About the opportunity
RIDE is launching a call for research proposals on Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) in transport, managed by RIDE’s Partnership Pillar (GIZ) and Research Pillar (WRI), in partnership with WomenMobilizeWomen (WMW) and the Global Alliance for Feminist Transport. Transport systems in low- and middle-income countries are often designed without women’s economic lives and safety in view, as women make up only 12% of the global transport and storage workforce and fewer than 18% of the most cited transport researchers. This call funds research that treats women’s economic empowerment as the central subject rather than a secondary lens, focusing on evidence that leads to concrete change in transport policy, services, infrastructure, or operations. The research themes include violence against women and girls in transit and climate resilience impacts on women’s economic stability.
Salary and benefits
- Grants ranging from £150,000 to £200,000 per project
- Funding for at least two research projects
- Project duration of up to 15 months
Who can apply?
- Research teams or consortia based at universities and research institutes, anywhere in the world
- Research must focus on one of RIDE’s partner countries (Group 1: Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania; Group 2: Ghana, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa, Vietnam)
- Partnerships with LMIC-based institutions are strongly encouraged
- Applications led by women researchers and researchers based in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia are strongly encouraged
Required documents
- Cover letter in PDF format
- Research proposal in Word format (maximum 4,000 words)
- Detailed budget in Excel format using the GIZ template
- Evidence of non-profit status
When to apply
- Deadline: Friday, 20 November 2026, 6:00 pm CEST
- Projects must be completed by 31 March 2028
How to apply
- Prepare your cover letter, research proposal, detailed budget using the GIZ template, and evidence of non-profit status
- Combine all required documents into one zipped file
- Submit the zipped file via email to Cristal Stefania Cedeno Tobanda (cristal.cedenotobanda@giz.de) and Viviane Weinmann (viviane.weinmann@giz.de)
Additional information
- A clear uptake plan carries the highest weight in the evaluation (30%), requiring researchers to name specific decision-makers and policy windows they aim to influence and involve those actors from the start of the research
- For questions, contact cristal.cedenotobanda@giz.de
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- Ideal for academic research teams and institutes specializing in transport economics, gender equality, urban planning, or climate resilience in developing economies.
- Strong fit for consortia that already possess strong local partnerships within RIDE's designated partner countries in Africa, South Asia, or Southeast Asia.
- Well-suited for researchers who prioritize actionable policy uptake and stakeholder engagement from the inception of their study.
What should you think carefully about?
- Projects must strictly focus on one of RIDE's predetermined partner countries across Africa, South Asia, or Southeast Asia.
- The 15-month project duration requires a highly focused and efficient research methodology to meet the completion deadline of 31 March 2028.
- The uptake plan constitutes 30% of the evaluation, meaning traditional purely academic proposals without clear policy influence pathways may be less competitive.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This opportunity fits research groups looking to secure substantial funding to conduct impactful, policy-oriented studies on gender and transport. It provides an excellent platform to bridge academic research with actionable institutional change and policy windows in low- and middle-income countries.
Our take
University research teams and non-profit institutes with expertise in gender dynamics and transport infrastructure in developing regions should seriously consider applying, provided they can establish a robust stakeholder uptake plan by the November 2026 deadline.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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