RFLD Academy alumni and mentorsAlumni et mentors de l’Académie du RFLD
RFLD Academy cohorts, the alumni network and a call for mentors. Les cohortes de l’Académie du RFLD, le réseau des anciennes et un appel à mentores.
Last updated · October 30, 2026
RFLD Academy alumni and mentors · Anciennes et mentores de l’Académie du RFLD
Every woman who completes an RFLD course or training joins a cohort. This page brings the cohorts together, keeps alumni connected after the certificate and invites experienced women to mentor the next ones.
The cohorts
| Cohort | When | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Académie francophone, cohort 2026 | Open since 3 October 2026 | Activists, lawyers, civil society teams, journalists and public officials following the 15 free certified courses in five schools: rights and mechanisms, advocacy, protection, leadership, and economic and climate justice. |
| Political participation cohort, May 2026 | 19 to 23 May 2026 | 110 women leaders trained in Dakar, Porto-Novo and Lomé under the Afrofeminist Initiative for Human Rights Development in Francophone West Africa (SEA-T, GIZ, BMZ). |
| Advocacy Nexus defenders, July 2026 | 13 to 15 July 2026, Porto-Novo | Women human rights defenders working on digital resilience. |
| RFLD Academy (English) and Academia do RFLD (Português) | Ongoing | Learners in anglophone and lusophone Africa. |
Certificates are issued only after every lesson and a final quiz with at least 70%. Each certificate carries a unique number that anyone can verify online. Content is reviewed by the Academy’s scientific committee, Dr Pascal Dohou and Dr Sandrine Chikou of the Université d’Abomey-Calavi.
What alumni get
- A place in the alumni directory, shared only with your consent.
- First notice of RFLD calls for proposals, trainings and speaking opportunities, including the Africa Grant Portfolio opening in January 2027.
- An invitation to quarterly online alumni meetings, in French and English.
- The chance to be matched with a mentor.
Join the alumni network · Rejoindre le réseau des anciennes
Call for mentors · Appel à mentores
We are looking for experienced women to mentor alumni for six months, one hour a month online. Mentors are lawyers, advocates, elected officials, journalists, researchers, fundraisers and leaders of women’s organisations. Mentoring is voluntary. RFLD matches each mentor with one or two alumni by language, country and theme, and every pair follows RFLD’s safeguarding and PSEA policies.
Nous cherchons des femmes expérimentées pour accompagner des anciennes pendant six mois, une heure par mois en ligne. Le mentorat est bénévole. Le RFLD forme chaque binôme selon la langue, le pays et le thème, dans le respect de ses politiques de protection.
Questions: programs@rflgd.org · Académie francophone · RFLD Academy · Academia do RFLD · Learner space
Frequently asked questions
Who can join the alumni network?
Anyone who has completed an RFLD Academy course or an RFLD training, in French, English or Portuguese.
How do I become a mentor?
Fill in the mentor form on this page. Mentoring is voluntary, one hour a month online for six months, and follows RFLD’s safeguarding and PSEA policies.
Are the courses free?
Yes. The 15 courses of the Académie francophone are free and certified. A certificate is issued after every lesson and a final quiz with at least 70%.
Will my name be public?
Only if you tick the box agreeing to appear in the alumni directory.
Cite and share
How to cite: RFLD (2026). RFLD Academy alumni and mentors. Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement. https://rflgd.org/academy-alumni-mentors/ (accessed [date]).
Free to quote and share with attribution. Corrections: programs@rflgd.org.
What alumni get
- A place in the RFLD Academy alumni community and its directory.
- Matching with an experienced mentor in your field and language.
- First notice of new courses, calls for proposals and speaking opportunities.
- Access to the RFLD member space and data tools for your organisation.
Register using the form on this page.
What mentors give
Mentors are experienced women leaders, lawyers, researchers, activists and managers who give some of their time to accompany Academy graduates: answering questions, reviewing a project or a proposal, opening their network and sharing lessons learned. You choose the time you can give and the topics you cover. Sign up using the mentor form on this page.
Key dates for alumni and mentors
Moments in the coming months when alumni and mentors can support advocacy:
- 25 November – 10 December 2026: 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence (RFLD campaign).
- 1 December 2026: GivingTuesday (support RFLD).
- March 2027: 71st session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW71), New York.
- 11 July 2027: anniversary of the Maputo Protocol and next update of the Maputo Barometer.
- All year: CEDAW and UPR reviews of African states (see the calendar) and sessions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Courses to start with
All Academy courses are free and certified. Browse and enrol from the learner space. Good starting points include the course “Leadership, afrofeminism and solidarity” and the MOOC on civic space, democracy and digital advocacy.
Our data tools are a good companion to the courses: the legal scorecard, the country fact sheets and the Data Center.
Glossary
- ECOWAS
- Economic Community of West African States, the 15-member regional bloc covered by our West Africa tools.
- Maputo Protocol
- Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, adopted on 11 July 2003.
- CEDAW
- UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; its Committee reviews states periodically.
- UPR
- Universal Periodic Review, the UN Human Rights Council peer review of every state’s human rights record.
- ACHPR
- African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, based in Banjul, which receives state and alternative reports.
- Mentoring
- A voluntary, structured relationship in which an experienced person supports the growth of a less experienced one.
- Alumna / alumni
- A graduate (or graduates) of an RFLD Academy course.
Stay involved
- Send a correction or a new text: write to programs@rflgd.org with a link to or copy of the official text.
- Become a member: women-led organisations can join the network and use the Academy network in their own advocacy.
- Learn: take a free certified course at the RFLD Academy.
- Support: give to RFLD so we can keep this data open and free.
Advance gender justice with RFLD
A pan-African network of 1,143 member organisations across 35+ countries: advocacy, research, re-granting and direct service delivery.
For funders and partnersPour les bailleurs et les partenaires
Fund the women who defend rights in Africa, nowFinancez maintenant les femmes qui défendent les droits en Afrique
Aid to women’s organisations is falling. RFLD moves funding fast to women-led organisations and defenders, in French and English, through a network of 1,143 member organisations in more than 35 African countries.L’aide aux organisations de femmes recule. Le RFLD achemine vite les financements vers les organisations de femmes et les défenseures, en français et en anglais, grâce à un réseau de 1 143 organisations membres dans plus de 35 pays africains.
RFLD currently serves as Co-Chair of the SEA-T Programme Advisory Council, mandated to ensure the programme’s direction, priorities, and resources are meaningfully aligned with the visions of African women-led civil society. The SEA-T Programme is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.Le RFLD assure actuellement la coprésidence du Conseil consultatif du programme SEA-T, chargé de veiller à ce que l’orientation, les priorités et les ressources du programme soient réellement alignées sur les visions de la société civile africaine portée par les femmes. Le programme SEA-T est financé par le ministère fédéral allemand de la Coopération économique et du Développement (BMZ) et mis en œuvre par la Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. See the partnershipVoir le partenariat
- 1,143member organisationsorganisations membres
- 35+African countriespays africains
- N°553ACHPR observer statusstatut d’observateur CADHP
- CandidSeal of Transparency 2025Sceau de transparence 2025
DonateFaire un don Partner with RFLDDevenir partenaire See our financialsVoir nos états financiers