On June 29, 2021, we hosted a session as a countdown event for the Generation Equality Forum. This event, I am Committed to Generation Equality !, marks the end of the first phase of our campaign’s mission. The key aim of our JE M’ENGAGE ! / I AM COMMITTED ! campaign is to increase the level of engagement of Francophone actors and ensure their active contribution to the actions and initiatives of the Action Coalitions that were launched in Paris on June 30, 2021 at the Generation Equality Forum.
Our session shared the results of this campaign with the GEF participants in Paris, including the lessons learned and the different commitments that we successfully pushed local actors to take.
But before we dive into the session itself, here’s a little bit about why our is so important in the fight for gender equality in the world :
- Since the launch of the Generation Equality Forum, we have noticed that, as usual, the involvement of Francophone women’s rights activists and organizations in this process is very insufficient.
- The lack of participation and inclusion of Francophone African actors in the global conversation on gender equality is a problem. Without the commitment of all actors from all regions, we will not be able to overcome the huge obstacle of gender inequality, and this can be best understood in the words of the President and Founder of XOESE, Massan D’Almeida : “We Francophones have a lot of ideas, a lot of initiatives — what is holding us back is the means.
- Due to the lack of resources, it is more difficult for actors who want to contribute to the gender equality agenda to engage in the global conversation.
- Thus XOESE, The Fund for Francophone Women in collaboration with FFC (the Fund for Congolese Women) decided to launch the JE M’ENGAGE ! campaign, and our objective with this campaign is to help these feminist groups get involved in these monumental events, amplify their voices and increase their capacity to bring their ideas and initiatives to life and have a profound impact.
Since the launch of this campaign in May 2021, we have succeeded in building 12 national coalitions – made up of more than 1265 organizations – which initiate various advocacy activities in their respective countries (Benin, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Haiti, Togo, Ivory Coast, DRC, Burundi, Mali).
This is only the first step. At XOESE — alongside our partners and the national advocacy groups — we are committed to increasing the level of engagement within Francophone Africa, because without the participation, engagement and inclusion of all, the goal of global gender equality cannot be fully achieved. We plan to continue these efforts to amplify the voices and participation of feminist groups and organizations in Francophone Africa.
Here are two quotes that illustrate the importance of our campaign
"Achieving gender equality by empowering women and girls." This is how the 5th objective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 is expressed. To achieve this, it is important to carry out strong actions, the core of which is equality between women and men.
It is with this in mind, that the JE M'ENGAGE ! campaign was launched, to further encourage countries and different actors to work for the fulfillment of the commitments made at the World Conference on Women in Beijing.
“In major events, we Francophones are absent. And when we go, it's to participate in the initatives of others”, deplores Massan D'Almeida, founder and president of the XOESE Fund, during the online meeting which brought together more than 150 participants from from the various countries in which the campaign took place. "This time around, we are bringing something concrete to the Generation Equality Forum and there is reason to be delighted," said the president of XOESE.
Summary
Objectives
- Present the campaign
- Share campaign results and lessons learned
- Celebrate the results of the campaign that national advocacy groups have succeeded in pushing local Francophone actors to take
Speakers
- Reyhanath TOURE MAMADOU : JE M’ENGAGE ! Coordinator, XOESE, the Francophone Women’s Fund
- Thèrèse NZALE : Program Manager, The Congolese Women’s Fund
- Massan d’ALMEIDA : President and Founder, XOESE, the Francophone Women’s Fund
- Emilie QUENENSSE : Partnerships Manager, XOESE, the Francophone Women’s Fund
- Representatives of the 12 national advocacy groups
Audience : JE M’ENGAGE ! campaign members and Generation Equality Forum participants; over 150 participants in total
- We would like to give a special thank you to Oulimata Sarr, UN Women Regional Director for Central and West Africa for her participation and for her contributions as well as the participation and contributions of Prospera: the International Network of Women’s Funds, the Foundation for a Just Society, AWID, Urgent Action Fund-Africa and CARE France.
