Applications are open for the Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) Learning Partnership, seeking organizations to act as regional learning hubs that can enhance learning as well as knowledge sharing and advocacy among regions to promote gender equality and women’s rights.
This program will provide significant funds to regional feminist associations, alliances, and networks that work to create equitable and rights-based learning ecosystems and collaboration between feminists. The program will support the establishment of up to four regional hubs that are responsible for strengthening the advocacy process, feminist research, and capacity building in gender equality.
Deadline: November 30, 2025
About the Program
The WVL Learning Partnership is a result of Global Affairs Canada’s commitment to the leadership of women sharing knowledge, knowledge exchange, and movement building across the Global South.
The project envisions regional hubs that serve as centers for learning, coordination, and transformation that connect local experiences together with international advocacy. Each hub will collaborate on regional learning agendas for the region, develop feminist insights, and amplify women’s voices within policy environments.
Learning Partnership The learning partnership will be based on three interconnected components:
- Peer-to-Peer Learning & Knowledge Translation: sharing insights and data across networks to guide advocates and the policy.
- Evidence Generation and Feminist Research—Strengthening knowledge of women’s rights, gender justice, and intersectionality.
- Capacity Bridging for Feminist MEAL—Building skills in monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning through gender-transformative approaches.
Objectives of the Regional Learning Hubs
The Regional Learning Hubs at each Regional Learning Hub will be aligned with three objectives principally:
- Improve regional education goals and enable the exchange of information among women’s organizations (WROs), LGBTQI+ groups, and networks.
- The hubs will translate and present feminist information for use in policy advocacy, influence, and programming.
- Increase the capacity of feminist MEAL and learner-centered learning across diverse settings.
These hubs will encourage the localization of learning through regional meetings, regional convocations, and participatory learning programs that are rooted in the daily lives of youth, women, and communities with gender diversity.
Focus Areas
Learning Partnership. The Learning Partnership prioritizes:
- Advocacy based on evidence to promote equal rights for women, men, and children.
- Collaboration between feminist groups throughout the Global South.
- Sharing of knowledge to help strengthen policies that are inclusive and fair.
- Enhancing capacity development is a key component of women’s monitoring and assessment frameworks.
- Regional and cross-regional learning among women-led organizations.
Every Regional Learning Hub will foster networks that link research as well as activism and policy advocacy to increase female participation and leadership.
Funding Details
Funding levels for each Regional Learning Hub depend on the scope of work and regional scale.
| Region | Funding Amount (CAD) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Latin America and the Caribbean | CAD 750,000 | 42 months |
| West and Central Africa | CAD 600,000 | 42 months |
| East and Southern Africa | CAD 950,000 | 42 months |
| Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe | CAD 500,000 | 42 months |
The funding covers the full 42-month implementation period, including costs for convenings, workshops, learning events, and digital collaboration activities.
Key Funding Uses
- Women’s dialogues and regional gatherings
- Facilitation of peer learning and documentation
- Creation of knowledge products and translation
- Data analysis and research for feminists
- MEAL capacity development and training sessions
- Engagement in the region with advocacy networks
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who qualify must satisfy the following conditions:
- Be a women’s rights or feminist organization, or a consortium of organizations.
- Be located, led, and managed within the Global South, or principally be based in the Official Development Assistance (ODA)-eligible countries.
- Have a primary mission that is focused on the promotion of the rights of women, young people, and girls, as well as gender-diverse people.
- Demonstrate the expertise of feminist monitoring assessment and accountability, as well as learning (MEAL).
- Be able to function effectively in English, French, and Spanish (bilingual or trilingual is highly preferred).
Ineligible Applicants
- Organizations that don’t solely prioritize gender equality or women’s rights are not considered eligible.
- Entities that are based in non-ODA eligible countries.
- For-profit companies or organizations that do not have gender-based learning capabilities.
