African Young Women Leaders Fellowship 2025
The AfYWL Fellowship Program is a partnership under the framework of the AUC Chairperson’s 1 Million Next Level Initiative, which aims to provide opportunities for African youth in the key areas of Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Engagement, and mainstream youth and women in key development spaces.
The African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Programme will explore different areas of development within the six strategic impact areas of UNDP’s Renewed Strategic Offer in Africa:
- Natural Resource Governance
- Youth and Women’s Employment and Empowerment
- Structural Economic Transformation
- Sustainable Energy
- Climate Change and
- Peace and Security.
The AUC and UNDP are looking for up to 40 talented young African women to join the fourth cohort of this 12-month fellowship program.
As an AfYWL Fellow, you will be assigned to a UNDP office under a learning and development programme. You will embark on a journey where you will need to demonstrate agility and adaptability to an environment and an assignment where your skills and potential will be leveraged.
Applicants should be ready to accept any location offered in either the HQ, Country or Regional office (no hardship locations).
Overview of the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship 2025
- Type: Fellowship
- Hosted by: African Union + UNDP
- Eligible Countries: African Countries
- Fellowship Perks: Full Sponsorship, Monthly Living Stipend, Accommodation, Travel Costs, Healthcare
- Duration: 12 months
- Deadline: June 1st, 2025
Eligibility Criterias for the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship 2025
- Completed Master’s degree or equivalent in Economics, Political Science, Business Administration, International Relations/Development, Law, Communications, Digitalization or other related development field.
Experience:
- Maximum cumulative two years (post bachelor/postmaster degree) of relevant and paid working experience in research, analysis, and programme/project development, implementation, and management.
Language Requirements:
- Strong working knowledge of English is required
- Proficiency in at least one additional AU working language (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese or Spanish) is an advantage
Additional Criteria:
- Female candidates are accepted only
- National of an African Union member state
- Maximum Age of 30 at the date of application.
- Available in 2025/2026 to dedicate 12 months to a fellowship assignment.
- Available late 2025 to relocate to the duty station and start the Fellowship assignment.
- Willing to live and work outside the country of residence on an assignment that leverages your skills & potential.
- Understanding of, and interest in, poverty eradication, sustainable structural transformation, the SDGs, and Agenda 2063.
- Capacity to gather comprehensive information on complex problems or situations, and ability to evaluate and analyze information accurately in order to identify key issues and solutions.
- Additional expertise and background in digital transformation, strategic partnerships and communications, development intelligence, and innovation will also be considered.
Perks of the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship 2025
- The Fellowship assignment is conditioned upon a relocation to the duty station of assignment, we will be unable to accommodate remote Fellowship work arrangements.
- There will be no possibility for extension of the Fellowship assignment beyond the 12 months.
- Each fellow will receive a monthly stipend to support accommodation and basic living costs at their respective duty station.
- In addition, paid leave and an earmarked learning budget will be allocated for undertaking relevant learning and development activities.
- The Fellowship programme will cover expenses related to travel and medical insurance for the fellow only.
- Please note that the Fellowship Programme does not cover allowances or any expenses related to your family members (travel, visa, schooling, health insurance, etc.).
As part of the fellowship assignment, the fellow will benefit from the following training and learning opportunities:
- Participation in a joint induction/ leadership training workshop in late 2025 or early 2026 developed by AUC and UNDP (costs covered).
- Access to an earmarked learning budget for relevant learning/development activities.
- Participation in regular mentorship by senior AUC and UNDP staff.
- Participation in tailored learning and community events targeting UNDP Young Professionals
- Support from UNDP on other corporate learning and development activities.
Duties, Responsibilities and Expected Outputs
- Collection and analysis of data and research on SDGs and Agenda 2063.
- Experimentation on promising areas of innovation around the six impact areas of UNDP’s Renewed Strategic Offer in Africa.
- Drafting research papers, reports, and presentations.
- Participating in internal and external meetings and conferences.
- Supporting the implementation of projects and initiatives on gender, youth, climate change, resilience and security among others.
- Participating in field missions as required;
- Providing support and liaising with government officials and various stakeholders.
Deadline: 1st June, 2025
