July 27, 2020

Call for applications for online advocacy training on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, September 2020

NOTE: This training is open to ONLY alumnae of AMwA’s African Women’s Leadership Institute (AWLI).

Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) with support from the African Women’s  Development Fund (AWDF) invites applications from alumnae of the African Women’s Leadership Institute (AWLI) who are interested in building their capacity in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) advocacy. If you are already working on SRHR and are looking to not only widen your understanding of the issues on the continent; strengthen your ability to advocate and influence policy and practice at the national, regional and global levels; and centre marginalised SRHR issues in your work, then this is the training for you.

About the training

AMwA’s Advocacy training on Sexual and Reproductive and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) is a 4 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 organizing 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 depoliticized 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 take place every Tuesday and Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. EAT from 1st to 25th September, 2020.

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 realization of other development objectives. Afterall, 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.

 Objective of the training

  • To foster understanding of marginalized SRHR issues in Africa, using a intersectional feminist frame of analysis.
  • To build a constituency of feminists who understand SRHR legal and policy frameworks and can influence processes at the National, Regional and Global level.
  • To map out regional policymaking processes that will give the AWLI Alumnae hands on experience on influencing policies and advocacy.

Methodology:

AMwA will draw on its pool of Faculty for experts in SRHR and advocacy to deliver the training. The training will be done online via zoom. Faculty will deliver modules that are relevant and responsive to online engagements. The training will be conducted primarily in English with translation to French.

Requirements

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

Who is our target?

25 Alumnae of AMwA’s African Women’s Leadership Institution a.k.a Amwazons will be chosen for this training. Participants must be able and willing to dedicate 4 to 8 hours per week for classes and out of class assignments.

How to apply

Please fill in the application found at this link. A downloadable version of the application form can be found here.  You can fill in the application offline but must transfer content to the online application form for your submission to be considered.   

Application deadline: 10th August, 2020

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 from diverse backgrounds (in terms of ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, origin, religion, etc)

 

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