Women of the South Speak Out (WOSSO) Fellowships for young female activists in Sub-Saharan Africa
We are delighted to introduce you to the the 2024 Women of the South Speak Out (WOSSO) fellowship application!
What is WOSSO?
Women of the South Speak Out, is a consortium formed by two prominent Southern Women’s Rights Organisations (WROs) –Gender Links , Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) and a renowned UK-based development firm, MannionDaniels.
The coalition was formed based on common feminist principles and a strong commitment to addressing the shrinking civic opportunities, especially for women and girls.
Over the course of five years, spanning from 2023 to 2027, the coalition aims to amplify the voices of women and girls from the Global South, representing their various backgrounds and perspectives in shaping policies and decisions that impact our communities.
WOSSO is set to provide scholarships to activists advocating for women’s rights in regions such as Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Latin America and the Caribbean (LATAC), Asia, and the Pacific.
Objectives of the Fellowships
The Fellowships have set objectives for participants to engage in activities according to their advocacy plans, establishing connections from the local to regional levels.
An advocacy plan is a strategic document that details the goals, objectives, and actions required to advocate for a specific cause or issue. It encompasses a description of the addressed issues, target audiences, desired outcomes, strategies to achieve these outcomes, and a timeline for implementation.
The primary aim of the fellowships is to empower advocates with the essential skills, knowledge, and capacity to effectively engage in advocacy for gender equality.
The Fellowship Package
The fellowship includes a grant ranging from GBP 1000 to GBP 2000 paid in tranches against the advocacy plan and agreed milestones, as well as participation in at least one regional conference.
Successful applicants will be required to submit a workplan and a budget for their advocacy plan. Participation in global conferences is subject to the nature of the advocacy initiative, logistics and other considerations.
Fellows will be expected to participate in general on-boarding for the programme; briefing and debriefing on events they participate in; and to contribute to peer linking and learning. Fellows will have the option of being involved in research being undertaken by WOSSO as part of their learning.
It is hoped that Fellows will remain in the WOSSO network, after the completion of their fellowships, and be willing to mentor Fellows that come after them.
Eligibility Requirements
WOSSO Fellows will be drawn from civil society organisations or networks that focus on women’s rights or have a demonstrated commitment to women’s rights. The fellowship is open to young women advocates between the ages of 18 and 35 from the Global South.
Duration of Fellowship
The fellowship will run over a period of 18 months, however, the start and end dates will differ based on regions.
• Africa – April 2024 to September 2025
• Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – June 2024 to March 2025
• Asia and the Pacific – TBC
• Latin America and the Caribbean (LATAC) – September 2024 to March 2025
Applications deadline
• Africa – All applications should be received by midnight 10 May 2024 South Africa Standard Time (SAST) or GMT+02:00
• Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – All applications should be received by midnight 12 May 2024 – GMT+02:00
• Asia and the Pacific – All applications should be received by 8 August 2024 Malaysia Standard Time (MST) or GMT+08:00
• Latin America and the Caribbean (LATAC) – All applications should be received by 20 September 2024 Central Standard Time (CST) or GMT-06:00
How to Apply
Here is how to apply for the 2024 Women of the South Speak Out (WOSSO) fellowship
- View fellowship call here and Register an account.
- Start your application (save it in-progress).
- Submit your application to be reviewed.
Here are the application forms:
- Africa – Application form: Start application
- MENA – Application form: Start application
Contact
For technical challenges please contact Fanuel Hadzizi – Systems Administrator, GL Services [email protected]
Africa application questions: Tabetha Kanengoni-Malinga [email protected]
Asia-Pacific application questions: Tanyaa Sharma [email protected]
MENA application questions: Norhan Bader [email protected]
