Innovation for Change (I4C) Africa Hub Board Members
Terms of Reference
Background
Innovation for Change (I4C)
Innovation for Change (I4C) is a growing global network of people, organizations and online Hubs with seven connected regional centres in Africa, Central Asia, East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), South Asia and the Pacific. An eighth Global Innovation Hub, co-facilitated by CIVICUS, supports project implementation and drives innovation across the entire network.
Here, people connect, partner and learn together to find positive approaches to overcome barriers to closing civic space and restrictions to our basic freedoms of assembly, association and speech. As a community-led network, these shared working spaces inspire the exchange of ideas, the sharing of successes, debates about the challenges of today and the creation of sustainable solutions and opportunities that can shape positive social change for tomorrow.
Our networks spark collaborations within civil society as well as partnerships with social and technology businesses and academia. We help power methods, create campaigns and drive programme development across sectors by offering advisory services, education and training, convening and network building, fundraising, free online tools/digital literacy and support with technology product development.
Innovation for Change (I4C) – Africa Hub
Civil society around the world is under significant and growing pressure as restricted freedoms, including those on funding, barriers to registration, interventions on how and where to operate, funding limitations, and open political harassment have become the norm. This internal and external pressure is leading to dwindling space for civic engagement as well as a shrinking role for civil society in advocacy. The existence, survival and sustainability of many civil society organizations (CSOs) now depends on innovative responses that allow for inventive options to scale up and continue the critical work they are currently undertaking.
Launched in 2017, the Africa Hub – based in Kampala, Uganda – has been working to strengthen the capacity of civil society through promoting home-grown African solutions, and as a result of being part of a global network, offered network members access to the latest thinking, resources and collaborations.
It has become a vital new physical and online space for regional ideas and social innovations, powered by its dynamic, growing community of civic space advocates, including CSOs, technologists, and cross-sectoral partners.
Innovation for Change (I4C) Africa Hub’s main goal is to protect, respect, strengthen, expand and recover civil society space.
More specifically, the Africa Hub’s objectives include:
- Developing and sustaining an interactive and easy to use online resource center essential to the campaign for the opening and maintaining of civil society space.
- Providing rapid support and legal analysis of regulations, administrative decisions and referrals for individuals or organizations in Africa.
- Improving the ability of civil society to mobilize and provide solidarity to countries or individuals affected by closing civic space.
- Facilitating and coordinating alliance-building among networks and relevant organizations across Africa and beyond.
- Growing and sustaining the Hub’s position as a continental platform for protecting and expanding civic space in Africa.
For more information about Innovation for Change (I4C) Africa Hub, please visit innovationforchange.net.
Africa Hub Board of Management:
The I4C Africa Hub Board of Management the overall governance body of the Hub consisting of 7 (seven) Members who play a key role in providing strategic direction that supports the Africa Hub in implementing programs that promote the Innovation for Change network development as well as drive innovation, new practices, learning and overall delivery on the Hub’s mandate.
The I4C Africa Hub is undergoing a transition after a 5-year period of incubation, experiencing and engagement with the different stakeholders since 2017. This engagement has allowed the hub to grow and is ready to undergo a transition into a stronger better entity through a transition process. This also coincides with the end of term for 4 (four) Board members who will be leaving at the end of February 2023.
Specifically, the Board of Management will be responsible for the following services:
- Setting the strategic direction of the Africa Hub;
- Providing policy directions to the Hub Manager through the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson or their nominee/designee;
- Responsible for holding of elections through an agreed nomination process;
- Responsible for the development of the Africa Hub’s strategy with support from the Hub Manager;
- Receiving, reviewing and adopting quarterly programmatic and financial reports; and
- Recruitment, supervision, appraisal of the Hub Secretariat.
- Providing inputs into the Global Governance Circle (GGC).
- Provide guidance to the Secretariat in implementing the transition to a stronger and better entity.
The Board will serve on rotational basis of 2 years.
Skills Required:
The Board Members will be appointed for their relevant experience and knowledge in one or more of the following Africa Hub Thematic Areas:
- Experience in engaging and supporting civil society organizations both at national and regional levels;
- Experience in fundraising, networking and alliance-building among the public, private, and civil society sectors;
- Experience in promoting human rights, Anti-corruption,
transparency and accountability, natural resources, climate change and food security, peace, justice and impunity, as well as strong institutions;
- Ability to support a virtual team across Africa; and
- Expressed commitment to long-term engagement with Innovation for Change (I4C) – Africa Hub.
Applications are invited from 4 Sub Regions of Africa; West Africa, Southern Africa, East Africa and North Africa.
Remuneration
The I4C Africa Hub will reimburse you for all reasonable expenses incurred by you in connection with attending Board meetings, and in relation to any activities conducted on behalf of the Hub.
Submission address
Submit your Expression of Interest Applications and CV by email to [email protected] copying [email protected] by 12noon East African Time on Sunday 22nd January 2023. Indicating in the subject line: “Application: Board Member for I4C Africa Hub”