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Request for Proposals: Gender Equality Fund, Nigeria
The Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global) is a youth-led organisation committed to advocating for the rights of adolescents and young people to live healthy, fulfilling lives. Y+ Global strengthens the leadership of young people living with HIV at local and global levels, empowering them to engage meaningfully in the political and programmatic spheres that affect their lives. Our theory of change is centred on individuals, focusing on empowering adolescents and young people (AYP) and equipping them with the tools and capabilities necessary to advocate effectively for policies and programs that advance their health, well-being, and rights. Through this approach, we seek to decrease HIV transmission among AYP in Global Fund priority countries while positively impacting outcomes related to TB, Malaria, SRHR, and gender issues.
About Gender Equality Fund
The Gender Equality Fund (GEF) is a three-year consortium initiative led by the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global). It is funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, GSK, and ViiV Healthcare. The GEF in Nigeria builds upon the existing model of the HER Voice Fund, which is being implemented across 13 African countries.
The GEF collaborates with women and girls in all their diversity and their organisations to design, deliver, influence, and advocate for gender-transformative and gender-affirmative approaches to health. The overarching goal is to reduce HIV and TB incidences among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) and contribute to the target of ending HIV and TB by 2030.
The GEF in Nigeria will focus on six priority states -Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Lagos, Oyo, and Rivers, to deliver more integrated advocacy approaches that benefit a broader range of health outcomes for women, girls, and gender-diverse communities through the following approaches:
- Provide small grants to AGYW-led and AGYW-serving organisations to strengthen their gender transformative advocacy work by integrating key priorities of HIV, TB, SRHR, and GBV.
- Support AGYW in all their diversity in the six priority states of Nigeria to exert influence and advocate effectively for integrated, gender-transformative policies and programmes that promote health, well-being, and rights in the areas of HIV, TB, and Malaria.
- Strengthen the technical capacity of adolescent girls and young women in all their diversity with a strong focus on TB, Malaria, and gender specifically, and develop their leadership capacity through a TB Leadership Academy.
Funding priorities
GEF is prioritising applications from various organisations led by or serving AGYW who are working directly with them.
It is important to highlight that the funding focuses on AGYW aged 15 to 29, including those who live with HIV, have disabilities, identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, or Queer (LGBTIQ+), are in conflict-affected areas, reside in rural regions, inject or use drugs, engage in sex work, are pregnant, or are young mothers.
The fund will focus on three aspirations that have been determined by AGYW and other stakeholders across Nigeria, including:
- Scale up integrated and youth-friendly health services provision for AGYW across Nigeria, particularly in underserved communities. This includes strengthening the integration of HIV, TB, Malaria and SRH services, improving accessibility and privacy, reducing waiting periods, and ensuring non-judgmental care delivery through appropriately trained healthcare providers.
- Transform leadership and decision-making in AGYW programming through meaningful participation, representation and influence of AGYW on issues that affect their health and lives. This includes addressing harmful gender norms and intergenerational gaps by ensuring that AGYW leads in program design, implementation and evaluation while engaging communities to support youth-led initiatives. Focus on building sustainable platforms for AGYW voices in policy development and program implementation.
- Enhance policy implementation and legal protections for AGYW health and rights. This includes advocating for increased awareness among AGYW for laws and policies that protect them and contribute to their health and well-being, consistent enforcement of protective laws to protect women and girls against violence and harm, aligning subnational policies with national frameworks (increase in the number of states with SARCs, increased access to healthcare, addressing age of consent) and strengthening community-led initiatives (including spousal support) to create an enabling environment. Focus on improving coordination between state and national levels while supporting community ownership of policy implementation.
Who should apply?
- Are you an AGYW-led/AGYW-serving organisation working in any of Nigeria's following states: Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Lagos, Oyo, or Rivers?
- Is your organisation registered in Nigeria? If not, are you affiliated with any organisation that can serve as a fiscal sponsor?
- Do you have experience in implementing HIV, TB, Malaria, and SRHR programmes targeting AGYW in all their diversity?
- Does your work centre the diverse needs, experiences, and leadership of AGYW in all their diversity?
How to apply?
To apply for a Gender Equality Fund grant for 2025-2026, please download and complete the application form and budget template. Submit these documents to gef@yplusglobal.org by 15 January 2025. Note that all sections of the template must be fully completed for your application to be considered.
If you have any questions regarding the application, email gef@yplusglobal.org.
For more information about the application process, check our social media pages, @HERVoiceFund and Y+ Global, on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for upcoming webinar dates. Remember to register in advance.