Centre for Gender Equality and Research (CGER)
The Centre for Gender Equality and Research (CGER) is the gender and evidence hub of the Africa Leadership Foundation (ALF). It leads the Foundation’s work to advance the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) agenda in Africa through research, advocacy, policy influence, movement building, and institutional engagement.
CGER operates at the intersection of the care economy, women’s economic empowerment, gender-responsive governance, youth leadership, and continental gender frameworks. The Centre translates regional and global commitments into practical action, accountability tools, and sustained advocacy, aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
CGER engages women, youth, policymakers, civil society, and regional institutions, and works through strategic partnerships with organisations including Oxfam in Africa, the African Union Commission, UNECA, UN Women, UNDP, Plan International, GIZ, and the GIMAC Network, alongside broader civil society and women’s movements across Africa.
CGER’s Objectives
- Engage governments, regional bodies, and international agencies to influence gender policies, frameworks, and implementation processes
- Design and implement sectoral programmes in agriculture, health, entrepreneurship, and technology that equip women with the skills, resources, and networks needed to thrive.
- Strengthen the capacity of national and regional gender machineries and key stakeholders to deliver effective and sustainable gender equality interventions.
- Conduct evidence-based research to inform advocacy, policy engagement, and programme effectiveness.
CGER’s Approach
- Evidence & Research: Generating gender-responsive evidence, scorecards, indices, and policy analysis to inform advocacy, policies, and programmes.
- Capacity Building and Strengthening: Delivering workshops and training for policymakers, leaders, and communities.
- Policy Dialogue & Advocacy: Convening stakeholders to review, influence, and reform gender policies and institutional frameworks.
- Public Awareness: Implementing campaigns and initiatives that challenge harmful gender norms and promote equality.
- List Item
- Movement & Network Building: Strengthening women- and youth-led platforms to sustain advocacy beyond projects and events.
CGER’s Evolution
CGER did not emerge as a collection of stand-alone projects. It evolved organically from ALF’s long-standing commitment to gender equality, shaped by sustained advocacy, strategic partnerships, and engagement with continental policy processes. ALF’s gender equality work began in 1997 with the Africa Women’s Forum (AWF), established to strengthen African women’s leadership, promote collective action, and advance evidence-based advocacy. AWF provided a critical platform for networking, research, training, and policy engagement among women’s organisations across Africa, contributing to early continental discussions on women’s political participation, peacebuilding, governance, and development.
Building on this foundation, ALF expanded its gender-focused work through research, policy dialogue, capacity-building initiatives, and multi-sector partnerships. A key dimension of this evolution has been collaboration with the African Union Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (AU WGYD), supporting the advancement, implementation, and accountability of continental gender instruments, including the Maputo Protocol and the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU CEVAWG).
ALF has also played an active role in the Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Network, a pan-African civil society platform coordinating engagement with the AU on gender equality commitments. Through GIMAC, ALF has strengthened civil society coordination, contributed to continental advocacy, and informed policy dialogue.
The formal establishment of CGER represents the strategic consolidation of nearly three decades of gender equality work, reflecting ALF’s recognition of gender equality as a core driver of sustainable development and a central pillar of its advocacy, research, and diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda.
Thematic Focus Areas
Care Economy & Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW)
CGER addresses the disproportionate burden of heavy unpaid care and domestic work on African women and girls, a structural driver of gender inequality, poverty, and gender-based violence. This work is primarily implemented through the Oxfam WE-Care Programme, a multi-country initiative funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (currently in Phase 5: September 2023–August 2026).
The programme focuses on the 5Rs: recognition, reduction, redistribution, reward, and representation of unpaid care and domestic work, combining research, policy dialogue, advocacy, and movement-building to shift norms, influence policy, and strengthen women’s voice and agency. Since 2020, CGER has led and supported:
● Continental perception research on the social investment priorities towards the reduction of heavy UCDW across 15 African countries
● Contributions to the Oxfam Care Policy Scorecard
● Regional dialogues engaging youth, women, men, and the media
● Advocacy linking UCDW to positive masculinity, social investment/public services
● Evidence that influenced the AU’s decision to adopt Sustainable Water and Sanitation as the Continental Theme for 2026
This body of work has shaped AU positions, Beijing+30 priorities, and continental advocacy narratives on care. A key outcome of this work is the African Youth Network of UCDW Advocates (AYNUA) which operates as a youth-focused contribution to the WE-Care Programme, strengthening youth leadership, advocacy, and participation at community, national, and continental levels.
