2019 Housing Finance in Africa Yearbook: Call for applications for authors for regional and country profiles

Deadline for applications: 17 June 2019

The flagship publication of CAHF, the Housing Finance in Africa Yearbook, is a highly-respected source of information on the state of the housing finance sector on the continent, targeted for housing finance practitioners, investors, researchers and government officials. 2019 will mark our 10th edition, which will be launched in November 2019–containing 55 country profiles and 5 regional profiles, and published simultaneously in English and French.

The Housing Finance in Africa Yearbook provides a current update of practice and developments in housing finance in Africa, reflecting the dynamic change and growth evident in the market in each country and region. While the general aim of the Yearbook is to offer a broad overview of housing finance and housing development in Africa, special emphasis is placed on the key challenge of housing affordability and access to housing processes for low income households, as well as the critical need for housing products and finance that are explicitly targeted at the income profiles of the majority.

The various country and regional profiles are researched and written by different authors around the continent–consultants, researchers and practitioners. To this end, we are currently seeking applications from interested parties to serve as researchers and authors for the 2019 10th edition of the Yearbook. The deadline for submission of applications is 17 June 2019.

The 2018 Yearbook can be viewed at: http:///housingfinanceafrica.org/resources/yearbook/   All profiles will reflect updated information and data on housing finance markets across these countries and regions. The 2019 Yearbook profiles will follow the same content focus and structure as last year’s edition.

When preparing your application, please consider the following:

• Local expertise is preferred. Ideally, profile authors are researchers or practitioners based in that country, who are therefore able to collect data on the ground and are more aware and tuned in to recent treads and developments.
• Interested authors can indicate their interest in up to 10 countries. However it is noted that no single author will be selected to write more than 3 profiles (including both regional and country profiles). In your cover letter, you are invited to indicate your special expertise in particular countries.
• We welcome country and regional profiles written in French. (CAHF will then be responsible for the translation). Please indicate on the application form if you would prefer to write profiles in French.
• The Yearbook places a high premium on data accuracy, quality and replicability. Authors will be expected to comply with rigorous guidelines regarding citations and references for all facts and data included in the profiles.
• Country profile authors are paid R19 000 (South African rand) per country. Regional profile authors are paid R10 000 per region.
• In the 2019 Yearbook, author’s names will be listed at the top of each profile.

Country profile authors will be responsible for the following:

• Originally authored profile (approximately 3600 words) containing the following sections: overview; access to finance; affordability; housing supply; property markets; policy and legislation; opportunities. (To view TOR, click on the orange circle at the top of the page).
• Completion of a Yearbook data survey. CAHF will pre-populate the survey with data available from international and online in-country datasets. Its is expected that the YB author would collect data on the remaining 20-35 indicators, which would require local knowledge of data sources and on-the-ground data collection. It should be noted that this will require emails, telephone calls and in-person visits to organisations and government departments to obtain data.

Regional profile authors will be responsible for the following:

• Originally authored profile (approximately 3600 words) containing the following sections: overview; access to finance; affordability; housing supply; property markets; policy and legislation; opportunities.

In order to apply, please submit the following information to alison@housingfinanceafrica.org by 17 June 2019:

• Short cover letter, expressing why you are interested in writing for the Yearbook, and your qualifications for the task.
• Updated CV, with three references.
• Two short writing samples: articles, or reports. Pieces related to housing or housing finance, and which include data analysis, are preferable.
• Completed application form, indicating your country and regional preferences. The application form can be downloaded by clicking on the orange circle at the top of the page.