Protecting Gains for Women and Girls : Civil Society Steps Up Accross West and Central Africa.
Date:
“We meet at a moment that is both important and challenging.”
With this call to action, UN Women Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Maxime Houinato, opened a regional Friendsraising Forum bringing together, civil society organizations, academia, media and private sector representatives to advance collective action for women and girls across the region.
The forum marked the second stage of a regional process launched following CSW70. A Ministerial Debrief held in May brought together government representatives to identify priority areas for action, implementation needs and opportunities for support. Building on these discussions, the Friendsraising Forum focused on mobilizing allies around delivery and identifying practical pathways to translate commitments into results for women and girls.
“CSW70 adopted an ambitious roadmap to ensure effective access to justice for women and girls. But we all know that no declaration, however ambitious, can transform the lives of women and girls on its own. Progress depends on our collective ability to turn commitments into action,” said Antoinette Mbrou, Regional Coordinator of WiLDAF-West Africa.
“Your role here around the table has become essential,” Dr. Houinato told participants, underscoring the importance of partnerships and collective action.
Throughout the discussions, participants explored how governments, civil society, researchers, media, community leaders and the private sector can work together to accelerate progress and protect hard-won gains.
The exchanges pointed to a common conclusion: advancing women’s rights requires stronger partnerships, closer coordination and a shared commitment to delivery.
Discussions identified practical pathways to strengthen community-based justice services, improve support for survivors of gender-based violence, expand digital inclusion and safety for women, and develop more integrated approaches across sectors. Participants also highlighted the importance of stronger accountability mechanisms, coordinated advocacy efforts, greater engagement with traditional and religious leaders, and more sustainable financing for gender equality.
“We are equally reminded that progress cannot be taken for granted,” noted Princess Joan Jummai Idonije, Special Assistant (Technical, Women Affairs and Community Engagement) to the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development of Nigeria.
Echoing the importance of securing broad-based support for gender equality, Professor Satang Nabaneh, Professor at the University of The Gambia and Special Rapporteur on Violence against Children at the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, emphasized that “our religions and traditional leaders play a major role in our societies.”
The role of media as partners in advancing women’s rights was also highlighted.
“Women want to share their stories, but local media don’t give them enough opportunities to do so. We need to work on this,” said Sanni Moumouni Seibou, Editor-in-Chief and Programme Manager at West Africa Democracy Radio.
A key outcome of the forum was the consolidation of recommendations that will feed into the Coalition Action Brief, a shared framework designed to identify priority actions, partner contributions and opportunities for collaboration to advance the implementation of commitments for women and girls across West and Central Africa.
These recommendations will also inform the High-Level Dialogue taking place on 5 June in Dakar, co-hosted with the Embassy of Switzerland. Bringing together governments and development partners, the dialogue will focus on identifying where collective approaches can unlock progress and help sustain gains for women and girls in a constrained environment.
Closing the forum, UN Women West and Central Africa Deputy Regional Director Mireille Kamitatu welcomed the richness of the exchanges and called on partners to sustain collaboration through continued advocacy, joint initiatives and collective action.
“The dialogue ends today. The mobilization continues,” Mireille Kamitatu concluded.