Advancing Accountability: SIARP Civil Society Regional Reference Group Established
Date:
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - In an important step for the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP), the African Union Commission (AUC) has officially endorsed the new Civil Society Regional Reference Group (CSRRG). As an advisory, accountability and advocacy mechanism for the programme, the endorsement enabled the group to officially meet on June 26, 2026 and begin its role in support of continental efforts to end violence against women and girls.
Completed on May 25, 2026 through a process facilitated by UN Women, the rigorous, continent-wide search drew over 600 applications from grassroots advocates, feminist leaders, and civil society representatives from all over Africa and the diaspora. To ensure credibility and balanced regional representation, an eight-member assessment committee completed three evaluation rounds and thorough due diligence selected 15 SIARP CSRRG members.
The SIARP Civil Society Regional Reference Group selection process was chaired by Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Global Civil Society Reference Group Representative from Africa. This committee included representatives from the AUC’s Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development Department (HHSD) and the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD); United Nations Development Coordination Office (UNDCO), the European Union, UN Women (on behalf of SIARP recipient UN organisations), and select representatives from Spotlight Initiative National CSO Reference Groups. Following a lengthy application review process, the Committee selected 15 civil society leaders for the SIARP 2.0 CSRRG.
During the CSRRG introductory meeting, representatives from UN Women, the AUC, and the European Union welcomed the newly selected members, highlighting civil society as a key partner for social change. This was followed by remarks from the Chair of the Selection Committee, providing an overview of the rigorous year-long selection process that led to the establishment of the CSRRG, while highlighting the Committee's expectations for members' leadership, commitment, and contribution to advancing the objectives of SIARP 2.0.
The initiative seeks to address critical regional challenges and increasing cases of violence against women and girls, with a focus on four main outcomes: strengthening laws, institutional accountability and using data effectively; improving evidence-based prevention strategies; enhancing survivor-centered response efforts, and enhancing support for civil society movements led by women and youth.
The CSRRG will function as an independent group of advisors, advocates, thought leaders, and accountability partners guided by principles of integrity, mutual respect, and teamwork to deliver SIARP 2.0 in a joint manner across partners working on the programme.
Representing a diverse coalition of advocates drawn from women’s rights organizations, grassroots community groups, faith-based networks, and youth-led initiatives, the CSRRG has a multi-faceted mandate. The group will ensure the regional steering committee, as the programme’s governance body and the SIARP programme overall, remains accountable to the lived experiences of women and girls, with engagement of CSOs in implementing the programme at the center.
The CSRRG will further provide strategic advocacy as an amplifier for the programme. As SIARP moves into full implementation with the African Union and Regional Economic Communities, the expertise, commitment, and grassroots connections of the newly endorsed members will be crucial in driving lasting, transformative change for women and girls across Africa.
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Media Contacts:
African Union Commission
Dr. Olubusayo Akinola
Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control and Crime Prevention Division
UN Women
Mr. Ibrahim Nuredeen
Spotlight 2.0 Programme Coordinator (DA)
Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP 2.0)
Mr. Serawit Atnafu
Advocacy, Communication, and Knowledge Management Specialist
+251911977910