The WGF-EMPOWER project is structured to address the multi-dimensional barriers that hinder girls and women with disabilities from participating in progressive opportunities in Chibombo’s Mungule Ward. Under the education component, the project will advocate for increased resource allocation to provide assistive learning devices and menstrual hygiene support for girls with disabilities. Additionally, it will work with community stakeholders to ensure that reasonable accommodations for girls living with disability are provided in 5 targeted schools. On economic empowerment, the project will focus on the participation of women with disabilities and caregivers in economic activities such as the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). Lastly, the WGF-EMPOWER project will undertake a basic policy research activity at community level. This research will critically examine policy gaps in the implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2012, National Gender Policy 2023 and the National Policy on Disability of 2016, identifying structural barriers that hinder equitable access to education, economic opportunities, and social services. Based on the findings, the project will develop strategic recommendations to enhance policy implementation.

UMWEO tackles gender-based violence in Lusaka, Kapiri Mposhi and Mkushi through advocacy and capacity-building, starting with a GBV risk analysis to shape district-specific actions. Women, adolescents and community influencers help design and deliver the work, while chiefs, village heads, marriage counsellors and men take part in regular dialogues, media discussions and live phone-in programmes to challenge harmful norms and raise awareness of the Anti-GBV Act. The project also lobbies for GBV cases to be properly handled and referred to the Victim Support Unit or Magistrate Court, and builds a coalition of at least ten trained community-based organisations, alongside community structures and local champions, to sustain advocacy and prevention.

The Lusumpuko project, will adapt and apply a tested tool called ‘’SASA!’’, which aims to address gender-based violence (GBV) and child marriage through an evidence-based approach involving traditional, religious, and civic leaders. It seeks to enhance their understanding of GBV and their role in addressing it by encouraging discussions in various community forums, such as traditional ceremonies, church gatherings, and national events. The initiative will engage traditional leaders in aligning customary laws with statutory laws, promoting uniform by-laws, and ensuring enforcement through traditional courts and councils. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials like posters and leaflets will be developed to spread awareness with the help of influential figures. To reach a larger audience, the project will also utilize existing radio programs where experts and community leaders discuss GBV, child marriage, and teenage pregnancy. These programs will be interactive, allowing the public to participate and share their views.

Through the Advocacy for localised action on ending child marriage in Chitambo district in the context of the National strategy on ending child marriage project, PEACE aims to combat child marriages by developing a localized policy aligned with the national strategy and the 2023 Marriage Act Amendment. Partnering with Kawama Mpelembe Women Club in Chitambo district, the project will map key local leaders, including chiefs, village headpersons, civic and religious figures, to influence public opinion. A baseline assessment will track early marriage cases, school dropouts, and community perceptions, with findings compared to an end-of-project assessment. The initiative will engage local leadership to promote awareness and enforce by-laws against child marriage. Community Advocacy Groups, comprising girls, women, and men, will be trained in advocacy, sensitization, and enforcement. These groups will liaise with parents, caregivers, and development committees. Additionally, the project will advocate for community and district support for girls’ empowerment, providing economic opportunities, mentorship, and education. Quarterly reviews will track progress, address challenges, and refine strategies to reduce early marriages.

The project aims to contribute to increased representation and meaningful participation of women in leadership and decision-making processes at both community and national levels. By strengthening the political capacity of aspiring women leaders, the project will empower them with essential leadership skills, knowledge, and confidence to actively engage in political processes and vie for leadership positions. Through strategic advocacy and engagement with political parties, duty bearers, and community gatekeepers, the project will influence the development and implementation of gender-responsive policies and inclusive political practices. This will help create a more enabling environment that not only acknowledges but actively promotes women’s leadership in governance structures. Furthermore, the project will enhance public awareness and community support for women’s leadership through sustained information campaigns, media engagement, and community dialogues. This will challenge prevailing gender norms and reduce socio-cultural barriers that limit women’s political participation.

Blantyre OBOL, seeks to address the systemic barriers preventing women, girls, and vulnerable populations in Malawi from securing land rights. The project will engage eight Traditional Authorities (TAs) in Blantyre rural to develop and enforce bylaws protecting women’s land rights. Strategies include community sensitization workshops, grassroots mobilization, lobbying of local leaders, and collaboration with NGOs. A strong gender focus will ensure women’s empowerment through leadership training and advocacy initiatives. The project will also leverage media, including community radio and social platforms, to raise awareness and mobilize public support. By fostering legal awareness, policy change, and community engagement, this initiative aims to create sustainable solutions that ensure secure land rights for women and vulnerable groups, ultimately reducing economic dependence, discrimination, and social vulnerability.

