Category: News

In 2025, FGM remains a persistent practice in The Gambia, despite being banned since 2015. The parliamentary debate over the anti-FGM law in 2024 highlighted the ongoing challenges. When a private member’s bill sought to repeal the existing law, 30 out of 65 members of parliament voted to maintain the anti-FGM law in the country.  

The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children has been at the forefront of combating FGM through a multifaceted approach. Their three-decade-long efforts focus on culturally sensitive strategies that challenge harmful practices while respecting community dynamics. Key initiatives include community-based surveillance, where regional coordinators monitor and prevent FGM cases. In a recent success, five out of eight girls were saved from undergoing FGM in the Central River Region.

Dr. Isatou Touray, Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP powerfully states, “The fight against FGM is not just the responsibility of women, it requires the collective effort of all stakeholders, including men, policymakers, traditional leaders, and the global community.” The organisation employs comprehensive strategies such as engaging traditional and religious leaders, empowering youth and men as allies, and providing alternative employment for ex-circumcisers. Their work extends beyond immediate intervention to systemic change through policy advocacy and rights education

Key Learnings and Insights

A key lesson for GAMCOTRAP in their efforts to end the persistence of FGM in Gambia is that sustainable change requires holistic community involvement. When women and girls understand their rights and the risks associated with FGM, they become powerful agents of change. The approach combines legal frameworks, social mobilization, and economic empowerment to create lasting impact.

Notably, the fight against FGM is no longer seen as solely a women’s issue. Men, youth, and community leaders are increasingly recognised as crucial allies in challenging harmful traditions while respecting cultural values.

Support Needed to Accelerate Change

To accelerate FGM elimination, a coordinated approach is essential. This includes:

• Systematic engagement of community structures
• Survivor-led programs challenging gender norms
• Increased funding for grassroots organizations
• Sustainable financial support for prevention programs

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The contents of this article are from GAMCOTRAP, an AWDF grantee partner in The Gambia, supported  under the Komboa Initiative

Our team is growing  at AWDF, We are hiring a Programme Assistant (shared) for Impact and Learning and Funded initiatives.

Are you a dynamic individual with experience in providing monitoring, evaluation, and learning, as well as administrative and programmatic support, contributing to the efficient operation of AWDF’s Impact  and Learning I&L, Resourcing and Funded Initiatives  (FI) Project Teams? 

Are you excited to contribute and work collaboratively across teams to assist the I&L and Resourcing functions? These teams are responsible for leading the re-imagining, implementation and learning in support of AWDF’s new strategy work with African women’s rights and feminist organisations, gender-diverse communities, collectives and movements working for gender justice in Africa.

Are you comfortable with supporting the piloting of responsive, feminist accompaniment, resourcing and MEL approaches based on movement priorities? If you responded yes to our questions, then we would like you to join our team! 

How to Apply:

To apply  check out more information  and apply HERE

Applications for the vacancy should reach AWDF no later than Wednesday 19 February 2025. Due to our limited capacity, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for additional information and interviews.

Two AWDF trailblazing leaders, Francoise Moudouthe, our CEO, and Taaka Awori, our Board Chair and CEO of Busara Africa, have been named among Avance Media’s 100 most influential African women 2024, marking a significant milestone in the recognition of female leadership on the continent. Their inclusion highlights a broader shift in Africa’s development landscape, where women are taking center stage in driving sustainable change. Both leaders have demonstrated exceptional vision in advancing gender justice and social transformation across the continent, implementing innovative solutions to long-standing challenges.

You can find more information on the incredible nominees ➡️ https://lnkd.in/du9H9aB

This recognition not only celebrates individual achievement but also underscores the growing impact of female leadership in shaping Africa’s future. We join in celebrating all remarkable individuals who made this year’s list, each contributing to the continent’s progressive transformation.

We are starting this new year with an incredible addition to our team 🎉

Our team is excited to welcome Moreen Majiwa, our new Director of Partnerships and Philanthropy. Moreen is a pan-African feminist from Kenya with over a decade of experience working on critical issues such as sexual and gender-based violence, women’s Participation and Leadership, and managing multi-country and multi-partner programmes.

As the new Director of Partnerships and Philanthropy, Moreen joins the team with a bold vision for transformative change across Africa. Her approach centres on amplifying marginalised voices, reimagining philanthropic models, and building movements that breathe with resilience and hope.

Guided by the philosophy of Ubuntu “I am because we are” she sees connection as the heartbeat of liberation. Her dream dinner companion? Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a pioneering spirit whose life embodied resistance through art, culture, and unwavering commitment to justice.

Join us and welcome Moreen to the AWDF team and community. We look forward to a fruitful journey with her.

Send her your well wishes HERE 

The African Women’s Development Fund is thrilled to announce two new exciting opportunities. Come and join our team, Apply today.

