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Southern African young women's festival
Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) and the Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT)

Deadline: 15 August 2010

Calling All Young Women in Southern African to 3 Days of Celebration!

The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) and the Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT), in collaboration with young women's networks and formations in Southern Africa, are hosting a Southern African Young Women's Festival (SAYWF) in Harare from 24 to 28 October 2010.

The Festival is designed to provide space for young women between 18 and 30 years of age, to come together and share experiences, share strategies and energise each other and celebrate their youth and the potential they have to advocate for social justice in their respective communities.

Activities at the festival will include panel discussions, talent shows, debate contests, inter-generational dialogue sessions, talk shows, music and film shows and many other exciting activities. The platform will also make space for structured training sessions on various key skills including ICTs and life skills, to equip young women with the practical skills they need for effective advocacy for women's rights. (please indicate the training sessions you would like to attend on the form below). The event is also designed to be a launching platform for the 16 Days national campaigns envisioned to be driven by young women across the region. OSISA and partners will be funding these campaigns.

The festival is organised to respond to the dire need for a safe space for young women in the region to share their own experiences and learn from and encourage each other to engage in activism that transforms their communities. Youth-related spaces are often dominated by young men, and young women hardly have safe spaces and platforms on which to speak about issues that affect them specifically as young women. Yet with challenges such as increasing unemployment, HIV and AIDS and rising levels of poverty, young women are the worst affected. This Festival, which is envisaged to be a biannual event, will provide that much needed space for young women to engage on these and other issues.

Young women from Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe are encouraged to apply to be part of this exciting event! OSISA and partners will cover the full costs, including travel, accommodation, subsistence and training for all selected participants. To qualify, candidates should be between 18 and 30 years, working in organisations/networks and formations committed to social justice and especially women's rights. University students who provide proof of interest in women's rights issues will also be considered. Selection will be on a first come first served basis!

To apply fill out and send by email or fax, the Application Form below. Each submitted form should be accompanied by a motivation letter, expressing why you should be selected to participate. The letter should not be more than 1 page.

For more information on this initiative and the Young Women's Voices: 16 Days Campaigns, please contact:

Tsitsi Mukamba at tsitsim@osisa.org
Phone: +27 11 5875000 or +27 836615600 (Tsitsi)

Or

Hilda Makamure at hildam@yet.org.zw; festival@yet.org.zw or yetprogramme@gmail.com
Phone: +2634747986 or +263712441032 (Hilda)

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