective. The stories are shaped by an analysis that the key independent drivers of change for women in Africa will be:

• shifting demographics (age and migration);
• the expansion and use of ICTs,
• (geo)political power dynamics;
• the nature of education.

The scenario stories have been made into an animation series in collaboration with Zimbabwean animator/illustrator Mationesa Wade, and soundscape by Ghana’s DJ Keyzz.

Find out more:

To read Futures Africa: Trends for Women by 2030 click HERE/POUR FRANCAIS

International Women’s Day at AWDF has often been a day to reflect on the larger themes of the feminist movement, and promote conversations and engagement around topics that feminists around the continent are grappling with. This year, our conversation focused on Faith, Feminisms and Fundamentalisms, and examined their various points of convergence and divergence. The panelists and audience members discussed what it means to be a woman of faith, a feminist and how to deal with the growing wave of fundamentalism on the continent.

The panelists were a varied group of women, with differing faith backgrounds and varying fields of endeavour. Professor Mercy Oduyoye is Africa’s first female theologian, Angela Dwamena-Aboage is the founder of the Ark Foundation, Roslyn Mould is a Humanist and President of the Humanist Society of Ghana and Ms Kauthar Khamis is an Assistant Lecturer at the Islamic University College.

One of the most interesting topics for discussion was the growing wave of Fundamentalism which Professor Mercy Oduyoye defined as “Being unable to have a conversation with other people who think differently simply because they do not follow your own interpretation” According to Prof. Oduyoye, religious fundamentalists believe and insist that their practices remain unchanged.

The conversation generated a considerable amount of interest, both from the venue and live on Twitter and Facebook, and it was clear that it was a discussion that desperately needs to be continued throughout feminist spaces on the continent.

(Click here for a podcast of the conversation)

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”] Maame Akua Kyerewaa Marfo is a singer, a feminist and a writer. She is passionate about social change, progressive feminist thought and using the arts to effect social change. She is an avid reader and continues to broaden her knowledge on feminist thought and development whenever she can. She holds a B.A in Political Science from Dickinson College.[/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”] Maame Akua Kyerewaa Marfo est une chanteuse, une féministe et un écrivain. Elle est passionnée par le changement social, le progrès du féminisme et l’utilisation de l’art pour influer sur le changement social. Elle aime la lecture et continue d’approfondir ses connaissances sur le féminisme et le développement. Elle est Titulaire d’une Maîtrise en Sciences Politiques du Collège Dickinson. [/tp]

In Africa, majority of the rural women work as small scale farmers who work to feed their families and the growing population. Seed for them is key and is at the heart of the African communities. As such seed diversity thus lies in their hands. Recognizing and celebrating rural women is a key thrust issue for the African Biodiversity Network (ABN).

This year’s International Women’s Day will be marked on Wednesday 8^th March, 2017. Globally, this is the day dedicated to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. The theme for the International Women’s Day, focuses on “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”. The world of work is changing, and with significant implications for women. On one hand, we have globalization, technological and digital revolution and on the other hand, the growing informality of labour, unstable livelihoods and incomes, new fiscal and trade policies and environmental impacts—all of which must be addressed in the context of women’s socio- cultural and economic empowerment.

Preliminary research carried out by the African Biodiversity Network and the Gaia Foundation in collaboration with the African Women’s Development Fund showed the alarming lack of information and awareness about the knowledge and practices of the African rural women in agriculture. Women are not only the custodians of seed and food but play a role in rebuilding community cohesion, identity, meaning, inclusive governance, dignity and joy. Together with all our partners across the 12 African countries, we call for both practical and policy support for the rural women, their communities and social movements in Africa and for profound shift in agricultural and investments policies across the continent as a matter of urgency. Africa’s rural women, the custodians of seed and food, and their traditional diversity based seed, farming and knowledge systems, can make an essential contribution to regenerating the viability of our planet. Africa’s rural women need our respect and support now in order to turn the tide before it is too late.

It is these women that we celebrate on this auspicious occasion to mark the International Women’s Day in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya on 8^th March 2017. We recognize them as ‘Custodians of Seed, Food and Traditional Knowledge for Climate Change Resilience’ wherever they are. And by so doing we do acknowledge the critical role they play in evolving and maintaining the continent’s diverse and resilient agricultural systems. A role they do so admirably as custodians of food, medicine and biodiversity, and as spiritual, cultural and community leaders.

In 2015, world leaders adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, placing gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Achievement of the goals, including ending poverty, promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, reducing inequalities within and between countries, and achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls, rests upon unlocking the full potential of women in the world of work.

For more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview please contact Simon Mitambo, the General Coordinator of the ABN on abnsecretariat@africanbiodiversity.org or smitambo@yahoo.com; +254 (0)202675043

To Commemorate International Women’s Day, AWDF is hosting a conversation about the many intersections and challenges around Faith Feminisms and Fundamentalisms. Join AWDF in a virtual conversation on March 8th, and watch the live stream of the event from our periscope account.