CFPs: Feminist Participatory Action Research on Human Rights of Women Migrants 2026-28

The Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) on Human Rights of Women Migrants is a regional initiative by APWLD supporting women migrants and their organisations in Asia and the Pacific to research, document, and advocate for migration justice. Selected organisations will receive grants of up to $14,000 to conduct participatory research on climate-induced migration, women’s rights, labour issues, and protection challenges.

Overview of the Feminist Participatory Action Research Programme

The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) has launched the Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) 2026–2028 on Human Rights of Women Migrants: Building Movement to Demand Justice for Women in Climate-induced Migration.

The programme supports women migrants, migrant organisations, associations, and unions to strengthen their advocacy, research capacity, and organising efforts to promote the rights of women migrants affected by climate change and migration-related challenges.

The initiative uses a feminist participatory research approach, where affected communities actively participate in identifying problems, collecting evidence, analysing challenges, and developing solutions.

Purpose of the Programme

The main purpose of the FPAR programme is to strengthen evidence-based advocacy and movement building for women migrants facing human rights challenges.

The programme aims to:

Document the lived experiences of women migrants.
Strengthen women migrants’ leadership and organising capacity.
Promote migration justice and human rights protection.
Generate research evidence for policy advocacy.
Support women’s right to stay or move with dignity and self-determination.

Key Focus Areas

The programme focuses on the relationship between climate change, migration, and women’s rights.

Priority research areas include:

Climate-Induced Migration

The programme examines migration caused by:

Climate change impacts.
Environmental degradation.
Climate-related displacement.
Loss of livelihoods due to environmental changes.

Climate False Solutions and Displacement

The research will explore how certain climate policies, projects, or actions may unintentionally contribute to:

Forced displacement.
Unsafe migration.
Loss of community rights.
Increased vulnerability among women migrants.

Climate Change Impacts on Women Migrants

The programme studies challenges faced by women migrants in destination countries, including:

Lack of protection.
Discrimination.
Social exclusion.
Limited access to services.
Human rights violations.

Climate Change and Decent Work

The initiative also examines employment-related issues affecting women migrants, including:

Labour exploitation.
Unsafe working conditions.
Lack of labour rights.
Barriers to decent employment.

Objectives of the FPAR 2026–2028 Programme

Through participatory research, APWLD and selected partners will:

Identify major concerns affecting women migrants.
Collect evidence on migration and climate-related challenges.
Analyse social, economic, and political impacts.
Develop recommendations for governments and stakeholders.
Build stronger networks for women migrants’ rights advocacy.

Who Is Eligible?

The programme is open to organisations and groups working with women migrants in Asia and the Pacific.

Eligible applicants include:

Women migrant organisations.
Migrant-led groups.
Migrant associations.
Civil society organisations.
Migrant unions.
Community-based organisations.

Applicants should demonstrate commitment to:

Women’s human rights.
Migration justice.
Climate justice.
Community-based research.
Advocacy and organising.

Selection of Partner Organisations

APWLD will select:

Six to eight partner organisations.

Selected organisations will collaborate with APWLD for approximately:

16 months between 2026 and 2028.

Partners will conduct research focusing on:

Women migrants’ lived experiences.
Climate-related migration impacts.
Migration policies and practices.
Human rights challenges.

Funding Support

Selected organisations will receive a small grant to implement the research activities.

Grant details:

Maximum grant amount: Up to $14,000.
Purpose: Conducting participatory research and supporting a young woman researcher.

The grant may support:

Researcher salary.
Research-related expenses.
Data collection activities.
Documentation and analysis.
Other approved research costs.

Role of Young Women Researchers

Each selected organisation must appoint a young woman researcher to lead research activities.

The researcher will:

Collect information from communities.
Document women migrants’ experiences.
Support evidence gathering.
Participate in FPAR activities.
Contribute to advocacy materials.

Each organisation must also appoint a mentor to guide and support the researcher throughout the programme.

Capacity Building and Networking Support

APWLD will provide additional support through:

Research training workshops.
Capacity-building activities.
Advocacy support.
Regional networking opportunities.
Knowledge-sharing platforms.

Participants will gain skills in:

Feminist research methods.
Human rights advocacy.
Community organising.
Policy engagement.
Evidence-based campaigning.

Why This Programme Matters

Women migrants affected by climate change often experience multiple forms of vulnerability, including displacement, unsafe migration conditions, discrimination, and limited access to protection.

This programme is important because it:

Places women migrants at the centre of research and decision-making.
Strengthens grassroots leadership.
Creates evidence for policy change.
Promotes fair and safe migration systems.
Supports climate justice and gender equality.

How the Programme Works

Step 1: Partner Organisation Selection

APWLD selects organisations working with women migrants in Asia and the Pacific.

Step 2: Research Team Formation

Selected partners appoint:

A young woman researcher.
A mentor for research guidance.

Step 3: Participatory Research Process

Partners conduct research by:

Engaging women migrant communities.
Collecting experiences and evidence.
Analysing migration challenges.
Identifying rights violations.

Step 4: Advocacy and Movement Building

Research findings are used to:

Develop recommendations.
Advocate for policy improvements.
Strengthen women migrants’ movements.
Promote migration justice.

Application Tips

Applicants should:

Clearly explain their experience working with women migrants.
Demonstrate community connections.
Highlight previous advocacy or research work.
Explain how the project will support migration justice.
Show capacity to manage research activities.
Include plans for involving young women researchers.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Submitting proposals without a clear focus on women migrants.
Ignoring climate-related migration issues.
Failing to explain community participation methods.
Not providing details about research capacity.
Proposing activities without advocacy outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) Programme?

The FPAR Programme is a research and advocacy initiative that supports women migrants and their organisations to document human rights challenges and develop strategies for migration justice.

Who can apply for this programme?

Women migrant organisations, migrant groups, associations, unions, and civil society organisations from Asia and the Pacific can apply.

How many organisations will be selected?

APWLD plans to select six to eight partner organisations for the programme.

How much funding will selected organisations receive?

Selected partners can receive up to $14,000 to support research activities and employ a young woman researcher.

What topics will the research cover?

Research will focus on climate-induced migration, women migrants’ rights, displacement, labour conditions, discrimination, and access to protection.

What support will researchers receive?

Young women researchers and mentors will receive training, capacity building, advocacy support, and networking opportunities from APWLD.

What language will be used during the programme?

The main language of the programme is English. Interpretation support will be available during regional meetings when required.

Conclusion

The Feminist Participatory Action Research on Human Rights of Women Migrants provides an important opportunity for women migrant organisations in Asia and the Pacific to strengthen research, advocacy, and movement building. By supporting community-led research and evidence-based action, the programme aims to protect women migrants’ rights, address climate-related migration challenges, and promote safe, dignified, and just migration systems.