There are two parts to the discussion that make up the first interview of a new Women First TV (WF1TV) program, Conversations. In both parts of the conversation, journalist and feminist activist Dr. Fatimata Ly-Fall interviews the three winners of the Francophone Gender Equality Award:
- Fela RAZAFINJATO, activist for the rights of people with disabilities;
- Wilhelmine NTAKEBUKA, activist for women’s rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo
and - Essivi ACAKPO ADRA, climate justice activist.
The purpose of publishing this inspiring conversation and the goal of the collaboration between XOESE and WF1TV is to celebrate the extraordinary efforts of these women and to increase the visibility of their feminist projects, initiatives and motivations. In addition, to facilitate the success of these key objectives and to inspire other women, young women, and girls to get involved in the Francophone women’s movement, we will host this conversation in which the winners are asked about their feminist advocacy initiatives and projects.
The video features Fela RAZAFINJATO who is an activist for the rights of people with disabilities. She is the pioneer of the law n° 97-044 for disabled people in Madagascar, a law that recognizes the rights of disabled people to health, education, employment and professional training, and leisure. This new law has allowed to amplify the movement for the rights of disabled people, hence the birth of the C.O.P.H (Collectif des Organisations œuvrant pour les Personnes Handicapées), a national structure that federates associations.
Dr. Ly-Fall also mentioned the work of the second and third prize winners, Wilhelmine NTAKEBUKA and Essivi S. ACAKPO-ADDRA Epse TSONYA
Wilhelmine NTAKEBUKA is an activist for women’s rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Through the numerous activities of her organization (Vision Communautaire – VICO), she has succeeded in eradicating kwashiorkor among pregnant women, nursing mothers, elderly people and children in the territory of Walungu.
She has courageously continued to carry out activities in favor of women’s rights in a context of political instability, war, in rural and isolated areas, with violence, while all the organizations were absent on the ground.
Essivi S. ACAKPO-ADDRA Epse TSONYA is a climate justice activist.
Through the numerous activities of her organization (Women Environmental Programme Togo – WEP-TOGO), she has succeeded in impacting more than 20,000 women through the implementation of resilience actions for women farmers and rural women in the face of climate change, and in the sustainable management of natural resources (land and forests).
She has also influenced policies at the national level for the involvement of women and the consideration of their concerns in the national strategy of the project on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in Togo, as a representative of women in the National REDD+ Committee.
Conversations, a new program from WF1TV, part 1