Between January 23 and 27, the Feminists in Action team had the chance to welcome a delegation of 7 representatives of African feminist activists to Paris for a series of high-level meetings. The goal was to convey their expectations and recommendations on one of the most emblematic mechanisms of French feminist diplomacy, the Support Fund for Feminist Organizations (Fonds de soutien aux organisations féministes – FSOF).
What is the Support Fund for Feminist Organizations?
The Fund was announced by the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, in 2019 as part of the French presidency of the G7. It is part of France’s International Strategy for Gender Equality 2018-2022 and is led by the French Development Agency. It is a 120-million-euro fund that aims to strengthen the feminist ecosystem in Global South.
To learn more about this financing mechanism, click here!
Feminists in Action is a project funded by the Support Fund for Feminist Organizations. Feminists in Action initiated the various meetings between the African delegation and policy makers that took place at the end of January.
Currently, less than 1% of international aid funding goes to women’s rights organizations. However, their mobilization and their work are essential to reduce inequalities, fight against violence and guarantee access to rights for all.
The importance of passing on the expertise of grassroots activists
In the front line to defend women’s rights and despite tough security context, the female African feminist activists act for societal changes and fight daily to reach a real social, political, economic and intimate justice. Yet their voices are often little heard and relayed.
All week long, Rolande Absayah, Marie-Paule Okri, Totine Kolani, Adeline Negob, Najet Araari, Mamounata Ouedraogo and Dieynaba N’Diom shared the reality of their struggles and their actions within their respective associations.
Strengthened by their expertise, they are allies of feminist diplomacy and bring a fine strategic analysis to decision-makers and policymakers. They come from Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Togo, Chad, Tunisia, Burkina Faso and Mauritania and are the spokespersons of the collective battles for which they are committed.
A delegation of feminists in action!
The representatives of women’s rights organizations and feminist activists who were attending have all been involved for years. Find the files of their respective organizations to learn more about their fights and their actions:
Adeline Negob, president of the Association pour l’Épanouissement de la Femme au Tchad (Association for the Fulfillment of Women in Chad)
Dieynaba N’Diom, president of the Initiative pour la Santé de la Reproduction en Mauritanie (Reproductive Health Initiative in Mauritania)
Mamounata Ouedraogo, president of the Réseau pour la Promotion et l’Autonomisation de la Femme Rurale au Burkina Faso (Network for the Promotion and Empowerment of Rural Women in Burkina Faso)
Marie-Paule Okri, representative of the Ligue Ivoirienne de Défense des Droits des Femmes (Ivorian League for Women’s Rights)
Najet Araari, representative of the Association des Femmes Tunisienne pour la Recherche sur le Développement (Tunisian Women for Development Research)
Rolande Absayah, president of the Association au Secours des Filles Mères du Cameroun (Association for the Rescue of Unmarried Mothers in Cameroon)
Totine Kolani president of the Initiative Féminine pour le Développement au Togo (Women’s Initiative for Development in Togo)
Follow the different meetings and highlights of the week on the social networks of Feminists in Action and discover the journey of these activists!