The programme focuses on the 5Rs: recognition, reduction, redistribution, reward, and representation of unpaid care and domestic work, combining research, policy dialogue, advocacy, and movement-building to shift norms, influence policy, and strengthen women’s voice and agency. Since 2020, CGER has led and supported:
● Continental perception research on the social investment priorities towards the reduction of heavy UCDW across 15 African countries
● Contributions to the Oxfam Care Policy Scorecard
● Regional dialogues engaging youth, women, men, and the media
● Advocacy linking UCDW to positive masculinity, social investment/public services
● Evidence that influenced the AU’s decision to adopt Sustainable Water and Sanitation as the Continental Theme for 2026
This body of work has shaped AU positions, Beijing+30 priorities, and continental advocacy narratives on care. A key outcome of this work is the African Youth Network of UCDW Advocates (AYNUA) which operates as a youth-focused contribution to the WE-Care Programme, strengthening youth leadership, advocacy, and participation at community, national, and continental levels.
Gender-Responsive Governance & Public Finance – AGEBUN
CGER’s work on Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) focuses on transforming public finance systems to deliver equitable outcomes for women and girls. Following extensive advocacy, capacity-building, and a major Regional GRB Advocacy Workshop in June 2025 (with 675
participants from 40 countries), the need for a sustained platform became clear.
This led to the creation of the African Gender Budgeting Network (AGEBUN). AGEBUN was officially launched in September 2025, in partnership with: UN Women, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN ECA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Africa Union - Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD) and Oxfam in Africa. The network was inaugurated by Madame Doris Mpoumpou, Special Representative of UN Women to the African Union, establishing a continental platform for practitioners committed to promoting inclusive and gender-responsive fiscal governance across Africa.
Since its launch, AGEBUN has grown to 278 members from 32 Sub-Saharan African countries, fostering knowledge exchange, peer learning, and collaborative advocacy. AGEBUN members have actively contributed to continental initiatives, including solution sessions at the Second World Summit for Social Development, focusing on financing the care economy and mobilising resources for gender equality.
In addition, ALF signed an MOU with UNECA to conduct a Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) Scoping Study in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, providing evidence-based recommendations on entry points, national impacts, and financing strategies for GRB. As part of this partnership, ALF and UNECA jointly organised two side events during the Second World Summit for Social Development (Nov 2025):
● Nov 4, 2025: “Transforming Africa’s Future: Leveraging Fiscal Policy to Finance the Care Economy” – ALF presented Social Investment Priorities for Reducing Unpaid Domestic & Care Work, while AYNUA members contributed youth perspectives.
● Nov 6, 2025: High-Level Interministerial Dialogue on GRB and Mobilising Financing for Gender Equality – ALF shared GRB Scoping Study outcomes and policy recommendations.
participants from 40 countries), the need for a sustained platform became clear.
This led to the creation of the African Gender Budgeting Network (AGEBUN). AGEBUN was officially launched in September 2025, in partnership with: UN Women, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN ECA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Africa Union - Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD) and Oxfam in Africa. The network was inaugurated by Madame Doris Mpoumpou, Special Representative of UN Women to the African Union, establishing a continental platform for practitioners committed to promoting inclusive and gender-responsive fiscal governance across Africa.
Since its launch, AGEBUN has grown to 278 members from 32 Sub-Saharan African countries, fostering knowledge exchange, peer learning, and collaborative advocacy. AGEBUN members have actively contributed to continental initiatives, including solution sessions at the Second World Summit for Social Development, focusing on financing the care economy and mobilising resources for gender equality.
In addition, ALF signed an MOU with UNECA to conduct a Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) Scoping Study in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, providing evidence-based recommendations on entry points, national impacts, and financing strategies for GRB. As part of this partnership, ALF and UNECA jointly organised two side events during the Second World Summit for Social Development (Nov 2025):
● Nov 4, 2025: “Transforming Africa’s Future: Leveraging Fiscal Policy to Finance the Care Economy” – ALF presented Social Investment Priorities for Reducing Unpaid Domestic & Care Work, while AYNUA members contributed youth perspectives.
● Nov 6, 2025: High-Level Interministerial Dialogue on GRB and Mobilising Financing for Gender Equality – ALF shared GRB Scoping Study outcomes and policy recommendations.
Maternal Health Advocacy and Accountability (Through the GMHI)
The Centre contributes to maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health outcomes in Africathrough policy advocacy, accountability mechanisms, and evidence-based engagement implemented via the Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Network. The GIMAC Network, established in 2005, is a pan-African civil society platform comprising over 55 organisations. GIMAC advances gender equality, women’s rights, and youth inclusion through coordinated advocacy and engagement with African Union institutions and member states.
Through the GIMAC Network, the Centre has supported the implementation of the GIMAC Maternal Health Initiative (GMHI), implemented in partnership with Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD). GMHI advances policy reform, accountability, community engagement, and data-driven advocacy, contributing to Agenda 2063 (Aspiration 1.3), SDG 3.1, and the continental commitment that “no woman should die while giving life.”
