Call for participants for the Horn of Africa Sub-Regional African Women’s Leadership

Jacaylbaro · August 11, 2008

Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA) is an International, Pan-African, non-governmental development organisation for African women based in Kampala, Uganda with a UK/Europe Regional Office in London, United Kingdom. AMwA was set up in 1985 by women from different parts of Africa resident in the United Kingdom. Translated from Swahili, the name means `Solidarity among African Women’, signifying African sisterhood. AMwA was founded to create space for African women to organise, and build links with African women active in the areas of their own development.

Mission Statement

AMwA is an African women’s international non-governmental development organisation based in the UK and Africa, which coordinates local, regional and international initiatives. AMwA serves as a networking, information, advocacy and training forum for African women, and builds their leadership capacities to influence policy and decision-making. AMwA does this by:

* Building the leadership capacities of African women and their organisations

* Networking and consulting on local, regional and international levels

* Marketing the skills, expertise and creativity of African women

* Mobilising and empowering African women

* Challenging sexist and racist stereotypes by emphasizing positive images of African women.

The African Women’s Leadership Institute

The African Women’s Leadership Institute (AWLI) is a regional networking, information and training forum, which trains women, aged 25-45 in critical thinking on gender issues, organisational and resource development and strategic planning. The AWLI was established as a program of AMwA in 1996, as a contribution towards the post-Beijing initiatives in the Africa region. The AWLI has two main features. Firstly, it serves as a network of young African women (25-45) for professional support, advice and information, and sharing of expertise. Secondly, the AWLI convenes intensive two-week residential leadership training institutes every year.

The Horn of Africa Sub-Regional African Women’s Leadership Institute

The Sub-Regional Leadership AWLIs were developed to address context specific issues in each of the African Sub-Regions. There have been important political, social and economic developments at these levels over the past few years, which require the active participation of women. The Sub-Regional Institutes take place over two weeks, and aim to bring closer ties and working partnerships amongst young women activists in the various contexts in Africa.

This AWLI is under the theme: Women in Conflict and Peace Processes aimed at enhancing women’s leadership in peace building and post conflict processes at all levels of civil society, national and local government. Trainees for this Thematic AWLI will include young women professionals in government, civil society, feminist organizations and multilateral agencies with a strong professional background on gender, migration, sexual and reproductive rights, International Criminal Court, Peace Building, Relief and Emergency, etc in order to allow for push for these issues further.

Since this will be a Sub-Regional AWLI for the Horn of Africa, the following 7 countries are eligible: Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Somaliland. A total of 25 participants will be trained at this AWLI.

The Objectives of the AWLI are to:

* Develop the leadership potential of young African women who would like to commit themselves to a progressive women’s movement in Africa.

* Provide leadership training for young African women who are in leadership positions in women’s NGOs, mixed NGOs, government institutions or corporate bodies.

* Empower African women living in fundamentally patriarchal communities with self-development and life skills training.

* Initiate a forum for young women to meet and build alliances for individual and professional support.

* Develop a mentoring and role modelling system in order to benefit from the knowledge, skills and expertise of older women.

* Strengthen existing regional and sub regional networks through networking and solidarity and to build and sustain links with the international women’s movement.

* Improve the quality of gender analysis and research coming out of Africa, and give African women more access to international publishing.

Activities of the African Women’s Leadership Institute

* Organising an annual residential leadership training institute, sub-regional institutes and specialist leadership workshops.

* Supporting institute graduates to run training in organisational skills and development for organisations in their own communities.

* Organising panels and workshops at regional and international conferences.

* Publishing a journal twice a year to link institute participants and other women’s organisations on the continent.

* Publication of policy briefing papers and occasional research documents on gender, development and analysis in Africa.

The ultimate goal of the AWLI is to encourage and train significant numbers of women for informed leadership positions that will ultimately promote a progressive African women’s development agenda. The development of a feminist constituency among the next generation of African women leaders is essential to the future of the African women’s movement.

Eligibility For Particpation In The Horn Of Africa Sub-Regional African Women’s Leadership Institute

The following criterion applies to all AMwA leadership development programs:

* Candidates must be young African Women professionals resident in African Countries aged between 25-45 years.

* Participants will be selected from the Horn of Africa Sub-Region from the following 7 countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Somaliland.

* Strong professional background and working in the area of women in conflict, peace processes and post-conflict processes in the Horn of Africa.

* Must be from local, national, sub-regional or regional women’s organisations, civil society organisations, government departments, or regional economic blocks, donor agencies, inter-governmental organisations.

* Applications from eligible organisations should be from a minimum level of Program Officer or the equivalent.

* Applicants must have a minimum of two years experience (voluntary or professional) in gender issues.

Participants should be able to demonstrate how they will carry forward what they learn at the institute. We will therefore select only those who will be in a position to report back to their organisations or establishment, and not those applying as individuals.

* Participants will be required to stay throughout the duration of the program, i.e. two weeks for sub-regional institute.

* Participants will be asked to prepare a discussion paper (minimum 2,500 words) on current issues concerning their area of work prior to the institute, for discussion at the institute plenaries or working groups. These discussion papers will be developed for publication afterwards.

AWLI participants should be prepared to engage in critical discussions and analysis of feminist theory and practice.

* Ability of participants to share costs.

Funding

The total cost for individual participants at the AWLI is as follows:

a) The two-week sub-regional AWLI: $5000 per participant

The costs cover travel, accommodation, all meals and refreshments, site visits, local events, and excellent training materials. AMwA usually raises funding to sponsor participants to attend the AWLI programs. However, due to the increasing demand for the AWLI programs, and for sustainability purposes, we are encouraging future participants to approach local donors for full or partial sponsorship to meet their costs.

For original message and downloads go to http://freecharity.org.uk/pipermail/womeninlondontraining/2008-August/000744.html

Or for further information please contact:

Akina Mama wa Afrika

Head Office

Plot 30 Bukoto Street, Kamwokya, Kampala

P.O. Box 24310

Kampala, Uganda

Tel: +256 414 543 681

Fax: +256 414 543 683

Email: amwa@amwa-ea.org

http://www.akinamamawafrika.org

Akina Mama wa Afrika