UN Women has announced a formal Call for Proposals (CFP) targeting civil society organizations across Africa under the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP) 2.0. The initiative seeks to strengthen continental efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls while advancing gender equality through coordinated, multi-country interventions.

The submission deadline for applications has been set for 27 July 2026, with eligible organizations expected to demonstrate strong regional reach and technical capacity in gender-focused programming.

Programme Scope and Strategic Focus Areas

The SIARP 2.0 framework is designed to support civil society-led interventions addressing structural and systemic drivers of gender-based violence and inequality across Africa. The programme emphasizes regional collaboration and policy alignment to ensure sustainable impact across multiple jurisdictions.

Key thematic areas under the Call for Proposals include:

Ending violence against women and girls in all forms
Eliminating harmful cultural and social practices
Strengthening sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
Expanding survivor-centred support services
Enhancing policy accountability and governance mechanisms
Driving social norms transformation at community and institutional levels
Supporting women’s rights organizations and youth-led movements

UN Women has indicated that proposals must demonstrate an integrated approach combining prevention, response, advocacy, and systems strengthening.

Eligibility and Target Applicants

The Call for Proposals is open to a wide range of civil society actors operating at continental, regional, sub-regional, or multi-country levels within Africa. Applicants are expected to demonstrate both operational capacity and strategic alignment with UN Women’s regional objectives.

Eligible entities include:

Civil society organizations (CSOs)
Regional and sub-regional networks
Coalitions and consortiums
Women’s rights organizations
Youth-led movements with regional programming capacity

Applicants are expected to show evidence of prior experience in gender equality programming, particularly in contexts involving violence prevention, policy advocacy, or survivor support systems.

Implementation Expectations and Programmatic Approach

Successful applicants will serve as responsible parties for implementing SIARP 2.0 interventions across selected regions. The programme requires a strong emphasis on evidence-based programming, community engagement, and institutional collaboration.

Implementation priorities include:

Designing and executing regional interventions addressing gender-based violence
Strengthening cross-border coordination mechanisms among civil society actors
Supporting survivor-centred service delivery models
Enhancing data collection and gender statistics systems
Promoting accountability frameworks for gender equality commitments
Facilitating policy reform and advocacy at national and regional levels

UN Women has underscored the importance of integrating youth participation and grassroots engagement into programme design to ensure sustainability and inclusivity.

Submission Requirements and Documentation

Interested organizations are required to submit full proposals in accordance with the official UN Women CFP templates provided for SIARP 2.0. Both English and French versions of the application template are available to accommodate linguistic diversity across eligible regions.

Submission requirements include:

Completed Call for Proposals template (English or French)
Detailed programme design and implementation strategy
Budget framework and resource allocation plan
Organizational capacity statement and relevant experience
Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) framework

Applicants are encouraged to ensure that proposals are aligned with regional gender equality frameworks and demonstrate measurable impact indicators.

Contact and Administrative Information

For inquiries related to the Call for Proposals, UN Women has designated a focal contact to support applicant clarification requests.

Contact person: Ibrahim Nurudeen
Email: spotlight.stream1[at]unwomen.org

Applicants are advised to direct all technical and procedural questions through the official contact channel to ensure consistency in guidance.

Strategic Context of SIARP 2.0

The Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme represents a broader international partnership aimed at accelerating progress toward ending violence against women and girls. SIARP 2.0 builds on previous phases of the initiative, with an increased emphasis on regional coordination, policy coherence, and sustainable institutional change.

The programme aligns with global commitments to gender equality and the protection of human rights, particularly within the framework of sustainable development objectives. It also seeks to strengthen the role of civil society organizations as key drivers of accountability and social transformation.

UN Women continues to position civil society partnerships as central to achieving long-term reductions in gender-based violence, particularly in contexts where systemic inequalities persist.

Expected Impact and Regional Priorities

Through SIARP 2.0, UN Women aims to scale interventions that not only address immediate protection needs but also target the root causes of gender inequality across African societies. The programme prioritizes systemic change through coordinated action across borders and institutions.

Expected outcomes include:

Improved regional coordination on gender-based violence prevention
Strengthened legal and policy frameworks supporting women’s rights
Increased access to survivor-centred services across participating countries
Enhanced participation of women and youth in decision-making processes
Greater accountability for gender equality commitments at institutional levels

Conclusion

The Call for Proposals under the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme 2.0 reflects UN Women’s continued commitment to strengthening civil society leadership in advancing gender equality and eliminating violence against women and girls across Africa. By targeting regional and multi-country organizations, the initiative seeks to foster scalable, coordinated interventions capable of driving long-term systemic change.

As the 27 July 2026 deadline approaches, eligible organizations across the continent are expected to engage with the opportunity to contribute to a more coordinated and impactful regional response to gender-based violence and inequality.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.