Partnerships and Philanthropy Officer

We are hiring to fill a vacancy for the position of Partnerships and Philanthropy Officer. To fill this position, we are looking for a highly motivated person who is innovative, passionate about women’s rights in Africa, excited about African feminisms and embraces African women’s rich diversity to join our team.

Building on its strong track record, in 2023 AWDF launched Lemlem, a ten-year strategic framework (2023-2033), which guides its efforts to advance gender equality and gender justice for girls, women and gender-diverse people across Africa. At its core, the strategy’s focus is on resourcing, nurturing and strengthening those who are best placed to achieve transformative change: African women’s and feminist groups, organisations and movements.

The Partnerships and Philantropy Officer  will be central to AWDF’s effort to cultivate, maintain and strengthen AWDF’s relationships with existing and new partners in feminist and social justice movements, the philanthropic sector and international development. She/They will also be key to the execution of initiatives and activities to advance AWDF’s philanthropic advocacy and influencing agenda – working closely with the Director for Partnerships and Philanthropy (who manages the role), the CEO and the Director of Programmes.

How to Apply:

For more information on the role, and also on the application process, please visit the Application Portal HERE

Applications for the vacancy should reach AWDF no later than Friday 10th January 2025. Due to our limited capacity, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for additional information and interviews.

Finance Intern (Due Diligence desk )

Another exciting opportunity we have is the Finance Intern position (Due diligence desk)

AWDF requires the services of a Finance Intern to support the work of the Finance Department. The intern will have the opportunity to learn as well as support the finance team to achieve its set objectives. We are looking for an intern who is dynamic, curious, innovative, conscientious, and believes in the true value of effective and efficient financial management. The Finance intern will report to the Finance Manager and will have responsibilities of supporting key financial management processes including planning, transaction processing and reporting and risk management. The Intern will be responsible for receiving, reviewing, recording, uploading, filing documents for processing documentation and any other duties assigned.

How to Apply:

For more information on the role, and also on the application process, please visit  the Application Portal HERE

Applications for the vacancy should reach AWDF no later than Friday 10th  January 2025.

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

The growing anti-rights movement in Africa threatens the rights of girls, women, and marginalized groups. In response, AWDF, ISDAO, Purposeful, Doria Feminist Fund, and SIHA have formed Komboa, a feminist consortium supporting threatened communities. Here’s how African women are resisting:

In 2024, Feminists  in Kenya and hundreds of women protested femicides, with the hashtag #EndFemicideKE fueling national conversations on the issue.

With 14% of girls married before adulthood in  Morocco

 Project Soar‘s BIGGER Movement is empowering teenage girls to advocate for changes to the Family Code, which allows child marriage.

Ma’Mara Sakit Village in South Sudan  empowers communities through research, art, and culture, while the Suk-Sukna Project creates sustainable jobs for South Sudanese women by reviving traditional beadwork.

Bintou Mariam Traoré

Are you a dynamic individual  with experience in Salesforce administration and interested in supporting the redesign and maintenance of other technology improvements,  planning,   communication, testing and troubleshooting,  documentation and training? Are you excited about supporting the project management initiatives including organisational planning processes and coordination as the administrator of the Project Management Tool (Asana)? Are you  keen to contribute to organisation-wide  project management through the project management tool,  tracking and collaborating across the organisation  to ensure AWDF delivers on its commitments both internally and  externally? We would like you to join our team! 

The Operations Officer will work in close collaboration across the organisation with programmes and operations teams to support AWDF’s grant application and donor management information and process flow, to continually improve and enhance our Salesforce platform as an integrated system, gathering requirements and feedback, designing scalable best practice and integrated solutions, and managing the product road map with the support of external consultants. AWDF’s Salesforce user experience is of great importance to the organisation, therefore the Operations Officer should be committed to and enjoy all aspects of user management including  training, and designing solutions with user satisfaction as a priority. The Officer also supports the project management initiatives including organisational planning processes and coordination as the administrator of the Project Management Tool (Asana). The Officer reports to the DoO and DoP and her/their role is crosscutting between Programmes and Operations.

To apply  check out more information here

Submit your applications by Wednesday, 11th December 2024. Due to our limited capacity, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for additional information and interviews.

On this #WorldAIDSDay , we shine a spotlight on the women leading the fight against HIV. In partnership with the Leading from the South (LFS) consortium, we stand in solidarity with African women-led organizations like the Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (COWLHA), the African Girls Empowerment Network (AGEN), and the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), who are at the forefront of tackling the HIV epidemic in Africa. These women—activists, community leaders, and advocates—are driving change and offering transformative solutions to the HIV crisis. They are not only fighting the virus but also challenging the stigma and discrimination that often accompanies it. Their leadership is proof that grassroots, women-led initiatives are essential in the global response to HIV/AIDS.

