Climate Justice Programme for Feminist Participatory Action Research 2026-27

Deadline: 30-Jan-2026

The Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) invites grassroots women’s rights organisations to apply for the Climate Justice Feminist Participatory Action Research (CJ FPAR) programme. The initiative supports research on the impacts of ocean resource extractivism on women’s rights, offering grants of up to USD 14,000 and capacity-building support for advocacy, feminist research, and climate justice mobilisation.

Program Overview

The CJ FPAR Programme focuses on:

• Challenging imperialism and extractivism in ocean resources

• Strengthening grassroots women’s roles in climate justice narratives, policies, and actions

• Building feminist and community-led monitoring of blue economy policies

• Supporting mobilisation for climate and economic justice grounded in women’s leadership and knowledge

APWLD aims to empower women and communities to document lived realities, expose rights violations, and influence governance frameworks from local to global levels.

Key Objectives

1. Document Impacts on Women’s Rights and Livelihoods

   • Focus on fisheries, coastal and marine infrastructure, deep-sea and sand mining, conservation, blue carbon initiatives, and emerging marine geo-engineering technologies

   • Highlight disproportionate effects on women, small-scale fishers, and Indigenous communities

2. Strengthen Feminist Participatory Research Capacity

   • Train young women researchers in data gathering and analysis using a feminist lens

   • Build organisational skills for community-led research and advocacy

3. Support Climate and Economic Justice Advocacy

   • Use research findings to influence policies and governance frameworks

   • Facilitate engagement with regional and global climate advocacy spaces

Who is Eligible?

• Organisation Type: Non-profit, feminist, women-led organisations

• Location: Asia or the Pacific region

• Experience: Working alongside grassroots women and communities, understanding climate crises and ocean extractivism, and able to conduct participatory research

• Must demonstrate capacity to document, advocate, and contribute to research throughout the programme duration

Grant Details

• Number of Organisations Selected: Six

• Funding Amount: Up to USD 14,000 per organisation

• Purpose of Funding:

  • Support a dedicated young woman researcher

  • Facilitate community-based research activities

  • Cover research-related capacity-building and documentation costs

• Additional Support: Further funding post-research for local and national advocacy efforts

Programme Timeline

• Research Period: April 2026 – August 2027

• Mentorship and Training: Ongoing through the programme

• Language: English

How It Works / How to Apply

1. Prepare Application

   • Demonstrate organisational experience with grassroots women and climate/ocean issues

   • Outline participatory research approach and planned activities

   • Include capacity for advocacy, documentation, and community engagement

2. Submit Application

   • Ensure eligibility criteria are met

   • Highlight past experience in feminist participatory research and climate justice advocacy

3. Selection Process

   • APWLD will select six organisations based on relevance, capacity, and potential impact

   • Considerations include organisational experience, community engagement, and ability to conduct feminist participatory research

4. Post-Selection Support

   • Grants disbursed to support research and young women researcher

   • Additional resources for advocacy and capacity-building based on research outcomes

Tips for a Strong Application

• Emphasise women-led participatory research

• Highlight understanding of blue economy extractivism and climate justice

• Demonstrate capacity for advocacy, documentation, and community mobilisation

• Provide a clear plan for using grant funding effectively

• Showcase prior experience working with grassroots women and local communities

FAQ

1. Who can apply for the CJ FPAR programme? Non-profit, feminist, women-led organisations based in Asia or the Pacific with experience working alongside grassroots women and communities.
2. How many organisations will be selected? Six organisations will be chosen for the 2026–2027 programme.
3. What is the maximum grant amount? Up to USD 14,000 per organisation.
4. What is the research focus? Impacts of ocean resource extraction and climate-related development on women’s rights and livelihoods, including fisheries, marine infrastructure, mining, conservation, and blue economy initiatives.
5. What support is provided beyond funding? Mentorship, training in feminist participatory research, and access to regional and global climate advocacy spaces.
6. What is the programme duration? April 2026 to August 2027.
7. In which language should applications be submitted? English.

Conclusion

The APWLD CJ FPAR programme empowers grassroots women-led organisations to investigate, document, and advocate against the expansion of extractivism in ocean resources. By combining funding, mentorship, and research capacity-building, the initiative strengthens women’s leadership in climate justice, influences policies, and promotes equitable, sustainable solutions for coastal and marine communities across the Asia Pacific region.

For more information, visit APWLD.