Published: 19 May 2025 22 views
The African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Programme offers an interesting 12-month assignment with UNDP at its HQ in New York or in one of its regional or country offices. There will be no placement in hardship locations.
Location: UNDP at Headquarters in New York or in a regional or country office (No hardship duty stations). Salary: Monthly stipend to support accommodation and basic living costs
The AfYWL Fellowship Programme:
The AfYWL Fellowship Programme is a partnership under the framework of the AUC Chairperson’s 1 Million Next Level Initiative, which aims to provide opportunities for African youth in the key areas of Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Engagement, and mainstream youth and women in key development spaces. This exciting partnership aims to build a new generation of young African women leaders and experts to serve Africa and the world in designing and implementing development programmes in the context of the SDGs and Agenda 2063. The Fellowship Programme will explore different areas of development within the six strategic impact areas of UNDP’s Renewed Strategic Offer in Africa: 1) Natural Resource Governance; 2) Youth and Women’s Employment and Empowerment; 3) Structural Economic Transformation; 4) Sustainable Energy; 5) Climate Change; and 6) Peace and Security.
The AfYWL Fellowship Programme is looking for up to 40 talented young African women to join the fourth cohort of this 12-month fellowship programme. As an AfYWL Fellow you will be assigned with a UNDP office under a learning and development programme. You will embark on a journey where you will need to demonstrate agility and adaptability to an environment and an assignment where your skills and potential will be leveraged. Applicants should be ready to accept any location offered in either HQ, Country or Regional office (no hardship locations).
The program is looking for engaged young African women who embrace UNDP’s values:
– Integrity
– Accountability
– Transparency
– Professionalism
– Mutual Respect
– Results Orientation (Through Principled Performance)
The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). The main objectives of the OAU were to rid the continent of the remaining vestiges of colonisation and apartheid; to promote unity and solidarity amongst African States; to coordinate and intensify cooperation for development; to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States and to promote international cooperation... read more... continue reading
| Application Deadline | 01 Jun 2025 |
| Type | Fellowship |
| Sponsor | African Union |
| Gender | Women |
Education:
Experience:
Language Requirements:
Additional Criteria:
Competencies
1. Reflection – Think Innovatively: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
2. Action – Achieve Results: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
3. Interaction – Engage and Partner: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
4. Self-Management – Act with Determination: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
To initiate your application you will need:
Applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria or do not include the requested documents will not be taken into further consideration. Please be also advised that failure to provide documents requested in each stage of the process within the specified deadlines will result in disqualification from the selection process.
The application procedure will undergo the following stages:
Stage 1: Upon initial review of your eligibility, you may be invited to submit additional information to support your application.
Stage 2: Candidates under further consideration will be invited to an on-line test with the objective to test your competencies and cognitive abilities.
Stage 3: Should you be considered following successful completion of the test, you will be invited for an assessment and self -recorded video consisting of:
a. Technical assessment: Presentation of a development problem.
b. Competency based assessment.
c. Assessment of your listed language skills
Stage 4: A final evaluation of your submitted self-recorded video interview will be conducted as the final stage of your application process by a UNDP Evaluation Panel. Successful and fully recommended candidates will be included in a final roster considered for the available AfYWL Fellowship placements at a location/assignment determined by UNDP. This stage is expected to be concluded by end of August 2025.
Stage 5: The location of assignment will be determined through a final matching exercise where candidate profiles will be matched against assignment profiles/duty stations and the most suitable fit is identified.
Stage 6: Candidates under final consideration may be invited for a follow-up interview with the hosting office in UNDP Headquarters, regional or country office. Offers to join the 4th Cohort of African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Programme including the location of assignment and job description will be communicated to the 40 most successful candidates.
Stage 7: The full assessment and selection process is expected to be concluded by end October 2025. Onboarding to receiving UNDP offices (Expected Q4, 2025).
For more details, visit African Union Fellowship webpage
