African Women's Development Fund

The AWDF's journey began in Dakar, at the 1994 preparatory World Conference on Women.{{Cite journal |date=1995 |title=African platform for action : fifth African regional conference on women (1994) preparatory to the fourth world conference on women (1995) |url=https://repository.uneca.org/handle/10855/6743 |url-status=live |website=United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Knowledge Repository |access-date=2024-12-01 |archive-date=2022-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927151938/https://repository.uneca.org/handle/10855/6743 }} Joana Foster and Dr. Hilda Tadria were both in attendance, when they struck up a conversation about the lack of funding available for women and women's organizations in Africa. Foster and Tadria shared a passion for feminist causes, and both had careers relating to women's rights. Ten years earlier, Dr. Tadria had founded an NGO called Action for Development, which supported women's issues, therefore she knew what it took to run a nonprofit organization.{{Cite web |date=2020 |title=Hilda Mary Kabushenga Tadria, (Ph.D.) |url=https://memprow.org/news6-4.html |website=MEMPROW News}} Foster was a lawyer who had expertise in women's rights, and was familiar with social justice. As a result, both women were aware of the difficulties involved when it came to receiving funding for organizations, especially those intended to serve women in their region.{{Cite web |last=Sekyiamah |first=Nana Darkoa |date=December 2, 2016 |title=Joana Foster: 'She made African women realise they can do anything' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/dec/02/joana-foster-african-women-do-anything |website=The Guardian}} Shortly after their conversation, they began attempting to create a fund for women, but were ultimately unsuccessful until they met Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi in 1996. Adeleye-Fayemi not only had similar passions and goals, but also had the experience necessary to help get this new organization off the ground. In 1991, she had become the director of Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), a UK based organization dedicated to serving women in Africa, and maintained her position there until 2001.{{Cite web |last=Falola |first=Toyin |date=June 9, 2021 |title=Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi: Women's rights activist and community mobiliser |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/466639-bisi-adeleye-fayemi-womens-rights-activist-and-community-mobiliser-by-toyin-falola.html |url-status=live |website=Premium Times |access-date=December 1, 2024 |archive-date=August 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240802085224/https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/466639-bisi-adeleye-fayemi-womens-rights-activist-and-community-mobiliser-by-toyin-falola.html }} After the three women met, they began workshopping their ideas, combining each other's expertise, and utilizing each other’s connections. This eventually resulted in the launch of the African Women’s Development Fund in the year 2000.

The African Women’s Development Fund focuses on addressing numerous issues that primarily affect women in Africa and some parts of the Middle East. Broadly speaking, the organization focuses on women’s human rights, gender equality, gender-based violence, LGBTQ+ causes, and improving the lives of girls and women overall. More specifically, their work includes supporting and funding women’s education, safety, cultural art, and healthcare, along with offering girls and women different resources they may be in need of or benefit from. Additionally, they facilitate gender-based research that not only helps women and girls within the region, but also helps other organizations that focus on similar issues. The AWDF itself does not fund individuals, however it often provides grants to organizations who do work with individuals.

Some examples of their notable work include the following:

• Since its inception, the AWDF has been funding organizations that provide women with access to safe abortions.{{Cite journal |last1=Putri |first1=Alvela Salsabilah |last2=Choirunissa |first2=Puti Jasmine |last3=Salma |first3=Riana |date=June 2021 |title=Global Actors' Effort towards Gender Equality in Women's Health in East and Southern Africa |url=https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/global/vol23/iss1/5/ |journal=Global: Jurnal Politik Internasional |volume=23 |page=104 |doi=10.7454/global.v23i1.580 |via=UI Scholar Hub |access-date=2024-12-01 |archive-date=2024-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241008010854/https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/global/vol23/iss1/5/ |url-status=live |doi-access=free }}

• From 2012 to 2013, AWDF joined together with the Justice, Development, and Peace Commission (JDPC) to create the Female Genital Cutting Intervention Program. This program involved education surrounding the dangers of female genital mutilation, HIV/AIDS, along with educating healthcare providers on how to manage and treat the physical and mental health of patients who have experienced genital cutting.{{Cite journal |last=Udoh-Emokhare |first=C.E. |date=July 2016 |title=Evaluation of African Women's Development Fund and the Justice, Development and Peace Commission Female Genital Cutting Intervention Programme in Oyo State, Nigeria |url=http://repository.ui.edu.ng/handle/123456789/3621 |journal=The University of Ibadan Institutional Repository |via=UISpace |access-date=2024-12-01 |archive-date=2024-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240924002045/http://repository.ui.edu.ng/handle/123456789/3621 |url-status=live }}

