Call for Proposals – WYDE | Women’s Leadership Initiative – Apply Before 10 November 2025: Global Funding Opportunity
The WYDE | Women’s Leadership Initiative, led by UN Women and funded by the European Union, has issued a Call for Proposals (CFP No. UNW-HQ-WPP-CFP-2025-001) inviting civil society organizations (CSOs) to apply for funding to strengthen women’s political participation and leadership globally.
The submission deadline for applications is 10 November 2025.
This initiative is part of a broader collaborative global effort that seeks to advance women’s full, equal, and effective participation in political and decision-making processes at every level of society. It focuses on empowering women who are traditionally underrepresented or excluded from leadership, including young women, women with disabilities, and those from marginalized or minority communities.
Anchored in the objectives of the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership, the WYDE | Women’s Leadership Initiative underscores UN Women’s commitment to promoting inclusive governance systems and ensuring that gender equality becomes an integral part of democratic transformation worldwide.
Purpose and Objectives
The call for proposals aims to identify and support civil society and women’s rights organizations that are driving transformative change in leadership and governance. Through targeted funding and technical assistance, UN Women seeks to expand opportunities for women to influence decision-making, enhance their representation in political institutions, and strengthen gender-responsive governance mechanisms.
The specific objectives of the WYDE | Women’s Leadership Initiative are to:
- Enhance women’s political participation by supporting initiatives that prepare and position women to run for public office, participate in political processes, and influence policy decisions.
- Strengthen women’s leadership networks and coalitions, particularly those that promote mentorship, capacity building, and solidarity among women leaders.
- Promote inclusive governance frameworks that ensure accountability and gender responsiveness in public institutions.
- Amplify the voices of young women leaders and grassroots organizations advocating for equality, representation, and human rights.
By funding projects that align with these objectives, UN Women and the European Union seek to build resilient feminist movements capable of shaping inclusive societies and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5: Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls.
Target Applicants
The call is open to registered civil society organizations, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), women’s rights groups, feminist networks, and community-based organizations that have a demonstrated track record in promoting women’s leadership and participation. Priority will be given to organizations that:
- Operate in developing and transitional countries;
- Demonstrate strong partnerships with local communities;
- Uphold principles of inclusion, diversity, and intersectionality;
- Are led by or directly engage young women and grassroots activists.
Organizations are encouraged to propose innovative and sustainable approaches that can be replicated or scaled to influence broader policy and institutional frameworks.
Key Components and Approach
The WYDE | Women’s Leadership Initiative takes a multi-stakeholder approach, involving collaboration among governments, civil society, and international partners. The program promotes cross-regional learning and exchange, capacity building, and shared advocacy to ensure that women’s leadership is recognized, valued, and sustained.
Funded projects are expected to:
- Foster training programs on leadership, governance, and political advocacy;
- Support mentorship and peer-learning platforms for emerging women leaders;
- Encourage policy dialogues that integrate gender perspectives into governance systems;
- Leverage digital and media platforms to raise awareness about women’s political rights;
- Document and share best practices and success stories to strengthen feminist knowledge networks.
Through these actions, the initiative contributes directly to UN Women’s strategic priority of “Women’s Leadership and Political Participation”, one of the organization’s key thematic areas of work.
Partnership Framework
Funded by the European Union, the WYDE | Women’s Leadership Initiative forms part of a larger framework of cooperation between the EU and UN Women to promote gender equality, democracy, and human rights worldwide. The initiative is implemented in line with the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly emphasizing inclusive governance and accountability.
By aligning with the Generation Equality Forum’s commitments, this partnership reinforces global efforts to advance feminist movements and leadership, strengthen women’s rights organizations, and ensure that women’s voices influence the policies shaping their societies.
Application Process and Contact
Interested organizations are required to submit their proposals by 10 November 2025. Application documents are available in PDF (1.9 MB) and Word (336 KB) formats on the UN Women website.
Applicants seeking clarification may contact Adina Wolf, the focal point for the WYDE | Women’s Leadership Initiative, at [email protected].
UN Women encourages applications from diverse organizations committed to advancing women’s rights and leadership across all regions.
For more information, visit the official UN Women website under the “Call for Proposals” section.
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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the funding organization. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.