Empowering Women and Girls with Disabilities: Advocacy for Gender Equality and Inclusion aims to empower women and girls with disabilities in Nsanje by equipping them with advocacy skills to engage in policy discussions and demand their rights. It will focus on strengthening the implementation of inclusive policies and ensuring equal access to essential services. The project will begin by directly engaging policymakers, local government officials, and service providers in health and education to advocate for stronger enforcement of disability-inclusive laws. Public awareness campaigns, including community forums and media engagement, will highlight the challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities and encourage public pressure on policymakers. Rather than training government officials, the initiative will provide direct advocacy training to women and girls with disabilities, equipping them with the skills to navigate legal frameworks like the CRPD and CEDAW. A community-driven monitoring framework will be established, using a scorecard system to track progress in implementing inclusive policies. If necessary, public engagement and litigation tools will be employed to hold policymakers accountable. Ultimately, the project seeks to ensure that women and girls with disabilities can fully participate in decision-making processes and access services without discrimination.

The Campaign to Eliminate Child Marriage in selected T/As in Nkhata-Bay District aims to intensify advocacy efforts to eliminate child marriage in Malawi, focusing on two traditional authorities in Nkhata Bay, a district with high rates of violence against women and girls (VAWG). Guided by the 2024 National Strategy on Ending Child Marriage (NSECM), the project will address social norms as a priority while integrating legal, policy, and economic interventions. Approaches will include Feminist Principles, Human Rights-Based Approaches (HRBA), Human-Centered Design (HCD), Gender and Development (GAD), Intersectionality, and the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM). Key activities include community engagement, education, advocacy for legal and policy reforms, and economic empowerment for women and girls. The project will promote women's agency in decision-making, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and foster inclusive development by engaging stakeholders at multiple levels. By leveraging existing frameworks and partnerships, the initiative aims to contribute to Malawi’s goal of reducing child marriage to 20% by 2030, ensuring a future where girls can pursue education and economic opportunities free from early marriage.

The Gender Equality, Women and Girls Empowerment Project aims to empower women and girls in Ntchisi and Dowa districts by advocating for gender equality, ending child marriages, and increasing female participation in politics and decision-making. Key activities include sensitizing stakeholders such as the Gender Technical Working Group, CSOs, and local government committees to enhance their involvement in advocacy efforts. Women’s movements and male champions will receive training on legal frameworks, including the Gender Equality Act and Child Care, Protection, and Justice Act, to strengthen their capacity to raise awareness and influence community leaders. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials will be developed to spread anti-child marriage messages. Women-led engagements will target traditional and political leaders, advocating for bylaws to end child marriages and promoting a gender-friendly environment for increased female nominations in the 2025 elections. Public campaigns will educate citizens and political parties on gender equality in decision-making. Additionally, the project will support the formation of women-led peace committees to prevent gender-based violence during conflicts and disasters. Lastly, women-led dialogues will hold policymakers accountable for ensuring that 10% of the Constituency Development Fund benefits women and youth economically. This initiative aims to create systemic change, ensuring long-term empowerment and protection for women and girls.

Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) remains an overlooked issue in Zomba’s government primary schools, where inadequate infrastructure and resources negatively impact adolescent girls. Despite the need for better MHH facilities, the 2024/25 Zomba District Development Plan lacks provisions or a dedicated budget for MHH under the School Health, Nutrition, and HIV/AIDS (SHNHA) department. Currently, only 88 out of 205 rural schools have any MHH facilities, forcing thousands of girls to manage menstruation in unsafe and unhygienic conditions, affecting their school attendance and participation. In partnership with the Girls Empowerment Network (GENET), HeR Liberty will implement an advocacy strategy to empower adolescent girls to influence district-level policy and budget decisions. The initiative will train girl advocates, conduct research to develop a policy brief, and engage communities to support MHH investment. Girls will lead high-level policy dialogues and media campaigns to demand government action, ensuring long-term improvements in MHH infrastructure and reducing stigma surrounding menstruation.

