| African Women's Development Fund | |
| Founded Date: | 2001 (in Accra, Ghana) |
| Founder: | Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Joana Foster and Hilda M. Tadria |
| Location: | Accra, Ghana |
| Key People: | Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi (Co-founder and former Executive Director) Françoise Moudouthe (Chief Executive Officer) |
| Area Served: | in 42 countries in Africa, over 1300 women's organisations[1] |
| Homepage: | http://www.awdf.org |
The African Women's Development Fund (AWDF) is the first pan-African foundation to support the work of women's rights organisations in Africa.[2] [3] AWDF was founded in 2001 by Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Joana Foster and Hilda M. Tardia.[4] AWDF belongs to the International Network of Women's Funds, an umbrella organisation for feminist foundations that focus on supporting women's human rights.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia and 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner,[5] delivered AWDF's tenth anniversary lecture at the celebrations in Accra, Ghana, in November 2010. On the occasion, Sirleaf said: "Heartfelt congratulations to you, AWDF Sisters, on reaching your tenth year! You have succeeded in your goals; you have weathered the global economic crisis; you have demonstrated resilience and determination to succeed in your noble cause to promote leadership and empowerment for African women."
Between 2001 and 2016 the AWDF distributed US$26 million to women's rights organizations.[6]
AWDF signed a working document to guide its analysis and practices during The African Feminists Forum that took place in Accra from 15 to 19 November 2016.[7]
AWDF's mission is to mobilize financial resources to support the work of African women's organizations that are committed to addressing issues of women's empowerment, rights, and leadership. The fund envisions a world where African women have the power to achieve their full potential and contribute to the development of their societies[8]