VoiceandChoice Summit 2026

#VoiceandChoice Summit 2026

Gender Links will hold a Voice and Choice Summit from 15-17 March 2026.

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VoiceandChoice Summit 2026

Gender Links will hold a Voice and Choice Summit from 15-17 March 2026. All entries should be received online using the link provided by 11.59 pm South African time on Friday 6th February so that travel arrangements can be made. Late entries will not be accepted. If accepted, your power point presentation for the summit should be received by 11.59 pm South Africa time on Monday 2 March 2025.

Eligibility

GL will cover travel and accommodation costs for one person each from the

Renewed Women Voice and Leadership Fund
Marang LGBTIQ Southern Africa Fund
Marang media partner
Women Voice and Leadership Africa Fellowships
Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance
Sunrise Campaign South Africa (separate application process)

Others are free to apply but will have to cover their own travel and accommodation costs.

Objectives

Share good practices on advancing gender equality, diversity and inclusion in our region.
Learn from innovative approaches to gender-integrated programming.
Share strategies and successes for achieving change, including movement building, communications and strategic litigation.
Build evidence through case studies on action, leadership, and institutional capacity.
Recognise and affirm the work of civil society organisations.
Strengthen and sustain learning partnerships across women’s rights, LGBTIQ, and mainstream organisations in the SADC region.

High level programme

Day/ Date	Time	Event
Sunday 15 March	During the day	Arrival and finalising presentations
Sunday 15 March	Evening	Official opening
Monday 16 March	Day	Summit presentations
Monday 16 March	Evening	Cultural event and GL Academy Graduation
Tuesday 17 March	Morning	Feedback from judges
	Late morning, afternoon	Linking and Learning partnerships
	Evening	Awards and celebration: GL@25
Wednesday 18 March	Morning	Partner meetings
Wednesday 18 March	Afternoon	Departure

Applications

Category	Who is eligible	Sub-categories	Apply
Leadership: This award recognises the Drivers of Change who have championed the SADC Gender Protocol and its related SDG targets at local and/or national level
	Marang LGBTIQ Southern Africa Fund, Women’s Voice and Leadership grantees and Women of the South Speak Out fellows; Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance partners	Drivers of Change Youth leadership	Apply online English French
Organisational: This award recognises organisations who have made significant progress in governance and finance systems and fund raising.
	Marang LGBTIQ Fund Southern Africa, Women’s Voice and Leadership grantees and Women of the South Speak Out fellows; Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance partners	Organisational growth and development Finance and compliance Fund raising and sustainability	Apply online English French
Stories of change: This award recognises the impact that you have achieved in your work to advance gender equality including challenging gender stereotypes; advancing diversity and inclusion; Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights; Ending Gender Based Violence and Femicide; Women’s Political Participation; Economic Justice; Gender and Climate Justice or any other relevant area.
	Marang LGBTIQ Fund Southern Africa, Women’s Voice and Leadership grantees and Women of the South Speak Out fellows; Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance partners	Challenging gender stereotypes; advancing diversity and inclusion; Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights; Ending Gender Based Violence and Femicide; Women’s Political Participation; Economic Justice; Gender and Climate Justice Any other relevant area	Apply online English French
Change strategies
	Marang LGBTIQ Fund Southern Africa, Women’s Voice and Leadership grantees and Women of the South Speak Out fellows; Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance partners	Movement building Strategic litigation and policy change Communication, advocacy and outreach	Apply online English French
Media: This award recognises innovative and progressive coverage of LGBTIQ issues in the countries covered by the Marang Fund (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Madagascar, Mauritius) as well as Southern Africa as a whole, including legislative and policy reform; changing attitudes and mindsets; mainstreaming diversity and inclusion in all our work.
	Marang media journalists	Radio TV Print	Apply online English French

Expectations

All entrants are expected to present at least one best practise at the summit. You may however choose to enter more than one category.
As far as possible, the best practise should concern your work. We do appreciate however, that it may also draw from previous or complimentary work since no project exists in isolation.
Gender Links will only pay for travel, accommodation and conferencing for one person per organisation.
You will be required to present to a panel of judges.
Please bring any further evidence you would like to present in support of your application.
The Grant Making Unit staff are available as to assist you with preparing and practicing your presentation.

Application process

The application is in two parts

Part one, due by 6 February 2026, is the category/ies you are entering and information to facilitate acceptance and travel.
Part two, due by 2 March 2026 is your power point presentation.

Process

A panel of judges will be assessing your application during the presentation.
They will use the session in which you present to clarify any questions or queries they might have.
The judges’ will score each entry through an online system.

For more information, contact

For more information regarding the summit contact:

Nomthandazo Mankazana, Women’s Voice and Leadership Fund Manager
Email: grants1@genderlinks.org.za

Thenjiwe Ngcobo, Women’s Voice and Leadership Grants and Networking coordinator
Email: grants2@genderlinks.org.za

Lusanda Mamba, Programme Manager, Marang Southern Africa LGBTIQ Fund Email: marangprogmanager@genderlinks.org.za

Michelle Mutogo, Programme Officer
Email: Wossoprogofficer@genderlinks.org.za

For technical issues contact:
Fanuel Hadzizi, Results for Change Manager
Email: mande@genderlinks.org.za

For travel related queries contact:
Fikile Maviya, Finance and Compliance Manager
Email: grants.officer@genderlinks.org.za