• Since 2014, the organization has hosted several writing workshop sessions where women throughout the region can come together to improve their literacy skills and discuss social justice issues.{{Cite journal |last=Mpoke-Bigg |first=Amba |date=October 27, 2020 |title=Leadership, Voice, and Visibility Strengthening African women's voice and representation: A case study of the African Women Development Fund's social justice writing workshop for women writers. |url=https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1481882&dswid=2238 |journal=Malmö University |via=DIVA Portal}}
• By 2016, the AWDF had granted $26,000,000 to 1,200 different organizations that support women and feminist causes across the MENA region.{{Cite web |last=GNA |date=October 21, 2016 |title=AWDF celebrates its 15th anniversary |url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/729139/awdf-celebrates-its-15th-anniversary.html |website=Modern Ghana}}
• AWDF hosted a study on how gender played a role in the agricultural industry, thus promoting more gender mainstreaming in the field.{{Cite journal |last1=Iguodala-Cole |first1=Hope Imuetinyan |last2=Ankeli |first2=Monica Alexande |last3=Dyaji |first3=Esther Joy |date=April 2024 |title=Examining C190 ratification and its impact on gender mainstreaming for workplace equality in Nigeria |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379862357 |journal=Integrity Journal of Arts and Humanities |volume=5 |pages=40–52 |doi=10.31248/IJAH2024.127 |via=Research Gate}}

Over the years, the African Women’s Development Fund has obtained and received funding from many different individuals, organizations, and foundations worldwide. Typically, the AWDF's donors are left-of-center on the political spectrum. In November of 2013, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation granted the AWDF with $6,998,115 to support the organization's growth and development over the course of 41 months.{{Cite web |date=2013 |title=Committed Grants African Women's Development Fund |url=https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2013/11/opp1095385 |url-status=live |website=Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation |access-date=2024-12-01 |archive-date=2024-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513194339/https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/committed-grants/2013/11/opp1095385 }} In 2014, the African Women’s Development Fund received a grant of $500,000 from the Carnegie Corporation of New York to help tackle the Ebola crisis.{{Cite web |date=2014 |title=Grants African Women's Development Fund |url=https://www.carnegie.org/grants/grants-database/grantee/african-womens-development-fund/#!/grants/grants-database/grant/52128.0/ |url-status=live |website=Carnegie Corporation of New York |access-date=2024-12-01 |archive-date=2021-03-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210329164953/https://www.carnegie.org/grants/grants-database/grantee/african-womens-development-fund/#!/grants/grants-database/grant/52128.0/ }} From September of 2017 to August of 2024, the AWDF has received three $1 million dollar donations from the Hewlett Foundation.{{Cite web |date=2017 |title=African Women's Development Fund For General Operating Support |url=https://hewlett.org/grants/african-womens-development-fund-for-general-operating-support/ |url-status=live |website=William + Flora Hewlett Foundation |access-date=2024-12-01 |archive-date=2024-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520092705/https://hewlett.org/grants/african-womens-development-fund-for-general-operating-support/ }} In 2021, the Ford Foundation and Open Society Initiative for West Africa pledged $3.75 million over the course of 5 years to AWDF to support an end to sexual violence in Africa.{{Cite web |date=December 2, 2021 |title=Ford Foundation and Open Society Initiative for West Africa Launch New Fund to End Sexual Violence in West Africa |url=https://www.fordfoundation.org/news-and-stories/news-and-press/news/ford-foundation-and-open-society-initiative-for-west-africa-launch-new-fund-to-end-sexual-violence-in-west-africa/ |url-status=live |website=Ford Foundation |access-date=December 1, 2024 |archive-date=October 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241010025510/https://www.fordfoundation.org/news-and-stories/news-and-press/news/ford-foundation-and-open-society-initiative-for-west-africa-launch-new-fund-to-end-sexual-violence-in-west-africa/ }} In 2022, Yield Giving, an organization created by American philanthropist Mackenzie Scott, donated an unknown amount to the AWDF.{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=MacKenzie |date=March 23, 2022 |title=Helping Any of Us Can Help Us All |url=https://yieldgiving.com/essays/helping-any-of-us-can-help-us-all?q=african+women%27s+development+fund |website=Yield Giving}} In June of 2024, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation awarded the AWDF $500,000 for a project that started in July of 2024, and is set to end in July of 2026.{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Grants African Women's Development Fund |url=https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/grant/african-womens-development-fund/ |website=Conrad N. Hilton Foundation}} A comprehensive list of the AWDF’s donors can be found on their website.

• [http://www.awdf.org/ Official website]

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Category:Women's organisations based in Ghana

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Africa

Category:Feminist organizations in Africa

Category:Organizations established in 2001

Category:2001 establishments in Ghana