Call for Proposals Strategic Grants Gender, Youth, and Inclusion: Southern Africa

Key Information

The Love Alliance is a strategic partnership between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Aidsfonds, UHAI EASHRI, ISDAO, GALZ, Sisonke, SANPUD, GNP+ and ARASA as a grant-making partner for Southern Africa. The Love Alliance runs from 2021-2025 with a focus on advocacy on HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights for sex workers, people who use drugs (PWUD), and LGBTIQ+ people, including people living with HIV.

This call for proposals is specifically for organisations working in Southern Africa in at least one of the following countries Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, that advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights for adolescent girls and young womxn, vulnerable womxn and youth. ARASA is also looking at increasing youth and women participation recognising the current demographic status of the region. ARASA is inviting organisations led by or working with youth, women and adolescent girls, working on inclusion issues, and including people living with HIV to apply through the ARASA Good grants online platform under ‘’Call for Proposals Strategic Grants Southern Africa GYI’’ before the 10th of November 2023, at 23:59 CAT.
Activities under the proposed project must take place between 1st January 2024 till 30th of June 2025. Each application can be to a minimum of €50,000 and a maximum amount of €100,000 for the entire grant period. You can download the budget templates here.

Introduction to Love Alliance

The Love Alliance aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of key populations in Africa through advocacy at national, global, and regional levels. The Love Alliance works towards a significant reduction in HIV incidence by influencing policies, organising communities, and raising awareness of health rights in ten countries (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Morocco). Love Alliance brings together organisations led by the communities which are most affected by HIV and AIDS across Africa.

The Love Alliance works towards:

Goal 1: Capable, inclusive, influential, and mutually supportive key population movements in an unrestricted civic space.

Goal 2: An end to sexual and gender-based violence, stigma and discrimination against key populations.

Goal 3: Equal access to inclusive, people-centred, accountable, integrated HIV and comprehensive sexual rights and health services.

Who is this call for?

Key Populations in Southern Africa, including gender and sexual minorities, adolescent girls and young women, youth, and marginalized communities, face unique challenges concerning gender equality, youth empowerment, and social inclusion. The gender, youth, and inclusion situation of key populations in Southern Africa remains complex, with both progress and challenges. Efforts are underway to promote gender equality, youth empowerment, and inclusion of marginalized communities. However, legal reforms, awareness campaigns, and targeted interventions are necessary to address discrimination, violence, and social exclusion faced by these populations. By taking a comprehensive and inclusive approach, Southern Africa can strive towards a more equitable and inclusive society for all its residents.

We are looking for networks and organisations who will:

• Focus on advocacy for inclusive and gender responsive health related laws and policies for communities in Southern Africa recognising the intersectionality which exists for key populations.
• Promote the leadership of women and youth in the advocacy for improved access to health services and information especially for key populations.
• Contribute to the body of knowledge on access to health services and information for womxn, youth and marginalised communities in Southern Africa

Eligibility Criteria

Your organisation is eligible for this grant if it meets the following criteria:

• Your organisation is an organisation, network or consortia working with any of the following: Adolescent Girls and Young Women in their diversity, Inclusion issues including disability, Youth in their diversity, including people living with HIV and young key populations.
• Your organisation is a not-for-profit organisation engaged in HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights advocacy in Southern Africa and in at least one of either Mozambique, South Africa, or Zimbabwe for at least two years already.
• Your organisation can be based outside of either Zimbabwe, South Africa or Mozambique but should propose to do some work involving at least one of the countries.
• Your organisation is registered with the relevant government department. If your organisation is not registered, you can find a fiscal hosting organisation to support you with the grant. (For more information, you are invited to attend the Q&A webinar to be held on 15 November 2024). For example, the national network of people living with HIV, harm reduction organisations, or other network organisations. Community-led organisations, groups or collectives, could partner with other community-based organisations, for example HIV and SRHR service providers, SRHR advocacy organisations, academic institutions, other registered community-led organisations that represent different key populations, key populations networks, harm reduction programmes and many others.
• You may also apply as a group of community-led organisations together from one or more countries in a consortium. This can include harm reduction organisations, service providers, educational institutions and other community-based organisations. In this case, you apply with one registered lead organisation and at least one community-led organisation in the consortium.
• Full details on the opportunities under this grant are found on the ARASA website (Documents with full details in English and Portuguese) the following link : https://arasa.info/call-for-proposals-strategic-grants-gender-youth-and-inclusion-southern-africa/