The recently added pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated strained human rights systems struggling to cope with daily challenges, political instability, and increasingly frequent exclusion due to patriarchy in many francophone societies. In fragile settings, where enabling environments are weak, resilient, and sustainable, gender policy is a struggle to develop, let alone implement in a consistent and quality manner. Innovative approaches and continued investments are needed to alleviate the burden in which over 90% of women led organizations operate.

As a regional organization, RFLD calls on philanthropists to join our movements to reach the goal of $50 Million for Franchophone Organizations operating in SubSaharan Africa.

Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement / Network of Women Leaders for Development (RFLD) has expanded inlcusion’s reach into Francophone Subsaharan Africa through its programs. RFLD builds effective cooperation to promote and protect the rights of youth and women and ensure their participation in decision-making spheres through awareness raising, training and education programming, coalition and social movement building, and advocacy using communication technologies. A key contribution of RFLD is its work with 40+ women-led organisations and extensive network of CSOs, government partners, and regional networks to influence the enabling environment for women’s rights.

Research has shown more than 95% of unrestricted funding are allocated to Anglophone NGOs while Organizations in Francophone regions struggle with the remaining 5%.

RFLD works with proven global experts with the necessary complement of skills to deliver tailored, rights-based policy, advocacy, and transparent programming. Our approach is grounded in equity, inclusion, and accountability and uses as systems analysis and contextual diagnostics to surface entrenched barriers and facilitate a participatory, locally-led process.

Through our Theory of Change we believe that IF integrated, multi-sectoral and context-responsive policies are in place and implemented to the last mile and monitored; adequate, predictable, and flexible financing will be effectively invested at all levels to meet gender inclusion needs.

• RFLD’s has deep understanding of francophone women’s rights issues and movements in West and Central and its capacity to develop practical tools to foster local activism and identify areas of focus for policy reform.
• RFLD prides itself on being a learning organization that prioritizes knowledge production and dissemination to improve its program, advocate for social change, and amplify the voices of its constituents.
• RFLD is experienced in documenting women, and girls’ lived realities and struggles through consultations, opportunities for dialogue and exchange, or participatory research.
• RFLD has significant experience in leading and coordinating advocacy campaigns with its member organizations at the national and regional levels. RFLD calls on governments to address critical women’s rights issues and bring these issues to the attention of regional and international human rights bodies.
• RFLD has led advocacy campaigns on different topics, including combating sexual violence against women and girls, protecting women’s human rights defenders operating in conflict and post-conflict settings, promoting the rights of migrant female workers, sexual minority groups, and girls.

RFLD’s expertise is linked to specific approaches which are: inclusive development through the application of rights-based approaches to gender mainstreaming, promotion of civic space and human rights, gender equality, family planning, health and HIV – strategic and impact actions in institution building and empowerment of women’s rights organizations through gender mainstreaming and promotion of sexual and reproductive health rights – policy development expertise in women’s and girls’ rights programmes.

Together, we can change the narrative.

• To contact our secretariat, write us at ADMIN@RFLGD.ORG