EASSI to equip African women with leadership skills

The nine-month program which will run from April this year is targeting candidates aged between 18 and 35 from Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda.

“Every year we target four women. In 2008, we specifically seek women from Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania,” said EASSI executive director Marren Akatsa-Bukachi.

Applicants should be citizen and resident of the designated countries and have at least a Bachelors Degree in Social Sciences, Law, Development Studies, Mass Communication, Education, Information Technology, Gender and Women studies among others.

“At the end of the internship program, each intern is expected to produce a research report on an area of their choice but related to the work that EASSI does, based on their experience at EASSI,” Akatsa-Bukachi said.

EASSI focuses its activities on:
• Monitoring the Beijing Platforms for Action as a key focal area,
• Reducing feminised poverty,
• Increasing the role of women in peace building and conflict resolution,
• Achieving gender equality in democratic governance by increasing the numbers of women in power and decision-making, and
• Working with partners to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls.

“The objective is to develop and enhance young women's skills in leadership, lobbying and advocacy, program management, report writing and analysis, research documentation, information management, developing resourceful data bases, website maintenance and resource centre management,” she said.

The young women will have a chance to bring their own perspectives into the work of EASSI and to shape the internship program. The program will also shape their approach to feminism and issues at regional and global level that impact on women.

The deadline for submission is 31 January 2008 at 1200pm GMT or you can submit by email to Marren Akatsa-Bukachi: or post to Marren Akatsa-Bukachi Executive Director-EASSI, PO Box 24965, Kampala, Uganda, East Africa.