The Nobel Women’s Initiative, founded in 2006 by women Nobel Peace Prize laureates and based in Ottawa, Canada, runs Sister-to-Sister as its young feminist leadership program. The 2026 edition carries the theme Peace in the Age of AI: Building Feminist Futures and looks at how artificial intelligence is reshaping power, conflict and information ecosystems. Twenty-five activists aged 18 to 35 take part in six weeks of live online sessions, held from 24 August to 28 September 2026.
The curriculum covers feminist leadership practice, digital security, disinformation, AI governance and movement building, with peer learning across the cohort. The program started in 2012 as a residential course in Ottawa and Antigonish and moved online after 2020 so that activists in conflict-affected places could join. More than 140 young women from over 35 countries have completed it, and graduates stay connected through the Sister-to-Sister alumni network.
Benefits & funding
- Six weeks of live, cohort-wide online sessions with feminist leaders and fellow activists; there is no participation fee.
- An honorarium paid at the end of the program, meant to cover internet access, a workspace, transport and care responsibilities. The amount is not published, and selected participants give bank details to receive it.
- Training in feminist leadership, digital security, AI and disinformation analysis, and advocacy strategy.
- A place in a 25-person global cohort and entry to the Sister-to-Sister alumni network.
Eligibility
- Aged 18 to 35.
- Commitment to and some hands-on experience in feminist peacebuilding, women’s rights, digital rights or feminist social justice work, with potential for feminist leadership.
- Able to take part effectively in English; all sessions run in English.
- Able to attend at least 80% of the live cohort sessions across the six weeks.
- Open to all nationalities. The 2026 call strongly encouraged applicants from East Africa and from the Philippines, Liberia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Iraq, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Colombia, Haiti, Ukraine, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, and did not limit eligibility to those places.
- No degree or enrolment requirement.
- The program is built for young women activists, and trans and non-binary activists are explicitly encouraged to apply.
- A working email address is required. Incomplete or late applications are not reviewed.
Can you apply?
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Age requirement
18–35 yrs
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Application process
- 1Write a personal letter of up to one page, or record a video of up to two minutes, covering your contribution to feminist peace or digital rights work, the main challenge in your context, and what the program would change for your work.
- 2Prepare a current resume that sets out paid, volunteer and academic experience in detail.
- 3Ask a feminist peace, social justice or digital rights activist or organization for a reference letter that includes their contact details.
- 4Submit the full set of materials through the official application form before the deadline.
- 5Shortlisted applicants are invited to a group interview on Zoom. Accommodation needs should be raised in the reply to that invitation.
- 6Selected participants are notified by email and provide valid bank details so the honorarium can be paid.
Program timeline
Application deadline for the 2026 cohort, 11:59pm ET
Jun 26, 2026
Six-week virtual program begins
Aug 24, 2026
Program ends
Sep 28, 2026