How to Apply
Organizations interested in applying must complete an application that includes:
- Organizational profile detailing the governance structure and leadership structure, as well as experience in programming for women.
- Concept Note (5-7 pages)—Outlining the regional learning strategy, the anticipated outcomes, and ways to collaborate.
- Proposed Budget—Outlining estimated costs that are aligned with the 42-month period of funding.
- Language and capacity for regionalization—demonstrating the multilingual capabilities of communication and outreach.
- This includes evidence of expertise in the field, along with examples of feminist evaluations or research projects.
Applications must be submitted via the Global Affairs Canada portal before November 30, 2025.
Incomplete or late submissions are not considered.
Evaluation Criteria
The applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- The evaluation criteria will include relevance to feminist movement priorities and regional learning needs.
- Technical capacity to coordinate partnerships across countries.
- Demonstrated experiences in the field of feminist knowledge in translation.
- Multilingual capability and a strategy for inclusive engagement.
- The evidence of operational and financial accountability.
Key Dates and Timeline
| Activity | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Call for Applications Opens | Ongoing |
| Submission Deadline | 30 November 2025 |
| Review and Selection | December 2025 – March 2026 |
| Hub Announcements | April 2026 |
| Project Implementation Begins | June 2026 |
| Duration | 42 months (2026–2029) |
Impact and Regional Importance
The Women’s Voice and Leadership Learning Partnership is designed to increase regional cooperation by helping feminist organizations take on leadership within their respective contexts.
For Africa this initiative provides an incredible opportunity for:
- Increase the strength of West and Central African feminist networks by establishing a CAD 600,000 hub.
- Help support East as well as Southern African organizations with the sum of 950,000 CAD for knowledge-sharing across the region and MEAL improvement.
- Develop inclusive learning environments that connect African activism with international gender equality guidelines.
This program will ensure that African feminist movements continue to be prominent participants in the global debate about justice, equality, and leadership.
Summary Table
| Programme Name | Women’s Voice & Leadership Learning Partnership: Regional Learning Hubs |
|---|---|
| Funding Amount | CAD 500,000 – CAD 950,000 |
| Funding Duration | 42 months |
| Eligible Applicants | Women’s rights and feminist organizations or consortia |
| Languages Required | English, French, and Spanish |
| Focus Areas | Gender equality, feminist learning, MEAL capacity, advocacy |
| Deadline | 30 November 2025 |
| Regions Covered | Latin America & Caribbean, West & Central Africa, East & Southern Africa, Southeast Asia & Eastern Europe |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who can apply for this opportunity?
Registered women’s rights or feminist organizations, or consortia based in the Global South.
2. What is the funding duration?
Each grant will run for 42 months (approximately 3.5 years).
3. What is the maximum funding available?
Funding ranges from CAD 500,000 to CAD 950,000, depending on the region.
4. Can African organizations apply?
Yes, eligible feminist organizations in West, Central, East, and Southern Africa are strongly encouraged to apply.
5. Can more than one organization apply jointly?
Yes, partnerships or consortia applications are welcome, provided one lead applicant manages the grant.
6. Are language skills required?
Yes. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to work in English, French, and Spanish.
7. What is the program’s main objective?
To strengthen feminist knowledge-sharing, advocacy, and MEAL practices across regions.
8. Can LGBTQI+ organizations participate?
Yes. LGBTQI+ rights groups and networks are encouraged to apply or collaborate within consortia.
9. When will successful applicants be announced?
Selected Regional Learning Hubs will be announced in April 2026.
10. What expenses can the grant cover?
Regional convenings, research, learning events, personnel costs, and digital engagement activities.
Conclusion
The Women’s Voice and Leadership Learning Partnership 2025 is a unique opportunity for feminist groups to take on regional knowledge building to strengthen solidarity and advance the cause of gender equality.
for African women’s rights groups This program provides the opportunity to promote transformational learning, help communities develop leadership, and amplify those voices that are from women as well as gender-diverse groups across Africa.