Between 2020 and 2024, GMHI successfully completed its first three phases, establishing a strong foundation for policy influence, accountability, and collective action on maternal health across Africa. It is implemented through the Africa Leadership Foundation and Femmes Africa Solidarité, leveraging the collective reach and advocacy strength of the GIMAC Network.
● Phases I & II (2020–2021): Implemented in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Zimbabwe, these phases documented the lived experiences of women and girls, revealing persistent gaps and systemic barriers within maternal health care systems. Key findings included: Weak or non-inclusive Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) frameworks; Limited accountability and institutional ownership; Inadequate resources and budgetary allocation for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The evidence generated underscored the need for a regional coalition and partnership-based approach to addressing cross-cutting maternal health challenges.
● Phase III (2022–2023): The third phase shifted focus to high-level policy engagementand regional advocacy, mobilising maternal health stakeholders and policymakers to strengthen the implementation of the Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA Plus).
Through sustained advocacy and stakeholder engagement, the GMHI contributed to the integration of maternal health priorities into the African Union’s Implementation Framework for CARMMA Plus, reinforcing accountability at the continental level.
Through the GIMAC Network, the Centre has supported the implementation of the GIMAC Maternal Health Initiative (GMHI), implemented in partnership with Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD). GMHI advances policy reform, accountability, community engagement, and data-driven advocacy, contributing to Agenda 2063 (Aspiration 1.3), SDG 3.1, and the continental commitment that “no woman should die while giving life.”
Between 2020 and 2024, GMHI successfully completed its first three phases, establishing a strong foundation for policy influence, accountability, and collective action on maternal health across Africa. It is implemented through the Africa Leadership Foundation and Femmes Africa Solidarité, leveraging the collective reach and advocacy strength of the GIMAC Network.
● Phases I & II (2020–2021): Implemented in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Zimbabwe, these phases documented the lived experiences of women and girls, revealing persistent gaps and systemic barriers within maternal health care systems. Key findings included: Weak or non-inclusive Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) frameworks; Limited accountability and institutional ownership; Inadequate resources and budgetary allocation for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The evidence generated underscored the need for a regional coalition and partnership-based approach to addressing cross-cutting maternal health challenges.
● Phase III (2022–2023): The third phase shifted focus to high-level policy engagementand regional advocacy, mobilising maternal health stakeholders and policymakers to strengthen the implementation of the Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA Plus).
Through sustained advocacy and stakeholder engagement, the GMHI contributed to the integration of maternal health priorities into the African Union’s Implementation Framework for CARMMA Plus, reinforcing accountability at the continental level.
Previous Programmes and Institutional Track Record
Over the past three decades, the Africa Leadership Foundation (ALF) has implemented and supported gender-focused initiatives across research, leadership development, peacebuilding, and women’s economic empowerment. These engagements form the institutional foundation
upon which the Centre for Gender Equality & Research (CGER)’s current analytical, advocacy, and programme work is built.
● Africa Women’s Forum (AWF) Series Between 1998 and 2002, ALF convened the Africa Women’s Forum (AWF) as a pan-African platform for dialogue, solidarity, and strategy among women leaders, civil society organisations, and policymakers
● Cape Town (1998): Leadership and communication for empowerment
● Abidjan (1999): Measuring and advancing women’s status in Africa
● Tunis (2001): Women and conflict management and CEDAW implementation
● Ota (2002): Women’s engagement in NEPAD
● Abuja (2002): Women’s leadership in combating HIV/AIDS
These convenings strengthened continental women’s networks and contributed to early policy discourse on gender equality, peace, development, and governance in Africa.
● Women and Issues – Radio Programme (2000–2001)
ALF produced Women and Issues, a radio programme amplifying African women’s voices on rights, economic empowerment, education, violence, and peacebuilding. The programme represented an early approach to narrative change and public engagement on gender equality across the continent.
● Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA) Studies (2018–2019)
In partnership with the Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA) Project and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture, ALF conducted studies examining women’s participation across the agricultural value chain in Nigeria. The research generated early evidence on women’s access to land, inputs, markets, and decision-making, informing subsequent EWA Eco-Centre programming and advocacy.
● Maternal Health Systems Research (2010)
ALF, in collaboration with dRPC, organised field visits to public health facilities for health administrators from seven Northern Nigerian states. The initiative supported peer learning on maternal health service delivery, family planning, and accountability mechanisms, laying groundwork for later regional maternal health advocacy through platforms such as GIMAC Maternal Health Initiative (GMHI)
● Women’s Leadership, Peacebuilding, and Governance
Through initiatives such as the Political Leadership Development (PLED) programme and the Nigerian Women Peace Group (NAWOPEG), ALF supported women’s leadership development, conflict transformation, and gender mainstreaming in development planning. These initiatives were implemented in collaboration with public institutions, private sector actors, and international partners, strengthening women’s roles in peacebuilding and governance processes.
● Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiatives
Women have been consistent beneficiaries of ALF’s enterprise development interventions implemented through the Centre for Enterprise Development (CED).
While these programmes are open to all entrepreneurs, CGER documents and projects women’s participation and outcomes in line with its gender equality mandate and the Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA) framework.
a. Entrepreneurship Training for SMEs and MSMEs: Since 2008, ALF’s Centre for Enterprise Development has delivered entrepreneurship training, business advisory services, and access to finance to thousands of SMEs and MSMEs across Nigeria. Women’s participation highlights:
● Over 16,800 women participated in CED entrepreneurship programmes
● Training areas included business management, financial literacy, and
access to public financing mechanisms such as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s AGSMEIS
● Programmes contributed to improved enterprise sustainability, income generation, and women’s local economic participation
b. Agribusiness Export Readiness Accelerator Training Programme (2023–2025):
Building on ALF’s enterprise development experience, the Centre for Enterprise Development partnered with African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to implement the Agribusiness Export Readiness Training Programme, an open and competitive programme for SMEs across Africa. Through CGER’s role and ALF’s endorsement as the EWA Eco-Centre for Nigeria, women-led SMEs, particularly from EWA focus countries, were strategically supported to participate.
● 174 women trained across West and East Africa (2023–2025)
● Countries represented included Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Côte
d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Burundi,
Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, South
Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda
● 121 women participants were from EWA member countries
● 11 women-led enterprises received full sponsorship to the Intra-African
Trade Fair (Cairo 2023; Algiers 2025), enhancing market access within
the AfCFTA framework
Collectively, these engagements provide CGER with a strong institutional foundation, evidence
base, and regional networks, enabling the Centre to advance gender-responsive analysis, advocacy, and programme support across ALF’s current initiatives.
upon which the Centre for Gender Equality & Research (CGER)’s current analytical, advocacy, and programme work is built.
● Africa Women’s Forum (AWF) Series Between 1998 and 2002, ALF convened the Africa Women’s Forum (AWF) as a pan-African platform for dialogue, solidarity, and strategy among women leaders, civil society organisations, and policymakers
● Cape Town (1998): Leadership and communication for empowerment
● Abidjan (1999): Measuring and advancing women’s status in Africa
● Tunis (2001): Women and conflict management and CEDAW implementation
● Ota (2002): Women’s engagement in NEPAD
● Abuja (2002): Women’s leadership in combating HIV/AIDS
These convenings strengthened continental women’s networks and contributed to early policy discourse on gender equality, peace, development, and governance in Africa.
● Women and Issues – Radio Programme (2000–2001)
ALF produced Women and Issues, a radio programme amplifying African women’s voices on rights, economic empowerment, education, violence, and peacebuilding. The programme represented an early approach to narrative change and public engagement on gender equality across the continent.
● Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA) Studies (2018–2019)
In partnership with the Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA) Project and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture, ALF conducted studies examining women’s participation across the agricultural value chain in Nigeria. The research generated early evidence on women’s access to land, inputs, markets, and decision-making, informing subsequent EWA Eco-Centre programming and advocacy.
● Maternal Health Systems Research (2010)
ALF, in collaboration with dRPC, organised field visits to public health facilities for health administrators from seven Northern Nigerian states. The initiative supported peer learning on maternal health service delivery, family planning, and accountability mechanisms, laying groundwork for later regional maternal health advocacy through platforms such as GIMAC Maternal Health Initiative (GMHI)
● Women’s Leadership, Peacebuilding, and Governance
Through initiatives such as the Political Leadership Development (PLED) programme and the Nigerian Women Peace Group (NAWOPEG), ALF supported women’s leadership development, conflict transformation, and gender mainstreaming in development planning. These initiatives were implemented in collaboration with public institutions, private sector actors, and international partners, strengthening women’s roles in peacebuilding and governance processes.
● Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiatives
Women have been consistent beneficiaries of ALF’s enterprise development interventions implemented through the Centre for Enterprise Development (CED).
While these programmes are open to all entrepreneurs, CGER documents and projects women’s participation and outcomes in line with its gender equality mandate and the Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA) framework.
a. Entrepreneurship Training for SMEs and MSMEs: Since 2008, ALF’s Centre for Enterprise Development has delivered entrepreneurship training, business advisory services, and access to finance to thousands of SMEs and MSMEs across Nigeria. Women’s participation highlights:
● Over 16,800 women participated in CED entrepreneurship programmes
● Training areas included business management, financial literacy, and
access to public financing mechanisms such as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s AGSMEIS
● Programmes contributed to improved enterprise sustainability, income generation, and women’s local economic participation
b. Agribusiness Export Readiness Accelerator Training Programme (2023–2025):
Building on ALF’s enterprise development experience, the Centre for Enterprise Development partnered with African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to implement the Agribusiness Export Readiness Training Programme, an open and competitive programme for SMEs across Africa. Through CGER’s role and ALF’s endorsement as the EWA Eco-Centre for Nigeria, women-led SMEs, particularly from EWA focus countries, were strategically supported to participate.