Enhancing Gender-Inclusive Public Procurement and Open Contracting in Malawi aims to enhance the participation of women-led businesses in public procurement by advocating for the effective enforcement of gender-responsive procurement policies. NABW will engage policymakers, procurement authorities, and business stakeholders to address systemic and structural challenges that hinder women from accessing government contracts. Through evidence-based advocacy, strategic dialogues, and capacity-building efforts, the project will push for policy reforms that create an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs. Additionally, NABW will monitor procurement practices to ensure transparency and accountability while raising public awareness on the importance of gender-inclusive procurement.

AFRO ARK will expand its advocacy efforts to hard-to-reach rural villages in Katabagemu and Karangazi sectors, uniting women and girl peer champions with duty bearers to promote their recognition as key partners in addressing the challenges faced by teenage mothers, women with disabilities, and GBV survivors. A community scorecard will assess health and justice services related to GBV, SRHR, and women’s participation in leadership, with findings shared to encourage service improvement. The project will mark the 16 Days of Activism through walkathons, testimonies, and dialogues on GBV policies and laws, urging better implementation. Additional community dialogues will advocate for improved access to contraception during World Contraception Day, and roundtable meetings will discuss SRHR laws, including abortion. AFRO ARK will also leverage social and community media platforms to raise awareness among duty bearers and the public about women’s and girls’ rights to GBV and SRHR information and services.

This project seeks to challenge harmful social norms related to teen pregnancy, forced child marriage, and stigma against adolescent mothers. Through community engagement, evidence-based advocacy, and policy dialogue, it aims to shift attitudes, promote protection of adolescent girls, and ensure access to education, economic opportunities, and social support.

Under the awareness campaign “Twiceceka: Tubiganire”, community dialogues will engage parents, leaders, and authorities in rejecting forced marriages and supporting teen mothers’ education. Storytelling sessions will feature testimonies from adolescent mothers to inspire change. A research and assessment component will map harmful norms through surveys and stakeholder interviews, producing an advocacy report to inform policy and community actions. Dialogue with leaders and law enforcement will strengthen capacity on child protection laws, GBV response, and service delivery for adolescent mothers.

The project will focus on service providers—government officials, healthcare workers, educators, and other stakeholders—by strengthening their understanding of teen mothers’ rights and the harmful practices that violate these rights. Through workshops and campaigns, these actors will be encouraged to collaborate in improving conditions for teen mothers. Families and communities will also be sensitized on protective laws, the importance of upholding them, and the benefits of reducing stigma toward teen mothers and their children.

Teen mothers will receive psychosocial and mental health support through counseling and peer groups, while being reintegrated into education and economic opportunities to enhance their confidence and livelihoods. Additionally, awareness sessions for children in schools and communities will promote knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and rights, helping prevent future teen pregnancies. Overall, the project’s comprehensive approach seeks to combat discrimination and improve the overall wellbeing of teen mothers in the target sectors.

KEEPCARE Rwanda will implement a comprehensive set of activities in Huye District to promote gender equality, prevent GBV, and empower vulnerable teen mothers. The project will begin with formal introduction to local authorities and inclusive participant selection, ensuring 5% representation of persons with disabilities. Teen mothers will receive training on gender, women’s rights, and GBV referral pathways.

Stakeholder mapping and community scorecard workshops will assess service quality and strengthen accountability between citizens and duty bearers. GBV mobile clinics will provide direct support to survivors, while advocacy and lobbying meetings will push for increased GBV prevention budgets in district plans. Additional activities include awareness campaigns, and training on family planning, HIV prevention, life skills, and entrepreneurship. KEEPCARE will also build staff capacity in advocacy and communication, assess GBV policy implementation, and conduct quarterly outcome harvesting and reporting to ensure sustainable results and accountability

The Justice Without Barriers project advocates for accessible legal aid and mental health support for vulnerable girls and GBV survivors, ensuring they can pursue justice free from financial and informational barriers. It focuses on three main areas: legal aid access, by pushing for affordable, government-backed community-level services; legal process guidance, through awareness campaigns that empower girls to understand their rights and navigate justice systems; and mental health support, by advocating for grassroots-level counseling and trauma recovery services.

Key activities include participatory research documenting survivors’ challenges, mapping legal and mental health resources, and producing advocacy reports with data and policy recommendations. The project will train community champions, develop a legal rights handbook, and coordinate with Women’s Councils and gender desks. A national media campaign and policy engagement meetings will amplify survivor voices and advocate for an emergency legal aid fund, improved service coordination, and stronger government accountability.

