Call for Proposals: Civil Society Partnerships for Implementation of the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP) 2.0

Submission Deadline: July 14, 2026

About the Call for Proposals

UN Women is calling for applications from qualified civil society organizations, networks, coalitions, and consortiums that operate at various levels across Africa, including continental, regional, sub-regional, or multi-country frameworks. These organizations are invited to participate in the implementation of targeted interventions under the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP) 2.0. The Spotlight Initiative is a groundbreaking global partnership established between the European Union and the United Nations, with the primary goal of eradicating all forms of violence against women and girls. This partnership recognizes that violence against women and girls is a pervasive human rights violation and a major obstacle to gender equality, sustainable development, and peace. The Africa Regional Programme (SIARP) 2.0 represents the next phase of the initiative, which aims to build on the successes and lessons learned from the first phase launched in 2018. Since its inception, the initial phase of the Spotlight Initiative has supported transformative change across the continent by strengthening legal frameworks, enhancing the capacity of institutions, empowering women and girls, and raising awareness to challenge societal norms that perpetuate violence. SIARP 2.0 seeks to deepen and expand these efforts, focusing on innovative, scalable, and sustainable interventions tailored to the diverse contexts within Africa. The program emphasizes a multi-stakeholder approach, working closely with governments, civil society, communities, and development partners to create an environment where women and girls can live free from violence and discrimination. Organizations interested in participating are encouraged to demonstrate their capacity to implement evidence-based interventions, mobilize communities, and promote policy change. This call aims to identify committed partners who can contribute to the overarching goal of ending violence against women and girls, ensuring their rights, safety, and dignity are protected across the continent. By engaging a broad spectrum of civil society actors, UN Women aims to foster a coordinated and impactful response to violence against women and girls, ultimately contributing to the wider agenda of gender equality and human rights in Africa.

The CFP supports initiatives on:

• Ending violence against women and girls
• Harmful practices
• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
• Survivor-centred services
• Policy accountability
• Social norms transformation
• Strengthening women’s rights and youth-led movements

Eligibility

Qualified civil society organizations, networks, coalitions, and consortiums operating at continental, regional, sub-regional, or multi-country levels in Africa are eligible to apply.

Why This Call Matters

Violence against women and girls remains one of the most widespread human rights violations in Africa. Harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation persist in many countries. Women and girls face barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services, and women’s rights organizations and youth-led movements are often under-resourced.

The Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP) 2.0 addresses these challenges by:

• Funding civil society organizations, networks, coalitions, and consortiums working at continental, regional, sub-regional, or multi-country levels
• Supporting initiatives that end violence against women and girls, address harmful practices, advance SRHR, strengthen survivor-centred services, promote policy accountability, transform social norms, and strengthen women’s rights and youth-led movements
• Building on the first phase of the Spotlight Initiative, which has already made significant contributions to ending violence against women and girls across Africa

For civil society organizations, networks, coalitions, and consortiums operating in Africa at continental, regional, sub-regional, or multi-country levels, this call offers a significant funding opportunity to contribute to ending violence against women and girls and advancing gender equality.

How to Apply

Application Documents:

• Call for Proposals Template for Responsible Parties – SIARP 2.0 (English)
• Call for Proposals Template for Responsible Parties – SIARP 2.0 (French)

Download the relevant documents from the UN Women Africa website.

Submission Deadline: July 14, 2026

To Apply Click Here

For More Information: Visit the Official UN Women Africa Call for Proposals Page