● 174 women trained across West and East Africa (2023–2025)
● Countries represented included Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Côte
d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Burundi,
Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, South
Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda
● 121 women participants were from EWA member countries
● 11 women-led enterprises received full sponsorship to the Intra-African
Trade Fair (Cairo 2023; Algiers 2025), enhancing market access within
the AfCFTA framework
Collectively, these engagements provide CGER with a strong institutional foundation, evidence
base, and regional networks, enabling the Centre to advance gender-responsive analysis, advocacy, and programme support across ALF’s current initiatives.
Youth Engagement & Movement Building – AYNUA
Out of CGER’s sustained UCDW advocacy under the WE-Care Programme, the African Youth Network of UCDW Advocates (AYNUA) was established. AYNUA is a continental, youth-led advocacy network created to: Amplify youth voices on unpaid care work and GEWE agenda; Promote shared responsibility for care and Translate regional commitments into community and policy action, using the macro to micro approach. AYNUA was officially launched in March 2024 by Oxfam in Africa and is implemented through CGER. Since inception, AYNUA has:
● Grown from 64 members in 17 countries (2024) to 98 members in 21 countries (2025)
● Members have undergone structured capacity development workshops in leadership, community engagement, storytelling and advocacy
● Participated in AU, UN, and regional policy spaces
● Contributed youth perspectives to financing the care economy and social investment debates.
AYNUA represents ALF’s commitment to intergenerational advocacy and sustained movement building, not short-term youth engagement. Watch a replay of the AYNUA Launch.
● Grown from 64 members in 17 countries (2024) to 98 members in 21 countries (2025)
● Members have undergone structured capacity development workshops in leadership, community engagement, storytelling and advocacy
● Participated in AU, UN, and regional policy spaces
● Contributed youth perspectives to financing the care economy and social investment debates.
AYNUA represents ALF’s commitment to intergenerational advocacy and sustained movement building, not short-term youth engagement. Watch a replay of the AYNUA Launch.
Continental Gender Frameworks & Accountability
CGER plays a strategic role in supporting the development, implementation, and monitoring of African Union gender frameworks.
a. Maputo Protocol Scorecard & Index (MPSI): The Maputo Protocol Scorecard and Index (MPSI) is a multi-utility human rights accountability framework designed to strengthen the implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol). It was jointly developed by the ALF, Plan International, and the AUC’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD). From inception, the MPSI was designed as an AU-owned mechanism, ensuring political legitimacy and practical usability by governments and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). Following extensive consultations and validation with Member States, AU organs, civil society, and development partners, it was formally adopted by AU Heads of State and Government at the 35th AU Summit (2022) as part of the Kinshasa Declaration on Positive Masculinity.
The MPSI comprises interconnected tools serving different actors across the accountability chain, including the Report Generation Workbook (RGW), Capacity Strengthening Programme (CSP), Performance & Progress Assessment (PPA), Country Performance Briefs (CPBs), Continental Performance Report (CPR), and the CSO Engagement Platform (CEP). Since adoption, it has been deployed through capacity strengthening for 30 government officials from 10 countries (2022), AU-led technical missions to Uganda and Liberia (2024), a domestication workshop for the Sahrawi Arab
Democratic Republic (2024), and the development of Country Performance Briefs for 10 Member States (2022–2024). As a result of MPSI-supported processes, Uganda and Ethiopia successfully submitted their State Reports.
With only 21 of 45 ratifying states reporting, the MPSI remains a key tool for evidence- driven advocacy and policy engagement on women’s rights and continues to be deployed in partnership with Plan International, GIZ, AUC’s WGYD and other strategic partners.
b. AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (CEVAWG): In February 2025, the African Union adopted the AU CEVAWG, a landmark treaty aimed at eliminating violence against women and girls across the continent. Unlike earlier instruments that address a broad spectrum of women’s rights, the convention provides clear, actionable, and measurable state obligations to eliminate all forms of violence, including physical, sexual, psychological, economic, and digital. Some of ALF’s Engagement include:
● March–April 2024 – Appointment to AU Reference Group: Dr. Olumide Ajayi,
Executive Director of ALF, was independently appointed by the African Union to serve on the Reference Group responsible for drafting and negotiating the AU CEVAWG. This advisory role is undertaken in a personal capacity, separate from his position at ALF, and includes providing expert guidance on the convention’s content, consensus-building, and alignment with AU standards.
