The NGO Voix de Femmes (Women’s Voices) works for the women’s emancipation and against violence towards women and girls in 60 villages in the six communes of the Centre Region of Burkina Faso. Through a variety of prevention and awareness-raising activities, it aims to help people to know their rights and to have the power to enforce them.
THE REGIONAL CONTEXT
According to the 2018 OECD Burkina Faso country study, more than one in three women have experienced domestic violence in their lifetime.
This phenomenon is heightened in rural areas, where people face glaring difficulties in accessing their rights and essential information for their application. Moreover,
women who have been subjected to violence have difficulty finding structures to support them in their reconstruction. They are also subject to strong social pressure which tends to silence them and force them to remain silent.
SUPPORTING THE WOMEN’S EMANCIPATION IN THE VILLAGES OF BURKINA FASO
WOMEN’S VOICES IN A NUTSHELL
Founded in September 2000, Voix de Femmes contributes to the improvement of people’s living conditions, especially those of women.
The organisation carries out community awareness-raising work in various communes on the violence and socio-cultural constraints that hinder the development and effective participation of women in development.
Voix de Femmes provides women with access to vocational training and supports them in creating income-generating activities, thus contributing to their financial empowerment.
Some of the women reached by the awareness-raising activities receive more in-depth education on women’s rights and the fight against violence. Their capacities are strengthened so that they, in turn, become resource persons in the defence of women’s rights.
INTERVENE IN VILLAGES DESPITE UNFAVOURABLE CONDITIONS
Currently, the main obstacles to the NGO’s work are related to the situation in the sixty villages concerned.
Due to heavy rainy periods, most of the population is mobilised to work in the fields. Many appointments coinciding with rainy days or funeral ceremonies have had to be postponed. In
addition, Voix de Femmes has to deal with the inaccessibility of certain villages due to the current difficult climatic conditions. The accumulation of these constraints makes it difficult to mobilise the population.
FOCUS ON CARE FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE
As part of the Feminists in Action initiative, Voix de Femmes accompanies women and girls who are victims of violence.
In practice, the aim is to provide holistic care by a multidisciplinary team. The team is made up of specialists in the psychological, medical, legal and social fields in order to provide favourable conditions for the reconstruction of women and girl victims.
Voix de Femmes carries out awareness-raising work that is essential for improving the status of women in rural areas. The NGO not only paves the way for better knowledge of rights, but also enables women to become economically empowered. To find out more about the work of feminist CSOs around the world and to keep up to date with the progress of the Feminists in Action initiative, visit the News section.