Women Rights ,  Feminist Organizations and Movements often  find it  difficult to secure needed funding to strengthen, grow their leadership and  support   institutional/organisational resilience to manage  internal pressures and external challenges. In light of this, AWDF implemented a Strengthening Leadership and Governance (L&G) in African Women’s Rights Organisations programme between 2021- 2023 aimed at strengthening the capacities of African WROs and feminist leaders through tailor made feminist leadership capacity strengthening programmes.

In February 2024 the  Agency  and Resilience Unit ( A&R) led a reflection post evaluation space for the L&G programme; a significant stride  to  engage  in conversation and reflect with movements on how to better enrich and nourish funded and non funded entities on their leadership journeys  so that they are self determining in the work that they do.  The reflection space was  an impetus for futuristic , non conversional  platform centering  African Women’s Rights organisations and feminist movements experiences in future feminist leadership projects and programmes. Thirteen (13)  leaders from  Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ghana, and Tanzania gathered to  share their  experiences and what success looks like for an L&G programme centred on feminism, leadership and power.

The space allowed for stories of journeys,  self-reflection and reflection on  insights and highlights summarised below

Read reflections from our Agency an Resilience team  ;

……. great opportunity for us to meet again as a cohort  to affirm our self worth, this creates the much needed solidarity which is often overlooked” – Funded partner, L&G programme

Another participant expressed ;

“The programme challenged traditional leadership paradigms, embraced feminist principles in an inherently disruptive way. Coaching me together with the Board at the same level did lead to uncomfortable discussions because the sessions challenged and shifted power. Overall this was very meaningful for personal,  for the board and for organisational growth. The leadership content and approaches were just dynamic. The Women’s Rights Organisations and Feminist Movements need more programmes like this” – Funded partner, L&G programme – Ghana

An “expansion pitch deck” provided opportune time to co- create, imagine future L&G programmes to look like when they are   expansive and intersectional  bringing to the fore care, healing, wellbeing and wellness as these are critical to an organization’s  overall internal systems and external programming work. Furthermore, participants proposed   the establishment of an Alumni Network, and board-to-board knowledge exchanges to  strengthen individual organizations and foster a sense of community and support among women leaders.

 By Agency and Resilience team