Leading from the South (LFS) is a feminist, South-South global consortium designed and managed by four prominent women’s funds: the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Fondo de Mujeres del Sur, FIMI – International Indigenous Women’s Forum, and Women’s Fund Asia. Together, these organizations amplify the voices of women from the Global South, ensuring that they are central to global conversations and actions around HIV/AIDS. Their collective efforts are helping to shape policies, raise awareness, and build local capacity to address the HIV epidemic in ways that are sensitive to the realities and needs of women in the Global South.

The leadership and expertise of these women are vital in the fight against HIV, and it is crucial that we continue to support and elevate their work. By amplifying local voices and empowering women to take charge of their health, we can work towards a world free from HIV, discrimination, and inequality.

Let’s unite in this effort, strengthen our solidarity, and continue to take action together.

Bintou Mariam Traoré, communications Officer

Are you getting ready for the upcoming AWID Forum 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand? We sure are!

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is excited to join this global gathering of feminist activists, thinkers, and changemakers from 2-5 December 2024. Under the empowering theme of “Rising Together: Connect, Heal, Thrive,” AWID 2024 promises to be a transformative experience, and we are honoured to support and contribute to shaping its agenda.

At AWDF, we have been working tirelessly to co-create dynamic spaces that will reinvigorate the African Feminist Charter, strategise around countering the worrying rise of anti-rights movements, and amplify the powerful narratives of African feminists everywhere. 

Here is a glimpse of what we have in store:

Pan-African and Feminist Philanthropies: Building Alternative Narratives and Practices (organised jointly by Harambee-Ubuntu, the Adoye network of African women in philanthropy, AWDF and JASS)

Join us for an interactive and participatory strategy session about opportunities and challenges in the current philanthropic landscape in Africa, and discuss alternative analysis, practices and approaches coming from the African continent and the diaspora. I look forward to being in conversation with Theo Sowa, Leila Heissini (both independent feminist philanthropy thinkers and doers), Ttsitsi Midzi (Urgent Action Fund – Africa) and Shireen Essof (JASS), and you all, about what it will take to reshape existing philanthropic systems to be truly in service of gender justice in Africa, and how other regions can be inspired by practices and lessons from the continent.  

Date: 2 December 2024

Time: 11:45 am – 01:30 pm

Venue: Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre

Resourcing feminist movements in French-speaking Africa (organised jointly by AWDF and the Foundation for a Just Society) 

Over half of the countries in Africa are French-speaking, but feminists working in the region are overstretched and underfunded, as funding opportunities, movement organising and advocacy spaces are set up with English speakers in mind. From Mali to Burundi, feminist movements are facing conflicts and political instability, the effects of climate change, rising anti-rights ideologies, all with limited support. How can funders show up for feminists across French-speaking Africa?

Join the African Women Development Fund (AWDF), Foundation for a Just Society (FJS), and activists from the region for a conversation on the current state of feminist organizing in French-speaking Africa, and how funders can step up. Whether you have funded on the continent for years or are interested in learning more, this space is for you. Delicious snacks and coffee will be provided. Click here to RSVP by December 1st

Date: 3 December 2024 

Time: 2 pm to 3.30 pm

Venue: Workshop,  15/1 Yenakart Road, Chongnonsi, Yannawa, Bangkok 

AWDF: Resistance, love and Poetry: Reinvigorating the African Feminist Charter and Countering anti-rights organising

This strategy session aims to harness the power of collective feminist analysis within a co-creative space where we can dream, weave and build together. The purpose of the sessions is to explore approaches for reinvigorating the African Feminist Charter, focusing on addressing key themes around feminist resistance, love, and poetry. We are thinking of engaging with poetry as a depth of language, love as a cornerstone of organising and resistance as the power to hold the line, push the line or erase the line when need be. 

Date: 3 December 2024 

Time:16:15 – 17:30 pm

Venue: Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre 

Room: 109 B

KOMBOA Strategy Session – Let’s Protect the Maputo Protocol

The Maputo Protocol is under threat, and  has been explicitly targeted by anti-rights movements over the past few years.How do we join forces and protect and strengthen our movements as they face increasing attacks from the opposition? Join the Komboa consortium – a grantmaking and advocacy alliance between AWDF, Initiative Sankofa d’Afrique de l’Ouest (ISDAO), Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) Purposeful, and the Doria Feminist Fund – for this important conversation.  Spaces are limited, so please register here .

Date: 4 December 2024 

Time: 7:30 – 9:30 am 

Venue: Workshop – 15/1 Yenakart Road, Chongnonsi, Yannawa, Bangkok

In addition to these side activities, we have sponsored the participation of African feminists, activists and movements, ensuring their vital voices are heard loud and clear at AWID 2024.

We invite you to connect with us at these side events, stay in community and engage with us online #AWDFatAWID2024! Share your side activities with us, we would love to engage and be in community with you too.

Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we stand united. From Mali to Togo, Congo to Nigeria, it’s time to act. Let’s raise our voices and drive change across Africa. #16DaysOfActivism

Bintou Mariam Traoré, communications Officer