I AM NALA Fellowship on Women, Peace and Security

Deadline: 31-Oct-2026

The I AM NALA Fellowship on Women, Peace and Security supports young African women leaders who are refugees, internally displaced persons, or stateless and are actively working to advance peace, justice, and political change. The fellowship will select 20 participants aged 18 to 40 for a programme running from January 2027 to July 2027, providing opportunities to strengthen leadership and advocacy skills in the field of women, peace, and security. The fellowship is designed for women who are already contributing to campaigns, women’s groups, collectives, alliance-building initiatives, or cross-conflict negotiations. Women politicians currently holding political office are also encouraged to apply. The programme builds on the Africa Young Women Beijing +25 Manifesto demands and promotes values including solidarity, social justice, dignity, equity, and decolonial feminist Pan-Africanism. The I AM NALA Fellowship on Women, Peace and Security is designed to empower young African women who are actively shaping peace, justice, and political change across the continent. The fellowship aims to support a new generation of women leaders working on issues connected to: The programme builds on the momentum of its inaugural cohort and seeks to strengthen the leadership of women whose experiences and work are connected to conflict, displacement, peacebuilding, and political transformation. The fellowship specifically invites applications from young African women who are: Applicants should also be actively engaged in leadership or advocacy work. Relevant experience may include leadership within: Women politicians who are currently holding political office are also encouraged to apply. The fellowship is open to participants aged: A total of 20 participants will be selected for the fellowship. The programme is therefore intended to create a focused cohort of young African women leaders working across different contexts and communities. The I AM NALA Fellowship will run from: January 2027 to July 2027 During this period, selected fellows will have a platform to develop their leadership and advocacy capabilities in the field of Women, Peace and Security. The fellowship focuses on strengthening the leadership capacity of young African women who are already engaged in peace, justice, and political change.

Participants will have an opportunity to develop skills related to

The programme is intended to support women who are already actively contributing to change within their communities and wider networks. The fellowship places women’s leadership at the centre of peace and security efforts. It recognises the role young African women can play in: The fellowship provides a platform for participants to strengthen their ability to advocate for these issues. The fellowship builds on the demands of the Africa Young Women Beijing +25 Manifesto. The programme seeks to support leaders who share and advance values connected to: These values form an important part of the fellowship’s approach to supporting young African women leaders. Based on the programme description, applicants should be young African women who: Applicants may demonstrate leadership through different forms of community or political engagement.

Relevant experience can include:

The key focus is on applicants who are actively shaping peace, justice, and political change. Applicants should clearly describe their leadership experience and connection to the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Important areas to highlight include:

Applicants should focus on concrete examples of their work and leadership rather than providing only general statements about their interests. Applicants should remember the following key points:

Applicants should avoid:

Applicants can present their experience more effectively by: Young African women play important roles in peacebuilding, justice movements, community organising, and political change, including in contexts affected by displacement and conflict. The I AM NALA Fellowship on Women, Peace and Security provides a platform for women leaders whose experiences are often directly connected to these challenges. By bringing together 20 young African women aged 18 to 40, the fellowship aims to strengthen leadership and advocacy skills while supporting a broader generation of women committed to peace, justice, equity, and political transformation. It is a fellowship designed to support young African women leaders who are actively working on peace, justice, and political change. The fellowship specifically invites applications from young African women who are refugees, internally displaced persons, or stateless and are engaged in leadership and advocacy activities. Applicants must be between 18 and 40 years old. The fellowship will select 20 participants. The fellowship will run from January 2027 to July 2027. Yes. Women politicians who are currently holding political office are encouraged to apply. Relevant experience includes leadership in campaigns, women’s groups, collectives, alliance building, cross-conflict negotiations, peace initiatives, justice movements, and political change. The fellowship focuses on Women, Peace and Security, with emphasis on leadership, advocacy, peace, justice, and political change. The programme promotes values including solidarity, social justice, dignity, equity, and decolonial feminist Pan-Africanism. The I AM NALA Fellowship on Women, Peace and Security offers a leadership and advocacy development opportunity for young African women who are refugees, internally displaced, or stateless and are already contributing to peace, justice, and political change. Running from January to July 2027, the fellowship will bring together 20 participants aged 18 to 40, including women involved in campaigns, women’s groups, collectives, alliance building, cross-conflict negotiations, and political leadership. The programme aims to strengthen a new generation of women leaders committed to so