Researchers and institutions across sub-Saharan Africa have a new opportunity to secure major funding for implementation research aimed at improving sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

The Addressing Neglected Areas of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa (ANeSA) initiative has officially opened its latest Call for Letters of Interest, offering up to six grants worth as much as CAD 1.2 million each to support innovative, evidence-based projects.

The funding opportunity is jointly supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Successful projects will receive funding for up to 36 months, with implementation research designed to strengthen health systems, expand access to essential services, and improve health outcomes for underserved populations across the region.

The current call represents the first stage of a competitive two-stage selection process. Following the evaluation of Letters of Interest, up to 12 research teams will be invited to submit full proposals, from which six projects will ultimately be selected for funding.

Supporting Research in Africa That Delivers Real-World Impact

Unlike traditional academic research, the ANeSA initiative focuses on implementation research—research that identifies practical, sustainable solutions for delivering proven health interventions more effectively in real-world settings.

The programme seeks projects that are:

Evidence-informed
Gender-transformative
Sustainable
Designed to improve services for underserved populations
Focused on translating research into policy and practice

Successful teams are expected to generate findings that can directly strengthen healthcare delivery, influence national policies, and improve access to sexual and reproductive health services across sub-Saharan Africa.

Five Priority Research Areas

Applicants must propose research addressing at least one of ANeSA’s five priority themes.

1. Improving Access to Family Planning and Contraceptive Services

Projects may focus on increasing the availability, accessibility, and quality of family planning services while addressing barriers faced by vulnerable populations.

2. Expanding Safe Abortion and Post-Abortion Care

Where legally permitted, researchers may investigate strategies that improve access to safe abortion care and strengthen post-abortion care services.

3. Advancing Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights

The initiative seeks research that promotes adolescents’ access to information, rights-based services, and healthcare while addressing social and structural barriers affecting young people.

4. Preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Research may examine interventions that prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and improve services and support systems for survivors.

5. Strengthening Advocacy for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights

Projects may also focus on policy engagement, community mobilisation, accountability mechanisms, and advocacy approaches that strengthen SRHR across the region.

Who Can Apply?

The call is open to Implementation Research Teams led by researchers based in eligible institutions within sub-Saharan Africa.

To qualify, the Principal Applicant must be affiliated with an eligible organisation located in one of the participating countries listed in the call. Eligible countries include:

Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Eswatini, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Applicants should carefully review the official call documentation for detailed eligibility requirements, including team composition and institutional criteria.

Funding Available

ANeSA will award:

Up to six implementation research grants
Maximum value of CAD 1.2 million per grant
Project duration of up to 36 months
Funding for multidisciplinary implementation research teams

This level of investment provides an opportunity for African researchers to undertake large-scale collaborative projects capable of generating lasting improvements in healthcare systems and policy.

Important Dates

Researchers interested in applying should take note of the programme timeline:

Call launched: 29 June 2026
Information webinar: 15 July 2026
Deadline for questions: 9 August 2026
Letters of Interest deadline: 23 August 2026 (23:59 ET)
Applicants notified: 18 December 2026
Proposal Development Workshop: 9–11 February 2027
Full Proposal call opens: 12 February 2027
Full Proposal deadline: 2 May 2027
Funding decisions announced: 21 July 2027

Information Webinar

Prospective applicants are encouraged to participate in an informational webinar scheduled for 15 July 2026, where organisers will explain the application process, eligibility requirements, funding priorities, and answer participants’ questions.

Applicants may also submit questions to the ANeSA team via SRHR-SDSR@idrc.ca until 9 August 2026 to receive responses before the application deadline.

Why This Opportunity Matters

Despite significant progress in recent decades, many communities across sub-Saharan Africa continue to face major challenges in accessing comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare. Adolescents, women, survivors of gender-based violence, and other underserved populations often encounter legal, financial, geographic, and social barriers that prevent them from receiving essential services.

By investing in implementation research led by African institutions, the ANeSA initiative aims to bridge the gap between evidence and practice. The programme recognises that improving health outcomes requires not only new knowledge but also practical strategies for delivering effective interventions within diverse local contexts.

For researchers working in public health, medicine, social sciences, policy, implementation science, gender studies, or related disciplines, this funding call represents an opportunity to generate research with direct policy relevance while contributing to stronger and more equitable health systems across the continent.

With grants of up to CAD 1.2 million available, ANeSA offers one of the region’s most significant current funding opportunities for collaborative research focused on advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in sub-Saharan Africa.

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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.