Collective action through coalition work is central to movement-building approaches. Our philanthropic advocacy is rooted in our values of respect, integrity and organising with a soul that keeps us rooted in concepts prioritising African womn’s movements, collective action, independence, and agency that advance inclusive and intersectional political and feminist agendas.
We boldly and audaciously drive the Fund’s ambition in Africa and within the global funding ecosystem of feminist and womn’s movements. Transformative partnerships and philanthropy reflect our alignment to inspiring growth for positive impact through our work with partners in the philanthropic space.
In Africa, rising religious and cultural fundamentalisms, the rolling back of progressive human rights and social justice agendas, heightened militarisation, the shrinking of civic space, rampant and incessant violence against womn, and deepened inequalities require philanthropies to be more centred on these fast-unfolding realities.
Furthermore, as a portfolio, we are constantly aware of the urgent need for resources that facilitate the resilience and regeneration of feminist, womn’s rights and gender justice civil societies, which need a variety of complementary approaches, including providing a continuum of funding that provides flexibility and sustainability to groups, and is responsive to their changing circumstances, needs and opportunities.
Despite these challenges, we remain steadfast in our unwavering commitment to upholding and celebrating the efforts of AWHRDs and their formations through our philanthropic advocacy and resource mobilisation, where we continue to scan the trends in the philanthropic space and the rapidly evolving feminist funding ecosystem.
As a Fund, we have strengthened our approach to crisis response, infrastructure, and resourcing. Through our philanthropic advocacy and as part of the UAF Sister Funds, we continue to lead and practice trust to reshape accountability, a core feminist philanthropy principle.
“A path is made by walking on it.”
- African Proverb
To work with others to set an agenda for, and both directly and indirectly, influence policy and practice on philanthropy and the situation of African womn human rights defenders.
i. Harambe-Ubuntu: Pan-African and Feminist Philanthropies
We envision an ecosystem of philanthropies grounded in pan-African and feminist values and principles, with shared infrastructure and mechanisms that connect and strengthen social movements, activists and communities by moving money and other resources in service of their efforts to advance justice and equity.
We play a fundamental role in influencing decision-makers in our advocacy and agenda-setting efforts. We ensure our priorities are prominently featured on the policy agenda by strategically financing and supporting various advocacy initiatives. This multidimensional approach drives significant feminist philanthropic policy changes and fosters a more informed and engaged decision-making process.
Refers to working directly alone and with strategic partners as well as indirectly through support to grant partners in the areas of expertise and specialisation as the basis for advocacy for change.
Refers to message design, testing, development, production, and dissemination of philanthropic-oriented messaging to primary and secondary audiences as part of campaigning and building collective philanthropic agendas.
Refers to philanthropic advocacy, which is beyond seeking funds for UAF-Africa and refers to continent-wide resourcing for womn and feminist organising and movements.
Urgent Action Fund Africa is a pan-African and Feminist Rapid Response Grant Making Fund. We have resourced more than 5,200 grants with a geographical presence in Africa’s 54 countries.
Collectively, our Board Members and Staff members are physically present in more than 15 African countries and speak more than 46 African languages