Building on WFI Rwanda’s experience, this advocacy project aims to improve the lives of teen mothers and their children in Gakenke District’s Gashenyi sector through community engagement and policy reform. The project will advocate for school-level policy changes to support teen mothers, including flexible schedules, breastfeeding breaks, and inclusion in remedial programs to reduce dropout rates and support academic success. It will also promote better healthcare access by engaging communities, leaders, and health institutions to ensure teen mothers and their children receive essential prenatal, postnatal, and pediatric care. Sensitization activities will encourage families to support health insurance coverage for both mother and child.

Furthermore, community awareness campaigns will challenge stigma and promote understanding of the challenges faced by teen mothers through dialogues, workshops, and media outreach. By strengthening education, health access, and community support, the project seeks sustainable improvements for teen mothers and their children

The Zambian Governance Foundation was established as a not-for-profit private company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act Chapter 388 of the Laws of Zambia in July 2009. ZGF was formed to strengthen the institutional capacity and autonomy of civil society organisations (CSO) to engage actively in policy processes and undertake advocacy on behalf of the poor and socially excluded people in Zambia. In 2017, community philanthropy emerged as a new pillar of work following exposure to the concept of community philanthropy promoted by the Global Fund for Community Foundations. The organisation has started engaging in community-led development initiatives using community philanthropy as one of the key strategies. In this new direction, ZGF still remains committed to civil society organisations (CSO) support through various mechanisms including sub-granting and capacity building

The Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre (MHRRC) was established in 1997 after a one-year pilot phase by the Danish Centre for Human Rights, with an overall objective of promoting and strengthening a culture of human rights in Malawi. The MHRRC works with state and Non-State actors to effectively support the developing democracy in the country. MHRRC contributes towards the consolidation of channels of free expression and other rights for the citizens by working with and building the capacity State and Non-state actors in areas of Human Rights, Gender and Governance among others

Since its establishment in 1995, and following its official recognition by the Government of Rwanda in September 2005, YWCA Rwanda has grown into a national movement. Today, it operates in 21 districts, actively engaging in programs that address education, health, economic empowerment, peacebuilding, and advocacy.

In February 2025, the Sino-Metals tailings dam collapsed in Chambishi district, releasing about 50 million litres of toxic waste containing heavy metals into the Mwambashi Stream and Kafue River. This river sustains roughly 40% of Zambia’s population. Early reports documented fish kills, crop destruction and contamination of key water sources.

Women and girls in riverside communities are expected to be disproportionately affected. This research will examine how Sino-Metals’ water pollution has affected the social roles, livelihoods, and educational opportunities of women and girls in Chambishi (source), Ngabwe (rural downstream), and Kafue (peri-urban downstream). Using a mixed-methods design integrating environmental science and gender analysis, the research aims to:

Measure heavy metal concentrations in water and soil, comparing them to WHO/ZABS limits.

Assess social consequences for women and girls (roles, stigmatisation, domestic conflict).

Quantify economic losses—crop yields, income from farming/trading.

Examine impacts on girls’ school attendance and retention.

Develop an evidence-based advocacy framework for improved environmental enforcement.

This project focuses on conducting research on Violence Against Women in Elections (VAWE) in Zambia, examining both physical and online forms of electoral violence. The study aims to generate rigorous, evidence based, disaggregated data on how VAWE affects women’s political participation, specifically voters, candidates, campaigners, and community members. The research seeks to understand:

The prevalence, forms, and patterns of VAWE.

The drivers of VAWE, including social, economic, cultural, and political factors.

The impact of VAWE on women’s engagement, expression, and leadership aspirations.

The effectiveness of existing legal, institutional, and policy frameworks addressing VAWE.

How evidence can support advocacy, influence electoral reforms, and strengthen protection mechanisms for women

The study directly addresses critical evidence gaps affecting the design, implementation, and accountability of Zambia’s climate and gender programmes, including Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods for Human Capital (GEWEL2) and Strengthening Climate Resilience of Agricultural Livelihoods in Agro-Ecological Regions (SCRALA).

The overall goal is to strengthen gender‑responsive climate action by producing rigorous data and analysis on barriers, enablers, and effective strategies for women’s climate‑smart livelihoods. Specifically, the project aims to:

• Assess women’s economic resilience and climate vulnerability across diverse social groups.
• Identify economic, social, cultural, and institutional barriers to adopting climate‑smart practices.
• Document women‑led innovations and successful adaptation models.
• Determine which climate‑smart strategies most effectively improve income, savings, assets, and food security.
• Develop policy‑relevant recommendations and advocacy tools for government and civil society.

