1. Introduction
The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) Network is a regional civil society coalition comprising grassroots women’s rights organizations from Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Uganda. SIHA aims to contribute to unlocking the massive potential of women’s rights movements in the Horn of Africa by improving the capacity of local organizations and building a strong network of grassroots civil society members that can interact and support one another in advocating for effective change.
2. Background of the Assignment
As part of its regional advocacy and communications strategy, SIHA is launching a Regional Art Purchase Initiative aimed at acquiring original artworks from artists across its countries of operation notably Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
Consequently, this initiative seeks to amplify the voices of women and girls through visual expression, celebrating creativity as a tool for feminist advocacy and storytelling.
Submitted artworks or paintings should therefore reflect the cultural richness, feminist values, and social realities of each country. They must also be authentic, ethically produced, and context-sensitive, aligning with SIHA’s core programmatic priorities, notably:
- Combating Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)
- Advancing Women’s Peace and Security (WPS) and enabling women’s agency, leadership, and political participation
- Strengthening social protection and economic justice
- Protecting women and girls who are displaced, living in conflict zones, or are migrant workers
- Promoting women’s human rights and enhancing access to justice
- Enhancing diversity and inclusivity among women through movement building
The winning painting in each thematic area per country will be awarded USD 200 each. SIHA will retain exclusive rights to use the awarded artworks for advocacy, communication, and documentation purposes.
3. Objectives of the Consultancy
This assignment aims to:
- Facilitate artists across SIHA’s operational countries to engage with feminist and human rights themes.
- Capture diverse perspectives and realities that reflect women’s agency, resilience, and leadership in the region through art.
- Build a collection of high-quality, ethical, and contextually grounded visual materials to support SIHA’s regional advocacy and storytelling efforts.
- Foster collaboration between artists, activists, and communities to produce images rooted in authenticity and women and girls’ dignity.
4. Submission Guidelines and Scope
Interested entrants are required to:
- Submit a total of six (6) original paintings, each representing one of SIHA’s six thematic areas.
- Ensure all submitted artworks are authentic, high-quality, and ethically produced, respecting cultural sensitivities and obtaining informed consent where applicable.
- Provide brief captions and a short narrative description (maximum 100 words) explaining the context and significance of each painting.
- Submit artworks in high-resolution digital format suitable for both print and digital platforms.
- Ensure that all submissions reflect SIHA’s feminist principles, uphold the dignity of subjects, and align with SIHA’s branding and communications standards.
5 Selection and Awards
- Submissions will be reviewed by a team composed of SIHA communications and projects representatives.
- Selection will be based on creativity, relevance to thematic areas, ethical presentation, and visual impact.
- The winning art painting in each thematic area per country will receive an award of USD 200 each.
- Once awarded, SIHA will have exclusive rights to the winning paintings, including their use in SIHA’s publications, campaigns, and other media platforms, with due credit to the artist.
6. Eligibility Criteria
This consultancy is open to artists residing in SIHA’s countries of operation notably: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
We therefore welcome applications from both expert and aspiring professional artists. Submissions must thoughtfully reflect sensitivity to gender, human rights, and feminist narratives.
7. Required Competency
Interested artists must meet the following criteria:
Professional Experience
- Minimum of 3–5 years of professional experience in art, with a strong portfolio in development, human rights, or humanitarian work.
- Proven experience working with NGOs, CSOs, and feminist organisations on similar assignments.
- Demonstrated capacity to work independently and adapt to diverse socio-political environments.
Technical Competence
- Proficiency in producing digital art using professional equipment.
- Advanced skills in photo editing and curation (Lightroom, Photoshop, or similar).
- Ability to provide high-resolution, captioned, publication-quality art images.
Thematic Sensitivity & Storytelling
- Experience capturing themes related to gender justice, women’s rights, civic engagement, and marginalized communities.
- Ability to translate programmatic impact into strong visual narratives.
- Previous participation in co-creation or participatory media sessions is a plus.
Cultural and Contextual Understanding
- Deep familiarity with the local context and sensitivity to cultural, gender, and socio-political dynamics.
- Fluency in English and relevant local languages is essential.
- Respects ethical standards for informed consent, especially when photographing women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
Collaboration and Process
- Willingness to participate in planning and co-creation sessions with SIHA country teams and local partners.
- Able to align with SIHA’s feminist and rights-based narrative frameworks.
- Open to feedback and collaborative story editing and selection.
8. Duration and Timeline
The photo competition will run from 10th November to 30th November 2025
Award announcements will take place in the second week of December 2025
9. Application Process
Interested participants should submit their entries through the following link https://airtable.com/appHNyMhgTH7cHVt3/shrGI9mmxrvgJq6rq by 28 November 2025, 11:59 PM (EAT).
Each submission should include:
- Six (6) art paintings (one per thematic area).
- A short narrative (maximum 100 words per photo) explaining the story behind each image.
- The artist’s full name, contact details, and country of residence.
Due to the anticipated volume of submissions, only shortlisted entrants will be contacted.