At the apex of the initiative is the approximately 12-member Independent Advisory Committee (IAC), at least half from the Global South.
The composition of the team will be determined jointly with the FCDO during the inception phase. However, as part of the mapping exercise, WOSSO has shared the names of 12 possible individuals who have given in-principle consent to participate. The individuals suggested come from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as well as Latin America. Their diverse backgrounds include impressive records of accomplishment in defending women’s and LGBTIQ rights, movement building, international diplomacy, funding for women’s rights, and strong connections to grassroots organisations. For example, former UNWOMEN Executive Director Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (also former Deputy President of South Africa) began her career working for the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). She is founder of the Umlambo Foundation working to ensure universal access to education for girls. She is current chair of Women Deliver, a leading global advocate for the health and rights of girls and women, in all their intersecting identities.
Others whom we have canvassed include Chair of the UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls Melissa Upreti (Nepal) and Renu Khanna (India), one of the Commissioners at the Lancet Commission on Gender and Global Health. Prominent academics and experts from the Middle East – including the director of the Institute of Reproductive Health and Rights and member of the high-level committee of ICPD, Dr. Nahid Toubia (Sudan), and Associate Professor, American University of Cairo, Dr. Hania Sholkamy (Egypt) – have also given their in-principle consent to serve.
Others whom we have canvassed include Chair of the UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls Melissa Upreti (Nepal) and Renu Khanna (India), one of the Commissioners at the Lancet Commission on Gender and Global Health. Prominent academics and experts from the Middle East – including the director of the Institute of Reproductive Health and Rights and member of the high-level committee of ICPD, Dr. Nahid Toubia (Sudan), and Associate Professor, American University of Cairo, Dr. Hania Sholkamy (Egypt) – have also given their in-principle consent to serve.
WOSSO has also listed six potential networks and women’s funds as members of the IAC, to ensure global reach and inclusion. The consortium partners have working relations and in some cases close ties with the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) in Ghana; FEMNET (Kenya); Woman Kind (UK); Global Fund for Women (USA); Global Centre for Women’s Leadership (USA); Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID, Canada); the Equality Fund (Canada) and Women’s Environment & Development Organization (WEDO, USA).
The IAC will:
- Provide strategic advice, independent challenge, and quality assurance
- Champion the programme externally helping to raise its profile
- Use their networks to identify opportunities and strategies for both components, including knowledge dissemination