Application Deadline: May 22, 2026
Applications are now open for the 2026 Vital Voices’ VVEngage Fellowship. The VV Engage program is a Vital Voices signature fellowship supporting outstanding women public leaders making and influencing policy across the globe. With the support of Freeport-McMoRan, this fully funded fellowship is designed to strengthen the capacity, decision-making power, and effectiveness of women leaders in public life, fostering bipartisan collaboration, shifting culture around women’s public leadership, and advancing equality in public representation globally.
VV Engage aims to shift global culture around women’s public leadership, advance gender equality in representation, and drive progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a particular focus on SDG 5: Gender Equality.
The 10-month program will allow fellows to participate in training on leadership, strategic communications, political strategy, and governance in partnership with the Council of World Women Leaders (CWWL) and professors of the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). They will also gain access to a global network of peers and political leaders, including current and former heads of state, through the Council of Women World Leaders.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must have at least three years of experience holding a leadership or decision-making role in public office, government, civic institutions, political movements, or public policy spaces.
- Be 18 years old by June 2026
- Must be one of the following:
- An elected/appointed official
- A political party leader
- An appointed official
- A political activist
- A community leader
- A media professional
- A civil society leader
- Must demonstrate a commitment to the core principles of the “Vital Voices Leadership Model” – Innovative, collaborative, and driven by a clear sense of mission; engaged in her community; committed to working with different political ideologies; committed to advancing the status of women and girls; committed to transparency and good governance
- Must demonstrate a commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Benefits
By the end of the VV Engage Program, Fellows will:
- Strengthen core public leadership skills, including political strategy, governance, strategic communications, and community mobilization.
- Complete the Vital Voices Leadership Journey, a virtual leadership development course based on learnings from over 25 years of work with leaders from across the world.
- Join the VV Engage Alumni community of over 190 alumni from across the globe and gain access to continued alumni virtual programing.
- Join the Vital Voices global network of more than 49,000 women leaders from around the world with full access to our network Hub with ongoing continuing education and engagement opportunities.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Vital Voices’ VVEngage Fellowship
