Call for Proposals for Civil Society Organizations to expand women’s leadership and political participation: WYDE| Women’s Leadership
CFP No.: UNW-HQ-WPP-CFP-2024-001
Funding Amount: $45,000 to $150,000 USD
Submission Deadline: 11 November 2024, by 23:59 EDT (NY Time)
Funding Duration: 12-24 months, beginning 24 February 2025 and concluding by 28 February 2027
UN Women invites civil society organizations (CSOs) and women’s rights organizations involved in the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership to submit proposals aimed at advancing women’s political participation and decision-making. This funding opportunity supports initiatives dedicated to creating transformative social change, promoting gender equality, and building the leadership capacities of women, especially young women and those from marginalized communities.
Program Background: Women and Youth Democratic Engagement (WYDE) Initiative
The WYDE | Women’s Leadership program, a global partnership led by UN Women, the European Union, and collaborating organizations such as International IDEA, IPU, and UCLG, is committed to supporting women’s political leadership. Despite advances, women still face significant barriers in political decision-making roles, making up only 26.6% of national legislators and 22.8% of cabinet ministers worldwide. The WYDE program aims to close these gaps by fostering intergenerational networking, advocacy, and knowledge sharing, ultimately transforming social norms and creating an environment where women’s voices are equally valued in political arenas.
Objectives and Expected Results
This Call for Proposals seeks to engage CSOs and women’s rights organizations to:
Support Advocacy & Networking: Enhance women’s leadership through targeted advocacy and networking opportunities that provide access to resources and foster global and regional knowledge sharing.
Promote Social Norms Change: Engage communities to redefine and support gender-equitable norms, helping to shift the perception of women as legitimate and equal political actors.
Strengthen Feminist Movements: Empower feminist networks to foster lasting change by supporting the leadership of diverse women, including young women, and promoting intersectional approaches to advocacy and policymaking.
Funding Priorities
The WYDE program will prioritize initiatives focused on the following areas:
Capacity Building for Women’s Political Leadership: Organizations are encouraged to develop training and resources that build leadership skills, particularly for underserved women, including those with disabilities and from Indigenous or LGBTQI+ communities.
Mentorship for Emerging Leaders: Proposals should facilitate mentorship opportunities, connecting seasoned activists with youth and emerging leaders to cultivate advocacy skills and foster coalition building.
Social Norms Change Initiatives: Engage key stakeholders, including men and boys, media, and policymakers, as allies in promoting gender equality and dismantling harmful stereotypes.
Feminist Movement Building: Applicants are encouraged to partner with other civil society groups, forming consortia to amplify impact and ensure diverse representation.
Increasing Women’s Political Participation: Design programs that create pathways for women to engage in policy consultations and decision-making bodies, generating evidence to support structural changes for increased representation.
Application Requirements
Eligibility and Competency Criteria:
Legally registered NGOs with a strong record in advancing women’s political participation, leadership, advocacy, and social norms change.
Verified annual financial statements for the last three years.
Minimum of three years of experience in work related to women’s political participation, leadership, human rights, or movement building.
Proposal Components:
Sub-partner Engagement: Applicants must clearly identify sub-partners and detail the collaborative approach, outlining each organization’s role in achieving the objectives.
Intersectional Focus: Proposals should emphasize the inclusion of women from marginalized communities, including those facing multiple layers of discrimination.
Link to apply: https://www.unwomen.org/en/programme-implementation/2024/10/unw-hq-wpp-cfp-2024-001-wyde-women-leadership