Call for letters of interest: Addressing neglected areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights in sub-Saharan Africa (ANeSA)

Call for letters of interest: Addressing neglected areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights in sub-Saharan Africa (ANeSA) supports implementation research teams tackling under-served SRHR needs in sub-Saharan Africa through a two-stage competitive process.

What it offers

• Up to six grants of up to CAD 1.2 million each.
• Projects must run for up to 36 months.
• Focus on sustainable, evidence-informed and gender-transformative interventions in at least one of five priority areas:
  • Improving access to family planning and contraceptive services
  • Expanding access to safe abortion care (where legally permitted) and post-abortion care
  • Upholding SRHR rights and ensuring access for adolescents
  • Preventing sexual- and gender-based violence and improving services for survivors
  • Strengthening advocacy for SRHR

Who can apply

• Implementation Research Teams led by a sub-Saharan Africa-based researcher affiliated with an eligible institution in an eligible country.
• Eligible countries include Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Eswatini, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

How to apply

• Submit a Letter of Interest by Sunday, August 23, 2026 - 23:59 ET.
• Up to 12 applicants will be invited to submit a Full Proposal.
• Attend the informational webinar on July 15, 2026 at 10:00am Eastern Time (GMT/UTC-4).
• Contact the ANeSA team at SRHR-SDSR@idrc.ca by August 09, 2026 for questions.

Good to know

• Funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
• Applications from some countries may be subject to an additional stage of internal approval within IDRC.