● April 2024 – First Regional Men’s Consultative Forum on Ending VAWG:
ALF convened the inaugural forum to address drivers of violence against women and girls, engaging men, boys, civil society, policymakers, and regional experts. The forum informed recommendations for the AU Convention and reinforced the role of men in promoting positive masculinity.
● Throughout 2024 – Consultations and CSO Dialogues: ALF actively contributed to high-level consultations and dialogues with the GIMAC Network, including the Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in July 2024 in Ghana, participating in panels to highlight the urgency of CEVAWG ratification and to provide technical insights for effective implementation.
● February 2025 – 41st GIMAC Pre-Summit & Press Conference: During the Pre-Summit, ALF moderated a key session on “The Role of CSOs in the Effective Implementation of the AU CEVAWG”. The discussions produced concrete recommendations on mobilising resources, aligning reporting
mechanisms, and strengthening grassroots advocacy. ALF also contributed to the GIMAC-UN Women press conference on AU CEVAWG, emphasizing the need for accountability mechanisms and strategic partnerships for national-level implementation.
● February 2025 – Adoption of AU CEVAWG:
● April 2025 – High-Level Regional Dialogue: ALF participated in the GYWN High-Level Regional Dialogue & Youth Unpacking Session, ensuring youth perspectives were incorporated into CEVAWG advocacy and implementation discussions.
● July 2025 – Side Event on Safe Workplaces for Women and Girls (Malabo, Equatorial Guinea): Focused on Articles 8 & 9 of CEVAWG, the side event addressed workplace protection, recognition of unpaid care work, and safe workspaces. It served as a platform for knowledge exchange, advocacy, and operationalisation of the convention, with recommendations for legal, policy, and institutional measures, positive masculinity interventions, and monitoring frameworks.
● August 2025 – Stakeholders Meeting in Banjul: ALF contributed technical insights to the validation of the AU CEVAWG Advocacy and Ratification Roadmap and the launch of the AU EVAWG Campaign, supporting continental adoption and effective operationalisation.
● Ongoing Technical Engagements and Policy Advisory: Throughout
2024–2025, ALF engaged AU bodies, civil society, and youth networks through consultations, briefings, and advocacy, reinforcing the implementation and monitoring of CEVAWG across Member States.
a. Maputo Protocol Scorecard & Index (MPSI): The Maputo Protocol Scorecard and Index (MPSI) is a multi-utility human rights accountability framework designed to strengthen the implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol). It was jointly developed by the ALF, Plan International, and the AUC’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD). From inception, the MPSI was designed as an AU-owned mechanism, ensuring political legitimacy and practical usability by governments and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). Following extensive consultations and validation with Member States, AU organs, civil society, and development partners, it was formally adopted by AU Heads of State and Government at the 35th AU Summit (2022) as part of the Kinshasa Declaration on Positive Masculinity.
The MPSI comprises interconnected tools serving different actors across the accountability chain, including the Report Generation Workbook (RGW), Capacity Strengthening Programme (CSP), Performance & Progress Assessment (PPA), Country Performance Briefs (CPBs), Continental Performance Report (CPR), and the CSO Engagement Platform (CEP). Since adoption, it has been deployed through capacity strengthening for 30 government officials from 10 countries (2022), AU-led technical missions to Uganda and Liberia (2024), a domestication workshop for the Sahrawi Arab
Democratic Republic (2024), and the development of Country Performance Briefs for 10 Member States (2022–2024). As a result of MPSI-supported processes, Uganda and Ethiopia successfully submitted their State Reports.
With only 21 of 45 ratifying states reporting, the MPSI remains a key tool for evidence- driven advocacy and policy engagement on women’s rights and continues to be deployed in partnership with Plan International, GIZ, AUC’s WGYD and other strategic partners.
b. AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (CEVAWG): In February 2025, the African Union adopted the AU CEVAWG, a landmark treaty aimed at eliminating violence against women and girls across the continent. Unlike earlier instruments that address a broad spectrum of women’s rights, the convention provides clear, actionable, and measurable state obligations to eliminate all forms of violence, including physical, sexual, psychological, economic, and digital. Some of ALF’s Engagement include:
● March–April 2024 – Appointment to AU Reference Group: Dr. Olumide Ajayi,
Executive Director of ALF, was independently appointed by the African Union to serve on the Reference Group responsible for drafting and negotiating the AU CEVAWG. This advisory role is undertaken in a personal capacity, separate from his position at ALF, and includes providing expert guidance on the convention’s content, consensus-building, and alignment with AU standards.