Thank you to everyone who contributed in one way or another to the success of this campaign
- Coordination team (XOESE, FFC, ROFAF)
- Advocacy groups
- Lead organizations and secretariat
- Francophone actors
- Prospera and Equality Fund (technical partners of the campaign)
- All the other Women’s Funds and participants of this session
Campaign Results
Mobilization of more than 560 actors (ODCs, public institutions, private sector, the media, local authorities, religious authorities)
127 commitments obtained to date and others in progress
JE M’ENGAGE ! Benin
- Mobilization
- 76 civil society organizations were mobilized and engaged in the campaign
- 10 PTF
- 20 ministries and branches
- Commitments
- Technical and institutional support from: Coalition OSC ODD Benin, Bar Association of Benin, UNICEF (New York Office), Akpro-Missérété City Hall, WeWorld, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Insurance, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Benin (CCIB), Mediator of the Republic, Radio Planète, Radio Benin
- Technical and financial support from WILDAF, UNFPA and Mielerie Myosotis
OFFICIAL COMMITMENTS ON THE FGE SITE (… .. CSOs) AFeDDA, CALVIF,: Intensification of their actions for the achievement of Gender Equality in areas of interest; climate justice
JE M’ENGAGE ! Cameroun
- Mobilization
- 28 local organizations working on gender issues in 5 regions of Cameroon
- 1 PTF: UN Women Cameroon
- 2 delegates within the Ministry for the Promotion of Women
- 5 traditional authorities (community leaders)
- 3 private companies: Ecobank, Orange Foundation, Foundation MTN
- Commitments
- UN Women Cameroon → non-financial support i.e. the organization of the official launch; provision of premises
- Ministry for the Promotion of Women → non-financial support i.e. provision of rooms
- Traditional authorities → are committed to advancing gender equality, i.e. promoting the interests of girls; educate men to participate in household chores; support women’s CSO initiatives
JE M’ENGAGE ! RDC
- Mobilization
- 36 most representative platforms / networks of women’s organizations and women’s rights in the DRC, i.e. around 400 CSOs
- 20 public institutions
- Commitments
- Minister of Gender → allocated 2% of the national budget to mechanisms for promoting gender equality in order to finance the actions of women’s associations and movements)
- Governor ai of Kwango → allocated 3% of the province’s budget to the activities of women’s and youth associations)
- Customary chief representative → pledges to end early marriages)
- More than 20 CSO commitments → individual, non-financial and financial commitments
JE M’ENGAGE ! Haiti
- Mobilization
- +30 member CSOs (including men’s organizations)
- 2 officials
- 2 private companies
- Media
- 20 appointments obtained
- Commitments
- President of the Haitian Magistrates National Network → “I pledge to offer my legal services free of charge to all women and girls who are victims of violence so that they can obtain justice and reparation”
- FOSREF (Foundation for Reproductive Health and Family Education → “I am committed to strengthening the capacity of CSOs working on sexual health in order to avoid unwanted pregnancies and STIs”
- New Fashion Agency (Advertising and fashion agency in the south of the country; CEO Yvener Perrin → “Through New Fashion Agency, I pledge to advocate for respect for the female body”
- Media officer → airtime
JE M’ENGAGE ! Mauritanie
- Mobilization
- 72 letters sent to public and private institutions as well as to journalists’ associations
- Commitments
- The mayors of the municipalities of ARAVAT, DARNAIM and TEVRAGZEINA have made the meeting rooms of the town halls available to the group
- The CEO of Tijari Bank is committed to gender equality
JE M’ENGAGE ! Sénégal
- Mobilization
- 15 CSOs
- Media (TV, radio, print and online)
- Ministry of Women
- Justice Ministry
- Commitments
- Debate on JE MENGAGE ! Senegal live on a community radio station to involve the population
- Press conference JE M’ENGAGE Senegal
JE M’ENGAGE ! Burkina Faso
- Mobilization
- +30 member organizations
- +1800 women hired
- 11 meetings obtained and held
- 8 meetings obtained but not yet held
- Organizations contacted: rural commune of Koubri, Pabré, Tanghin Dassouri, Komki Ipaala, Saaba, Arrondissements 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 of the Commune of Ouagadougou, Coris Bank International
- Commitments
- Provision of meeting room for women’s groups. (local government)
- Provision of financial and non-financial support to the Women’s Funds which allocate grants to organizations and movements of women and young women (banks)
- Media coverage of the activities of women and girls (media – community radio
JE M’ENGAGE ! Burundi
- Mobilization
- 6 women’s and mixed member organizations
- The Association of Women Journalists of Burundi (AFJO)
- Appointment obtained with the Minister having gender in his attributions
- AFRABU LR met with the Permanent Secretary and told him about the campaign
- AFJO → The RL of CAFOB went there to talk to them about the campaign to have support and involvement of women in the media; but in addition to discuss the possibilities of seeing how to involve the media in talking about the forum.
- Organizations have been invited to learn about the campaign and the Paris forum
- Commitments
- CAFOB, which provides the secretariat, has undertaken to make the meeting room available and to provide certain services such as access to the internet connection, the necessary photocopies, various telephone communications, etc. to facilitate the campaign
- AFRABU, which holds the Vice Presidency, is committed to speaking about the campaign to its partners during an activity it organized on cross-border trade.
The Association Femmes Unies pour la Paix → multiplication of tools
JE M’ENGAGE ! Côte d’Ivoire
- Mobilization
- CSOs
- Minister of National Education
- Companies
- Religious authorities
- UN Women
- Commitments
- 50 signature of commitments through member organizations (international organizations, companies, NGOs and individuals, religious authorities)
- Commitment of the president of the National Pastoral Council
- Foursquare in raising awareness and engaging 700 pastors
- A working session with the Resident Representative of UN Women and its teams
JE M’ENGAGE ! Mali
- Mobilization
- 50 civil society organizations
5 major women’s organization bases - Letter of request for appointment and commitment sent to: 8 Ministerial Departments, 10 PTF, World Bank, Orange Foundation, Cooperation and Embassies (Swedish, USAID Canada), United Nations Institution
- 50 civil society organizations
- Commitments
- More than 5 large women’s organizations have given their commitments to support the campaign (WILDAF, Civil Society Organizations Forum, National Council of Civil Society Organizations)
JE M’ENGAGE ! Niger
- Mobilization
- CSOs / Women’s networks
Gender Observatory - Minister of Gender
- Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie
- President of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council
- UN Women
- CSOs / Women’s networks
- Commitments
- UN Women → layout of meeting rooms
- Minister of Gender → commitment to Niger; action plan to follow up on FGE recommendations
- Commitment made by the Secretary General of the OIF on 23/06/2021
- Commitment by the President of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council, on 06/16/2021
JE M’ENGAGE ! Togo
- Mobilization
- Establishment of 06 regional coordinations and 39 prefectural coordinations and a National Office
- 300 appointment and engagement request letters sent
- Organization of 12 face-to-face and virtual meetings in the regions and prefectures
- Commitments
- 5 media outlets have made financial and non-financial commitments to carry out an awareness-raising project with the regional coordinators
- Mayors → provision of rooms
- Canton chief → commit to promoting the actions of women’s and girls’ organizations
- NGO → provision of rooms
Recording of our Session at the GEF
Music Video for the National Advocacy Groups
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