This research aims to generate evidence on how digital exclusion affects adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in rural Malawi and to inform gender‑responsive digital inclusion policies. Specifically, the project aims to:

• Assess levels of digital access and usage among AGYW across targeted districts
• Analyse how digital exclusion impacts education, health, and economic participation.
• Identify the intersecting barriers that prevent AGYW from benefiting from digital technologies
• Develop evidence-based policy and programmatic recommendations for integrating digital inclusion into gender equality and women’s empowerment interventions within the Project duration

This research proposes a comprehensive, mixed‑methods investigation into both traditional and evolving drivers of teenage pregnancy in Malawi. By centring the lived experiences of girls and generating credible, locally grounded evidence, the study aims to strengthen Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) policy, inform more effective and youth‑centred programming, and support national commitments to gender equality, health, and education. Specifically, the research will:

• Assess the effectiveness of existing SRHR interventions targeting adolescent girls
• Identify knowledge, attitude, and perception gaps influencing sexual behaviour among girls aged 10 to 19.
• Examine programmatic and implementation gaps contributing to continued high teenage pregnancy prevalence

The project aims to strengthen women’s roles in environmental stewardship within Malawi’s ASM sector by ensuring their contributions to mine rehabilitation, land restoration, biodiversity protection, and environmental compliance are formally recognised, while also influencing national policy through the integration of gender‑responsive measures into environmental governance frameworks and the Mines and Minerals Act. It further seeks to increase women miners’ agency by building their confidence and enhancing their participation in local governance structures such as Area Development Committees (ADCs). Over the long term, the initiative envisions wider adoption of women‑led restoration models nationwide, resulting in more inclusive and accountable ASM governance and stronger alignment between environmental sustainability and gender equality objectives. Specifically, the research aims to:

• Document and quantify women miners’ roles in environmental protection and restoration across Kasungu, Mzimba, and Balaka
• Produce a district-level gender‑disaggregated dataset of at least 5 categories of women‑led environmental practices.
• Identify institutional, socio-cultural, and economic barriers limiting women’s participation in environmental governance
• Pilot and evaluate two women‑led restoration demonstration sites and produce policy recommendations

This research proposal seeks to address persistent gender inequalities in financial inclusion and women’s entrepreneurship in rural Zomba District, Malawi. The overall objective is to enhance women’s financial inclusion and entrepreneurship in Zomba District by identifying barriers and opportunities and generating evidence-based strategies to reduce gender‑based economic inequalities. Specifically, the research will:

• Assess women’s access to and use of financial services (e.g., bank accounts, mobile money, credit, VSLAs, insurance).
• Identify social, economic, and institutional barriers limiting women’s entrepreneurship and financial inclusion (e.g., collateral constraints, limited literacy, restrictive norms).
• Examine existing support systems (government programs, NGOs, VSLAs, financial institutions) that can bolster women’s economic empowerment.
• Develop evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, financial institutions, and development partners to strengthen women’s economic participation in Zomba.

Overall, Purpose of this research is to generate robust, disability‑disaggregated evidence addressing the invisibility of women and girls with disabilities in GBV response and economic empowerment systems and use this evidence to drive policy change and inclusive programming.

Specific Objectives are to:

• Measure and compare the impact of an integrated economic‑justice model vs. stand‑alone interventions
• Identify systemic barriers and facilitators that affect access to GBV response, justice, and economic empowerment systems for women with disabilities.
• Evaluate the cost‑effectiveness and Social Return on Investment (SROI) of integrated vs. stand‑alone models to build a financial case for inclusion.
• Translate research evidence into advocacy products (datasets, policy briefs, integration toolkit) to influence disability‑inclusive national and district policies

This project aims to address the persistent under-representation of women in conservation in Zambia, driven by harmful gender norms, limited access to mentorship and professional networks, unsafe work environment, and gender bias in male dominated conservation spaces.

Building on the WCP’s established Women for Conservation network of over 600 women, the project will deliver an expanded leadership cohort targeting early career women conservationists, particularly those at the stage where many drop out or stagnate in their careers. The initiative focuses primarily on norm change and community engagement aiming to challenge harmful beliefs that limits women’s leadership in conservation and build a sustainable women led leadership pipeline in Zambia’s conservation sector.