African Women's Development Fund (AWDF)

🎊 Celebrating Our Sister Fund for its impact on Climate Justice! 🌿 Happy 1️⃣ 7️⃣ th anniversary to Fondo de Mujeres del Sur (FMS)! We have proudly collaborated with FMS for eight years through the Leading from the South consortium, alongside Women's Fund Asia and FIMI - International Indigenous Women's Forum, moving resources to advance women's leadership in the Global South. For a decade, FMS has been a powerful force for environmental justice, supporting over 300 initiatives from 93 organisations led by Indigenous, Afro-descendant, rural, and urban women across Latin America. Their new publication 'Defensoras' beautifully captures this journey through stories of five organisations from Argentina, Paraguay, and Peru, showing how community-based solutions are transforming the fight against climate change. Read the publication ➡ bit.ly/3YEwioI We are proud to be part of this transformative journey towards gender equality and climate justice with you!

🌟 Highlights from #AWDFatSVRI in Cape Town: a power-packed forum of global feminist solidarity! Kicking off our coordinated initiatives, our very own Dinnah Nabwire led an incredible session mapping movements against sexual violence from Central Africa through Uganda to Taiwan. The diversity of strategies and strength of our collective resistance is inspiring 💪🏾 We proudly presented our joint poster on "Pushing Back Against Dwindling Funding for Feminist Movements" in partnership with the Coalition of Feminists for Social Change (COFEM). We are always reminded that sustainable funding = sustainable change! 📊 Today, as we continue our engagements at #SVRI2024, our Nap for Resistance session leads by Chaïmae Ribani affirms that caring for ourselves is a radical act. Yes, we took that power nap - because tired feminists cannot smash the patriarchy! 😴✨ Sometimes resistance looks like rest! Our movements may speak different languages but our mission is universal – ending violence against women, gender-diverse people and children through feminist action! 🌍✨ The conversations continue! Stay tuned for more insights from #AWDFatSVRI

🎉 Exciting News: A New Feminist Powerhouse Joins AWDF! 🎉 AWDF is thrilled to welcome Nana Zulu as our new Director of Programmes, starting today. As we continue the implementation of our ten-year strategy, #Lemlem, we are excited to count on Nana’s leadership and vast experience in movement building, programme management, and grantmaking. From and based in Zambia, Nana joins AWDF from Hivos, where she served as the Regional Director for Southern Africa. “As I step into this role, I envision that the strategic priorities for advancing feminism, gender rights and empowerment across Africa are resourcing and nurturing of feminist movements, building political consciousness, promoting individual and collective care, amplifying and connecting voices through feminist spaces.” Nana Zulu Want to know what keeps Nana's feminist fire burning? Her mantra: "The personal is political". In a light twist, we asked Nana which influential African feminist leader she would love to have dinner with. Her choice: The legendary Zimbabwean feminist organisational expert Hope Chigudu, with whom Nana would love to discuss feminist leadership and movement building. Join us in welcoming Nana. We look forward to introducing her to our partners in the coming months!

🌿 Rest. Resist. Recharge🌺 Join us for our Solidarity and Care Workshop on Rest and Resistance at SVRI 2024! 📅 Date: 24 October 2024  ⏰ Time: 12:00 pm - 15:50 pm (SAST)  📍 Location: Cape Town International Convention Centre 2 In a world that often glorifies constant productivity, we have curated a sanctuary for feminists to retreat, rest, and resist. This is not just a workshop, it is an act of self-care and collective healing. We will explore how rest combats hidden rage and exhaustion, and how dreaming becomes a pathway to liberation from systemic oppression. Limited spots available. Mark your calendars and come recharge and connect with us.  #AWDFatSVRI

Nous partons à Cape Town pour #SVRI2024 ! 🌍 Du 21 au 25 octobre, nous rejoindrons chercheurs, activistes et décideurs du monde entier pour lutter contre la violence envers les femmes, les personnes de genre divers et les enfants. Nous amènerons 1️⃣ 7️⃣ partenaires audacieux qui apportent des changements significatifs en Afrique. Nous sommes également ravis de présenter notre Initiative KASA !, qui fait des progrès majeurs dans la lutte contre la violence sexuelle en Afrique de l'Ouest. Découvrez notre engagement ➡ https://bit.ly/3BKhU5A Vous assistez au SVRI ? Dites-le-nous en commentaire. Suivez #AWDFatSVRI pour nos mises à jour en direct!

We are heading to Cape Town for #SVRI2024! 🌍 From October 21 - 25, we will join researchers, activists, and policymakers from around the world to address violence against women, gender-diverse people, and children. We are bringing 1️⃣ 7️⃣ fearless partners leading incredible change across Africa to share their work and learn from others. An exciting bonus to our engagement will be showcasing our KASA! Initiative, which is supporting major strides in ending sexual violence in West Africa. Read more on our engagement ➡ https://bit.ly/40ac5sk Are you attending SVRI? Let us know in the comments. Keep tabs on #AWDFatSVRI for our live updates from the forum.

On this #InternationalDayoftheGirl, we bring you the powerful and unfiltered voices of girls from The #Gambia - their stories, their voices, and their future In light of recent debates around FGM in the country, we caught up with these brave and brilliant girls to share their reflections and vision for a future free from harmful practices and all forms of violence against girls. These girls remind us why AWDF's work is so vital. They show us that when given the platform and space, girls do not just speak - they inspire action. Each girl's voice represents thousands more, demanding change and a safer future for all. These are not just words - they are calls to action. Watch, listen, and amplify their call for action and vision to #EndFGM!

Today, on #InternationalDayoftheGirl, we proudly stand in solidarity with and celebrate the incredible power, resilience and leadership of girls in Africa and across the world. We equally acknowledge the violence and suffering they continue to face- from war, genocide, climate crisis and in the face of anti-rights movements that hinder girls' progress. Our CEO, Francoise Moudouthe, reaffirms our commitment through our #Lemlem strategy to centre girls and invest in their leadership, agency, voice and activism. #IDG2024 #FeministFunding

AWDF's #VoicePowerSoul: African Feminist Narratives Festival - A Celebration of Creativity and Knowledge We are thrilled to share highlights from our recent festival in Accra, Ghana, which showcased the power and diversity of #Africanfeminist voices. This event brought together artists, thinkers, and changemakers to challenge the erasure of African feminist narratives and celebrate our indigenous ways of knowing and creating. Key highlights: 📣 Theatre performances that gave us chills. 🎵 Music that moved our souls. 🖼️ Art that opened our eyes. 📚 Stories that challenged norms. The festival was not just an event - it was a revolution! Watch the highlight 👉🏿 https://bit.ly/4gQ0Qeb #AfricanFeministFestival #FeministStorytelling

🌟 If you listen to one podcast this month, make it Equality Fund's Moonshot: Making the Equality Fund 🎧 Over the past few weeks, this groundbreaking three-part podcast series has highlighted the crucial need for revolutionising funding for #genderequality. If you have not listened yet, we strongly suggest that you queue it up now. 🎯 What you will discover: ✨A masterclass in disrupting the status quo. ✨Innovative approaches to transforming the financial ecosystem. ✨The fascinating story behind mobilising £1 billion for global gender equality. Jess Tomlin and the team bring you an unforgettable journey through the triumphs, challenges and breakthrough moments that shaped this pioneering initiative. 🎧 Listen now: equalityfund.ca/listen Has anyone else been as inspired by this series as we have? We would love to hear your thoughts! #FeministFunding