Deadline: 10 March 2021

Online Advocacy training for Young SRHR Advocates from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia and Ghana

Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) with support from the Global Fund for Women and the Adey Hopewell Fund, invites young women from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia and Ghana who are interested in building their capacity in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) advocacy. Participants will receive an intensive high-level training and interact with some of the celebrated SRHR advocates on the African Continent.

About the training

AMwA’s Advocacy training on Sexual and Reproductive and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) is an 6 weeks’ long online training, whose overarching goal is to activate and deploy a bold and progressive cross-border feminist movement on sexual and reproductive health and rights. This training is intended to catalyse action on progressive SRHR for inclusive and universal access.

The training looks to explore and develop alternative forms of organising and movement building for African Feminists to influence and disrupt the process of negotiation over women’s bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health rights in traditional decision making spaces, at the national, regional and international level using the occasion of commemoration of 25 years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This is intended to centre SRHR issues that are on the margins, while using feminist tools of analysis to highlight the dichotomy and tension between the depoliticised development agenda in traditional decision making spaces, and feminists’ demand for dismantling of structural systems of oppression for the transformation of women’s lives.

The training will be virtual i.e. on an online learning platform and zoom, from 22^nd March-23^rd April, 2021.

Why apply for this training?

SRHR is the cornerstone of the wellbeing and agency of women, girls and gender and sexual minorities. Promoting SRHR is critical to upholding the basket of existing human rights and the realisation of other development objectives. After all, without the knowledge, confidence and control over one’s own body, it is difficult for one to assert oneself anywhere else.

The status quo on SRHR in Africa demands a rethinking about how women and feminist activists can engage in decision making spaces to push the envelope and ensure that the principles of the indivisibility, inalienability and inclusivity of rights are upheld.

AMwA believes that it is imperative to build a critical mass of feminist leaders to influence these processes to adopt an approach centred on African needs of African women and other gender minorities. The advocacy training grounded in feminist theory and praxis will serve as the gateway to moulding the next generation of leaders to effectively engage in these processes.

Overall goal of the training

To activate and deploy a bold and progressive cross-border feminist movement on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Objectives of the training

• To understand SRHR context and issues in Africa
• Legal frameworks that support and promotes access to SRHR in Africa
• To build constituents of young women feminists who understand SRHR and can influence policy processes at the National, Regional and Global level.
• Map out regional policymaking processes that will give the SRHR advocates hands-on experience in influencing policies and advocacy.
• To understand different communications mediums and how to deploy them for policy advocacy
• To identify and acquire knowledge on how to navigate and influence national, regional and global spaces on SRHR advocacy
• To identify key stakeholders who can promote, hinder and/or decide on the SRHR and develop strategies for engagement.

Methodology:

The training will be conducted via an e-Learning platform that will allow self-paced learning. AMwA will then set up an interactive feedback session via zoom. The trainers/facilitators will develop training materials including 40-60 minutes video, PowerPoint presentations, learning materials and short assignment beforehand which will be added in the eLearning platform. The trainers/facilitators will also facilitate a feedback session which will happen via zoom for all trainees.

AMwA will draw on its pool of Faculty for experts in SRHR and advocacy to deliver the training. The training will be conducted primarily in English.

By the end of the training, applicants will be expected to have developed advocacy and activity plans. AMwA will award seed grants to applicants with the best advocacy plans to support implementation at the end of the training.

Requirements

A device (smartphone, tablet or computer) that can access the internet and has provisions for audio and visual functions. AMwA will provide participants with a modest allowance to refund their data costs at the end of the training.

Who is our target?

25 young African women working across different SRHR thematic areas in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia and Ghana and;

• are willing to dedicate their time and effort to learning
• are looking to widen their understanding of advocacy at the regional and the global level
• centre marginalised SRHR issues in their work.

How to apply

Please fill in the application found in this link. A downloadable version of the application form can be found here.

Application deadline:

Deadline for applications is 10th March 2021. Any applications received after this date will not be considered. Successful participants will be notified at least one week prior to the training program. We particularly encourage applications from women of diverse backgrounds (in terms of ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, origin, religion, etc)