A “theory of change” (ToC) is a statement—a strategic narrative—that explains the logic of an organisation and its programmes. Every organisation has an implicit or explicit theory of change that articulates how some type of strategy or intervention will address the challenges they identify.

Theories of change have three parts. A theory of change is about how some driving or mitigating factor identified in a VAW assessment, for example, can be changed with some intervention plan to achieve a positive impact.

WHAT: ‘We Have Rights Too’ is Africa’s largest network on research on violence against women, providing a space where regional players connect with one another, share ideas and promote their research, work to influence policies and improve the lives of those who have experienced gender-based violence.

‘We Have Rights Too’ works on four key challenges: promotion of women’s rights; violence Against women and girls; Women’s political and economic empowerment and Women’s equality.

We:

• Promote and protect women’s rights in Africa.
• Monitor the AU and its Members on commitments made for women’s rights and promote constructive engagement with the leadership of the AU.
• We carry out state-of-the-art policy research – contributing in building a more secure, peaceful, and prosperous Africa through independent analysis and action addressing critical gender challenges.
• Campaign, advocate and build alliances. We promote partnerships and influencing change.
• Litigate.
• Train, convene, connect and develop tomorrow’s women leaders.
• Educate, influence, engage, and empower.
• Give loans and grants and empower women through micro financing.

HOW: ‘We Have Rights Too’ works on these issues through evidence-based research, policy briefs, dialogical workshops and conferences and collaborative analytical problem-solving workshops. These processes are all aimed at enabling parties in conflict to acknowledge their differences while building on underlying commonalities.

WHO: ‘We Have Rights Too’ works with diverse stakeholders from governments, business, and diverse parts of civil society, including religious leaders, women, academics, media and civil society activists.

WHY: ‘We Have Rights Too’ is motivated to do this work because of core values, including a focus on relieving inequality and the unnecessary human suffering of women in Africa, preventing violence against women and girls, and developing creative, nonviolent solutions to a range of human problems.

THEORY OF CHANGE: ‘We Have Rights Too’ believes that key regional challenges facing women require creative problem solving. By using solid evidence and facilitation processes, new solutions can be generated that address these peace and security challenges.