The five days of the Academy will explore gender, migration and displacement in the East and Horn of Africa. In 2024, this region hosted 18% more forcibly displaced and stateless people than the previous year, a total of 27.5 million.
Within this growing crisis, women and girls often bear the heaviest burdens. Research shows that one in five refugee women faces sexual violence in refugee camps that should serve as places of safety. Among the most common forms of gender-based violence is intimate partner violence, encompassing physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological abuse. Such violence often intensifies when men face acute stress over food, shelter, and livelihoods, leading to what experts describe as “violent coping mechanisms” to counterbalance the loss of power.
Efforts to curb child marriage and female genital mutilation have been ongoing for decades, led by humanitarian organisations across the region. Yet these interventions remain fragile, and have become even more challenging due to the unpredictability of climate and instability. Stretching across countries affected by conflict, environmental stress, and economic transition, East Africa is a key migration hub marked by labour mobility, internal displacement, and cross-border movements. The region also faces growing challenges from migration.
“As the region experiences mixed migration patterns, there is need for specialised training and capacity building to better understand innovative ways of addressing the varied movements within the region and beyond.”, notes Andrew Geddes, Director of the Migration Policy Centre.
Through five days of training and exchange at the United States International University-Africa, the Academy aims to build capacity among policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to develop innovative, evidence-based responses to the region’s evolving migration realities.
“The Academy is designed not only to build theoretical understanding, but also to equip attendees with concrete analytical tools to study migration through a gender lens", explains Linda Oucho, Executive Director of the African Migration and Development Policy Centre (AMADPOC).
Participants will explore the gendered dimensions of displacement in the East and Horn of Africa, assess existing protection and policy frameworks, and exchange evidence-based approaches to more inclusive migration programming and research. The programme will encourage participants to develop gender-responsive policy recommendations and foster knowledge exchange among academics, policymakers, and civil society actors, while building strong regional networks.
With the backing of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, up to five outstanding candidates from low-income and lower-middle-income economies can receive financial support of up to US$1,000 and a full fee waiver. Applications are open until 14 January 2026.
Learn more and check out the eligibility criteria.