● April 2024 – First Regional Men’s Consultative Forum on Ending VAWG:
ALF convened the inaugural forum to address drivers of violence against women and girls, engaging men, boys, civil society, policymakers, and regional experts. The forum informed recommendations for the AU Convention and reinforced the role of men in promoting positive masculinity.
● Throughout 2024 – Consultations and CSO Dialogues: ALF actively contributed to high-level consultations and dialogues with the GIMAC Network, including the Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in July 2024 in Ghana, participating in panels to highlight the urgency of CEVAWG ratification and to provide technical insights for effective implementation.
● February 2025 – 41st GIMAC Pre-Summit & Press Conference: During the Pre-Summit, ALF moderated a key session on “The Role of CSOs in the Effective Implementation of the AU CEVAWG”. The discussions produced concrete recommendations on mobilising resources, aligning reporting
mechanisms, and strengthening grassroots advocacy. ALF also contributed to the GIMAC-UN Women press conference on AU CEVAWG, emphasizing the need for accountability mechanisms and strategic partnerships for national-level implementation.
● February 2025 – Adoption of AU CEVAWG:
● April 2025 – High-Level Regional Dialogue: ALF participated in the GYWN High-Level Regional Dialogue & Youth Unpacking Session, ensuring youth perspectives were incorporated into CEVAWG advocacy and implementation discussions.
● July 2025 – Side Event on Safe Workplaces for Women and Girls (Malabo, Equatorial Guinea): Focused on Articles 8 & 9 of CEVAWG, the side event addressed workplace protection, recognition of unpaid care work, and safe workspaces. It served as a platform for knowledge exchange, advocacy, and operationalisation of the convention, with recommendations for legal, policy, and institutional measures, positive masculinity interventions, and monitoring frameworks.
● August 2025 – Stakeholders Meeting in Banjul: ALF contributed technical insights to the validation of the AU CEVAWG Advocacy and Ratification Roadmap and the launch of the AU EVAWG Campaign, supporting continental adoption and effective operationalisation.
● Ongoing Technical Engagements and Policy Advisory: Throughout
2024–2025, ALF engaged AU bodies, civil society, and youth networks through consultations, briefings, and advocacy, reinforcing the implementation and monitoring of CEVAWG across Member States.
Economic & Digital Empowerment
CGER advances women’s economic participation and digital inclusion by addressing structural barriers across agriculture, entrepreneurship, finance, and technology. The Centre’s interventions recognise that economic empowerment is strengthened when women have access not only to productive assets and markets, but also to digital skills, financial tools, and
technology-enabled platforms.
a. EWA Eco-Centre Nigeria (Agribusiness & Value Chain Empowerment) In September 2024, ALF was endorsed by the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) as the Empowering Women for Africa (EWA) Eco-Centre for Nigeria, under the continental EWA Initiative launched at the 19th AU Summit in 2012 and active in ten African countries. The EWA framework addresses systemic barriers limiting women’s participation in agribusiness. As Nigeria’s EWA Eco-Centre, ALF focuses on the cassava value chain, addressing: Fragmented production systems; Limited access to high-yield stems; Weak cooperative structures and Restricted access to markets and finance. The Eco-Centre aims to empower 10,000 women across Nigeria’s cassava value chain by 2030, strengthening livelihoods, leadership, and market access through gender-responsive and value chain–wide interventions. The Eco-Centre links economic empowerment, policy reform, and nstitutional partnerships, ensuring women benefit not only as producers, but as leaders and decision-makers.
b. Digital Financial Inclusion for Women Farmers and Traders (2023)
In 2023, ALF, in partnership with Tech Herfrica, advanced financial inclusion for women farmers and traders in rural communities through digital financial literacy training in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and Pidgin English. Tailored to community needs, the programmes equipped participants with skills to access micro-pensions, health insurance, and other financial tools for long-term stability. The pilot South-West training was conducted in Okeho Town, Kajola LGA, Oyo State. Beyond training, ALF and Tech Herfrica enabled women to engage in the digital economy via the Her Local Market e-commerce platform, connecting sellers to domestic and international buyers. Participants received training, smart devices, and support in marketing, logistics, and quality assurance. To date, over 500 women across Oyo, Enugu, Mpape, and Gishiri have benefited, increasing income, promoting food security, and fostering social and economic inclusion.
c. Girls’ Digital Skills & Early Technology Exposure (G-TECH Initiative) CGER addresses early gender gaps in technology through the ALF Girls for Tech (G-TECH) Initiative, contributing to AU Agenda 2063 (Aspiration 1.2) and SDGs 4 and 5 on quality education and gender equality. In January 2023, ALF implemented a three-day computer literacy pilot in Ibadan, Oyo State, targeting secondary school girls, girls awaiting admission into tertiary institutions, and first-year university students. A total of 21 girls aged 15–27 participated. The programme delivered hands-on training in basic computer concepts and hardware, Microsoft Word and Excel, internet navigation, and email communication. Some of the outcomes included improved digital literacy and practical competence in core applications, increased confidence in using digital tools for learning and daily tasks, and heightened interest in STEM and technology-related pathways. Although this is a pilot intervention, the G-TECH Initiative reflects the Centre’s broader commitment to closing structural gender gaps in access to skills, technology, and opportunity, and provides a foundation for future digital inclusion programmes.
