DefendDefenders  Safe Sisters Fellowship Programme 2025: (Deadline 21 March 2025)

Safe Sisters is a fellowship program that builds the capacity of Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs), civil society workers, journalists and media workers to understand and respond to the digital safety challenges that they face in their work and daily life.

This unique opportunity brings together Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and civil society persons from across Africa for intensive training and networking while learning how to strategically employ digital tools across the spectrum of data management, content development, digital security. The fellowship program is about empowering women and girls working on human rights issues to take control of their space online and information and share with other women. Participants must be willing and able to learn in a fast-paced programme and should have the capacity and commitment to complete the programme.

Benefits of Safe Sisters

• Participants will be able to take part in a workshop over a period of five days, with DefendDefenders, to ensure that learning is tailored to the needs of the group.
• The participants will define and work on their own project throughout the course of participating in the workshop and receive support and mentorship in realizing their project vision.
• Participants will also become members of the alumni network after they have gone through the whole cycle, including access to mentors, creatives, safe sister signal group, a mailing list, e-learning opportunities, and priority in subsequent events.
• All costs related to enabling participation in the workshop will be covered by DefendDefenders.
•  Participants shall be given the opportunity to apply for grants to implement their own activities, following the successful completion of the fellowship programme.

Eligibility for Safe Sisters

• Open to Women Human Rights Defenders from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Somaliland.
• Applicants ought to apply individually and must be based in the target countries.
• Their work should mainly be focused on promotion and protection of human rights.
• Have an existing high impact digital project or idea they wish to bring into the workshop and implement after the cycle of safe sisters.
• Have an open mind to learn and experiment with new digital tools and concepts.
• Applicants should be proficient in English (written, spoken and comprehension).

Application

• Phase 1: Fill out this application form by March 21, 2025.
• Phase 2: Selection – Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
• Phase 3: Self-study.
• Phase 4: Preparation for the workshop. If you are selected to attend the workshops, you must complete several online assignments that will be assigned by the Safe Sister lead.
• Phase 5: The workshop – The workshop will take place from April 28 – May 2, 2025 unless otherwise communicated.
• Phase 6: Mentorship – There will be mentorship and financial/technical follow up support to alumni of the fellowship
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