Call for Applications to 2023 Sister-to-Sister Program

Change is driven from the ground up by women’s movements and leaders who provide the sparks and the hard work needed to prevent violence and maintain peace every day. Women’s groups and women leaders are often working in resource-poor environments, confronting threats to their own security and communities, and with inadequate opportunities to build trust.

The Sister-to-Sister program brings together young feminist leaders – sisters - in an intensive program which fosters crucial solidarity, support and sisterhood, to better equip them for their ongoing work.

NWI will welcome 20 new young feminist peace activists to take part in an 8-week intensive virtual learning space. The program will take place from 6 September, 2023, to 6 November, 2023, and is designed to:

• Broaden understanding of feminist leadership, philosophy, and practice.
• Strengthen tools for challenging and changing public narratives and policies related to peace, social and environmental justice.
• Expand feminist networks for support and collective action.
• Enhance collective understanding of the different ways feminist leaders are affecting social change through feminist principles, practices, methodologies, and innovations.

In recognition of varying degrees of access to the internet, workspaces, transportation, care responsibilities and other circumstances, discretionary honorariums will be provided to support selected applicants in effectively taking part in the program.

The program is run in partnership with the Coady Institute. 

Criteria for applicants:

• Passion for and engagement in supporting feminist peacebuilding, women’s rights and/or feminist social and environmental justice movements as volunteers, professionals, or activists.
• Drive and potential to be an impactful feminist leader in the context they work in.
• Ability to effectively engage in the program with English as the primary language.
• Willingness and ability to commit to full participation in at least 80% of live, cohort-wide sessions.
• Candidates have to be between 18-35 years old.

Criteria for selection:

• Global representation.
• Diversity of socio-political contexts.
• Diversity of backgrounds.
• Potential for candidates to become a leader / become a strengthened leader as a result of engagement in this experience and growth of their support and solidarity network.

Application Process:

Candidates have to submit the following to be considered for the 2023 program by 11:59pm ET, on 7 June, 2023:

• A personal letter or video (max 3 minutes or 2 pages) outlining how the candidate has been contributing to feminist peace, social and/or environmental justice, the main challenges in their context (contextually / personally / professionally), and how they hope the program will benefit them and their work.
• Current CV, with details of all experience to date (paid, volunteer, academic) in working towards feminist peace, social and/or environmental justice.
• Reference letter from a feminist peace, social or environmental activist or organization, with contact details for follow up.

Other specifications:

• Incomplete or late applications will not be considered for review.
• All candidates must have a working and reliable email address to facilitate correspondence with the Nobel Women’s Initiative.
• Trans and non-binary activists are encouraged to apply.
• Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed via Zoom or by telephone.
• Selected candidates will be notified by email to arrange the date and time of the interview.
• References will be contacted during the selection process.
• Feedback during the selection process is not provided.
• Selected candidates must accept the offer of the program in writing by email and return requested documentation to the Nobel Women’s Initiative by the deadline. Late returns or non-responses may be considered a forfeit of participation.

For more information about the program, see here.

With questions, please reach out to [email protected]