Apply Now: Youth and Feminist Advocacy for Comprehensive Sexuality Education

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is inviting applications for youth-led advocacy initiatives that promote sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in West and Central Africa. The project supports implementation of the West and Central Africa Youth and Feminist Advocacy Coalition Action Plan 2026–2029, with a focus on reducing adolescent pregnancy and maternal mortality.

What is this UNFPA Funding Opportunity?

This UNFPA call supports advocacy projects that strengthen youth and feminist leadership in regional SRHR policy change.

The initiative focuses on:

• Social policy and advocacy
• Policy advocacy
• South-South cooperation

The goal is to activate a pre-trained regional coalition of youth and feminist advocates to influence national and regional policies on:

• Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)
• Adolescent-responsive SRHR programs
• Maternal and newborn health
• Access to WHO-recommended maternal and newborn health products

Main Objectives

The project aims to:

• Implement the 2026–2029 coalition action plan
• Strengthen youth-led and feminist advocacy structures
• Promote policy dialogue at national and regional levels
• Secure policy and budget commitments for SRHR
• Expand access to essential maternal and newborn health commodities

Expected Activities and Results

Expected outputs include:

• 4 national youth policy forums in:
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • Liberia
  • The Gambia
• Establishment of functional national youth advocacy coalitions
• Development of 6-month national advocacy action plans
• 1 high-level regional policy dialogue involving:
  • ECOWAS
  • ECCAS
  • West Africa Youth Parliamentarians Network
• Creation of a Regional Advocacy Agenda with public commitments
• Launch of a digital advocacy toolkit
• Coordinated regional online advocacy campaign
• Documentation of youth-led influence in continental policy spaces

Who is Eligible?

Based on the call focus, likely eligible applicants are:

• Youth-led organizations
• Feminist organizations
• Civil society organizations (CSOs)
• Advocacy networks
• Regional or national non-profits working on SRHR
• Organizations with experience in policy advocacy, youth engagement, and reproductive health

Applicants should have capacity to work across West and Central Africa and support coalition-based advocacy.

Why This Matters

This initiative is important because it supports:

• Youth leadership in SRHR policy reform
• Reduction of adolescent pregnancy
• Reduction of maternal mortality
• Stronger advocacy for CSE and maternal health products
• Regional collaboration across African policy institutions

It is especially relevant for organizations working in reproductive health, gender equality, youth rights, and public health advocacy.

How to Apply

1. Review the UNFPA call details
   Check official eligibility, budget, and submission rules.
2. Confirm organizational fit
   Ensure your organization is youth-led or has strong SRHR advocacy experience.
3. Design an advocacy implementation plan
   Show how you will support forums, coalitions, policy dialogue, and regional advocacy.
4. Highlight regional experience
   Demonstrate experience in West and Central Africa, coalition building, and policy engagement.
5. Submit through UNFPA’s official application system
   Follow the call deadline and required documentation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Submitting a general health project instead of a policy advocacy project
• Failing to show youth-led or feminist-led leadership
• Ignoring the regional coalition and action plan framework
• Not linking activities to policy commitments or budget influence
• Weak evidence of SRHR or advocacy experience

FAQ

1. What is the main focus of this UNFPA call?
Youth-led advocacy for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in West and Central Africa.

2. What regional plan does this project support?
The West and Central Africa Youth and Feminist Advocacy Coalition Action Plan 2026–2029.

3. What are the key policy goals?
Reducing adolescent pregnancy and maternal mortality.

4. Which countries will host national youth policy forums?
Nigeria, Senegal, Liberia, and The Gambia.

5. Which regional bodies are involved in the high-level dialogue?
ECOWAS, ECCAS, and the West Africa Youth Parliamentarians Network.

6. What type of organizations are best suited to apply?
Youth-led groups, feminist organizations, CSOs, and advocacy networks working on SRHR and policy reform.

7. What kind of results does UNFPA expect?
Policy dialogue, advocacy action plans, public commitments, digital advocacy tools, and documented youth influence in policy spaces.

Conclusion

This UNFPA opportunity is a strong call for youth-led and feminist advocacy organizations working on SRHR in West and Central Africa. Organizations with experience in policy advocacy, coalition building, and reproductive health should consider applying, especially if they can help drive measurable policy and budget commitments between 2026 and 2029.