Africa, and African women in particular, are on the front lines of several compounding crises. The COVID-19 pandemic’s aftershocks continue to disproportionately affect women and girls, exacerbating barriers to participating in the economy and public life. Meanwhile, the world is facing a climate crisis and related surges in food insecurity and violence. 

Projections by the UNDP indicate that 90 million women in Africa will be food-starved by 2050. Evidence shows that climate change impacts are gendered, and women are bearing the brunt as they constitute the majority of the world's poor and depend more on natural resources threatened by climate change. 

These crises present an unprecedented opportunity to build back stronger so that gains made in closing gender gaps can be sustained even throughout shocks and crises.

We are pleased to renew our Fellowship partnership with ONE Campaign to recognise and amplify the voices of women and other marginalised groups as they navigate unprecedented challenges.

The inaugural AWJP+ONE Aftershocks Data Fellowship saw an incredible cohort of 13 women journalists from eight countries— Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana and South Africa — investigate and report on some of the under-reported gendered dimensions of COVID-19 in Africa, building on the real-time data and analysis on the pandemic that ONE was already delivering through their Africa COVID-19 Tracker and the Aftershocks newsletter. 

The fellows’ past reporting explained the effects of the pandemic on Malaria vaccination and NCD interventions, especially on women and children after the disruption of government services and the pandemic’s impact on the mental health of marginalised communities. The Fellows also looked at how the lack of government support for early childhood education services has worsened the situation for women who can no longer seek employment outside the home, pushing them further into poverty, the plight of commercial sex workers and refugees and how the suspension of the cash transfer programmes and other pro-agriculture initiatives to support food security adversely affect women who make up 60-80 per cent of smallholder farmers. 

The second iteration of the Aftershocks Data Fellowship will help accelerate action towards gender equality for resilient and inclusive development. The fellowship will further advance gender equity in the newsrooms which have been historically dominated by men worldwide, and amplify many dimensions of the pandemic, climate and other crises that have differential impacts on women than men. 

Through this fellowship, we intend to highlight further the interplay between gender and achieving Sustainable Development Goals, mainly related to health, gender equality and poverty reduction. The Fellowship will also amplify stories on Gender mainstreaming and its impact on policy or policy-related initiatives that do not exacerbate gender inequalities.

When women’s perspectives are ignored, their participation and agency in their development and dignity are decreased. Through this fellowship, we intend to reduce the marginalisation of women and girls.

We’ll amplify the fellows’ stories across the Aftershocks newsletter and @ONEAftershocks and AWJP’S  channels on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. 

Africa Women Journalism Project (AWJP) is dedicated to strengthening the voices of women journalists and driving coverage of under-reported gender, health and development issues that affect marginalised groups. AWJP provides women in African media with the knowledge, skills and support network required to drive journalism that sheds light on gender, health and development issues impacting women and other marginalised groups.

International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) works at the nexus of journalism and technology, building reporters' expertise and storytelling skills worldwide. Journalists are enhancing news coverage and connecting more deeply with their audiences through our work. As a result, we are increasing the flow of reliable, trustworthy news – a cornerstone of healthy democracies. We believe that better journalism leads to better lives.

ONE  is a global movement campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030 so that everyone, everywhere, can lead a life of dignity and opportunity.

We believe the fight against poverty isn’t about charity but about justice and equality.

Whether lobbying political leaders in world capitals or running cutting-edge grassroots campaigns, ONE pressures governments to do more to fight extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, and empowers citizens to hold their governments to account.