Quote This Woman+ seeks women, marginalised changemakers for Fellowship Programme

PICTURE: Chris Wade NTEZICIMPA/Pexels

Quote This Woman+ (QW+), a South African non-profit organisation dedicated to amplifying women’s voices in the media, has opened the recruitment process for its South Africa 2024/25 Voices Fellowship Programme, funded by The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.

This brand-new fellowship, which will run from December 2024 to June 2025, will recruit 30 to 40 women, and otherwise marginalised, changemakers from rural and low-income communities, and work with them to build the confidence and skills to use their voices to  challenge discrimination and oppression.

The cohort will work together on practical strategies for engaging with both traditional and online media, including radio, podcasts, TV, print and Tik-Tok-like news formats. They will work on practical advocacy campaigns, and building leadership and networking skills

QW+ strongly encourages applications from women and other marginalised people (women+) who are underrepresented in the media, particularly:
● Women+ living with disabilities
● Women+ in rural areas
● LGBTQI+ community members

‘A just, equitable, and inclusive society needs us to listen beyond the bubble of select experts that normally make up the news,’ says Kath Magrobi, QW+ Director. ‘There are activists, opinion-leaders and trail-blazers doing marvellous work in every sphere of South African society, but the majority do not get platformed in the press.’

‘This brand-new fellowship offers successful applicants the tools to get heard and to drive positive change within their communities and beyond. Supporting initiatives that amplify the voices of women and marginalised communities is key to fostering inclusive and equitable societies.’

Matthew Loken, Acting High Commissioner at the High Commission of Canada in South Africa, says that ‘through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, we are proud to partner with Quote This Woman+ to help empower South African women+ changemakers to become influential advocates for positive change in their communities’.

To be eligible for the Voices Fellowship, applicants must identify as a woman or LGBTQ+, live in South Africa, have basic digital literacy and access to the Internet, be proficient in English, and be committed to creating a more just and equitable society

Interested candidates are invited to apply online through the QW+ website, here.

The application requires a short voice note or video explaining why the applicant wants to join the fellowship.

QW+ is committed to ensuring a fair, inclusive, and transparent recruitment process. The selection panel will consist of QW+ team members, board members, and previous Voices of Quote This Woman+ winners.

Applications close on Monday 18 November.

Applicants will be notified on Friday 22 November.

The programme starts on Wednesday 11 December.

• QW+ is a South African non-profit organisation dedicated to improving gender representation in the media. QW+ works to promote women+ experts as credible sources
  on a wide range of topics by providing a database to journalists. The aim is to bridge the gender representation gap and shape public narratives that reflect a more inclusive society.
• The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) supports grassroots projects led by local civil-society organisations that understand and respond to the unique needs of their communities. Each year, the CFLI funds projects across a range of focus areas, from fostering inclusive governance and promoting gender equality to building climate resilience and promoting human rights. To learn more, visit the CFLI here