Testimonials: (https://bit.ly/ALFGTechTestimonials)
technology-enabled platforms.
a. EWA Eco-Centre Nigeria (Agribusiness & Value Chain Empowerment) In September 2024, ALF was endorsed by the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) as the Empowering Women for Africa (EWA) Eco-Centre for Nigeria, under the continental EWA Initiative launched at the 19th AU Summit in 2012 and active in ten African countries. The EWA framework addresses systemic barriers limiting women’s participation in agribusiness. As Nigeria’s EWA Eco-Centre, ALF focuses on the cassava value chain, addressing: Fragmented production systems; Limited access to high-yield stems; Weak cooperative structures and Restricted access to markets and finance. The Eco-Centre aims to empower 10,000 women across Nigeria’s cassava value chain by 2030, strengthening livelihoods, leadership, and market access through gender-responsive and value chain–wide interventions. The Eco-Centre links economic empowerment, policy reform, and nstitutional partnerships, ensuring women benefit not only as producers, but as leaders and decision-makers.
b. Digital Financial Inclusion for Women Farmers and Traders (2023)
In 2023, ALF, in partnership with Tech Herfrica, advanced financial inclusion for women farmers and traders in rural communities through digital financial literacy training in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and Pidgin English. Tailored to community needs, the programmes equipped participants with skills to access micro-pensions, health insurance, and other financial tools for long-term stability. The pilot South-West training was conducted in Okeho Town, Kajola LGA, Oyo State. Beyond training, ALF and Tech Herfrica enabled women to engage in the digital economy via the Her Local Market e-commerce platform, connecting sellers to domestic and international buyers. Participants received training, smart devices, and support in marketing, logistics, and quality assurance. To date, over 500 women across Oyo, Enugu, Mpape, and Gishiri have benefited, increasing income, promoting food security, and fostering social and economic inclusion.
c. Girls’ Digital Skills & Early Technology Exposure (G-TECH Initiative) CGER addresses early gender gaps in technology through the ALF Girls for Tech (G-TECH) Initiative, contributing to AU Agenda 2063 (Aspiration 1.2) and SDGs 4 and 5 on quality education and gender equality. In January 2023, ALF implemented a three-day computer literacy pilot in Ibadan, Oyo State, targeting secondary school girls, girls awaiting admission into tertiary institutions, and first-year university students. A total of 21 girls aged 15–27 participated. The programme delivered hands-on training in basic computer concepts and hardware, Microsoft Word and Excel, internet navigation, and email communication. Some of the outcomes included improved digital literacy and practical competence in core applications, increased confidence in using digital tools for learning and daily tasks, and heightened interest in STEM and technology-related pathways. Although this is a pilot intervention, the G-TECH Initiative reflects the Centre’s broader commitment to closing structural gender gaps in access to skills, technology, and opportunity, and provides a foundation for future digital inclusion programmes.
Testimonials: (https://bit.ly/ALFGTechTestimonials)
Commemoration of Key Gender Days
ALF’s Centre for Gender Equality & Research (CGER) actively commemorates key international and continental gender observances to raise awareness, promote dialogue, and foster action on critical issues affecting women and girls. These include:
● International Women’s Day (IWD) and Women’s Month: Highlighting achievements, challenges, and pathways for women’s economic, political, and social empowerment.
● 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence: Mobilising communities and stakeholders to challenge harmful practices and promote prevention strategies.
● International Day of Care and Support Work: Recognising and advocating for the value of unpaid and underpaid care work, linking it to broader gender equality and labour rights agendas.
Through these commemorations, CGER reinforces its advocacy, amplifies women’s voices, and strengthens partnerships with governments, civil society, and regional institutions, creating platforms for learning, reflection, and collective action.
● International Women’s Day (IWD) and Women’s Month: Highlighting achievements, challenges, and pathways for women’s economic, political, and social empowerment.
● 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence: Mobilising communities and stakeholders to challenge harmful practices and promote prevention strategies.
● International Day of Care and Support Work: Recognising and advocating for the value of unpaid and underpaid care work, linking it to broader gender equality and labour rights agendas.
Through these commemorations, CGER reinforces its advocacy, amplifies women’s voices, and strengthens partnerships with governments, civil society, and regional institutions, creating platforms for learning, reflection, and collective action.