Germany – Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security – 10007989-Contract management to strengthen institutional and financial resilience of afro-feminist civil society organisations

Many African countries are making tangible progress on gender equality and social participation. Nevertheless, deeply rooted inequalities persist, embedded in historical power relations and current social structures. People who are marginalised due to their gender, identity or other characteristics are particularly affected. Achieving sustainable change therefore requires strong civil society organisations that advocate for vulnerable groups, expose injustices and help make political and social processes more inclusive. To fulfil this role effectively, these actors need targeted, needs-based support - organisational, technical and through stronger networks. The Society. Equality. Africa - The Transformation (SEA-T) programme addresses this need. Its objective is to enable local and regional civil society actors in Africa to measurably improve social justice and participation. It focuses on organisations that are embedded in their contexts, understand community needs and drive practical solutions. The approach combines support, knowledge generation and networking to achieve impact at organisational, network and public discourse levels. A core element is needs-based support. Civil society organisations receive tailored assistance to pursue their goals independently and effectively. This includes strengthening management and advocacy capacities, improving internal processes and tools for monitoring results, and maintaining flexibility to respond to dynamic contexts. Support follows the principle of ownership: local perspectives and priorities set the direction; partnerships are designed on an equal footing and build on the engagement and expertise of civil society. A second focus is on evidence and knowledge. Together with partner organisations, the programme develops studies, analyses and datasets that provide a solid scientific basis for advocacy. This enables actors to argue their case more convincingly in policy dialogues - for example on closing the gender data gap, advancing inclusion or improving mechanisms for participation. Systematically prepared evidence also strengthens the legitimacy of civil society demands vis-à-vis state and non-state decision-makers. Third, the programme fosters networking. Organisations are supported to collaborate more closely, exchange tried-and-tested approaches and scale them across regions. Peer-to-peer learning, thematic communities of practice and regional exchange formats facilitate the spread of proven methods - such as inclusive programming, participatory formats and evidence-based advocacy. Stronger cooperation creates alliances that channel local experience into regional debates and amplify common positions. In a newly added output, the programme prioritises strengthening the long-term structural resilience of civil society in Africa in an increasingly restrictive and regressive civic space. Fourth, the programme strengthens civil society actors by building institutional and financial resilience through a Participatory Grant Council (PGC), where regional feminist representatives and GIZ jointly set priorities and funding criteria. Via the PGC, funds and accompanying measures are allocated to feminist organizations and collectives for reserves, core funding, income diversification, organizational development, and sustainable financial and governance structures, enabling partners to continue their work under challenging political and financial conditions. Additionally, the programme will support three participatory, regionally developed models for sustainable Afro-feminist mobilization to enhance long-term coordination, shared political visions, and practical instruments for collective responses to backlash, shrinking civic space, and regressive change. The focus is on strategies for organisational, financial and political sustainability of movements and organisations. This includes measures to reinforce internal governance and accountability, inclusive and values-based leadership, security and protection mechanisms (including digital, legal and physical safety), as well as collective care and wellbeing practices that prevent burnout and sustain engagement. This integrated approach of needs-based strengthening, evidence-driven advocacy, strategic networking and resilience-building aims to sustainably increase African civil society"s capacity to act.