Consortium membership · Funded by Sida
RFLD’s role in CHARM.
RFLD is one of seven partners in the Consortium for Human Rights and Media in Africa. CHARM strengthens journalists, human rights defenders and civil society across Sub-Saharan Africa. In Phase III (2026–2027), led by DefendDefenders, RFLD brings the consortium its francophone reach and its expertise on women’s rights, the ACHPR and the Maputo Protocol.
What CHARM is
Human rights, media and civic space, in one framework.
Funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, CHARM brings together organisations with complementary strengths: civil society convening, defender protection, journalism development, digital activism and feminist organising.
Its mandate goes beyond defending ground already gained. The consortium builds the protection mechanisms, peer networks, secure tools and movement coordination that let frontline defenders and journalists keep working safely and effectively.
Our strengths
What RFLD brings to CHARM.
Each partner joins for strengths the others complement. RFLD’s contribution sits in four areas.
01 · Francophone reach.
The consortium’s anglophone partners are strongest in East and Southern Africa. RFLD extends CHARM into francophone West and Central Africa through its member organisations and six offices.
- Member relationships across francophone West and Central Africa
- Offices in Porto-Novo, Dakar, Accra, Banjul, Lagos and Igolo
- Feminist civil society networks for joint work in French
- French-language convening capacity across the continent
- A bridge between francophone advocacy and continental forums
02 · ACHPR engagement.
With Observer Status at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, RFLD can take consortium evidence into continental mechanisms.
- ACHPR Observer Status N°553
- Co-hosted side events on civic space and women’s rights
- Coordination with the Working Group on Human Rights Defenders
- Universal Periodic Review submissions for francophone states
03 · Women’s rights & the Maputo Protocol.
RFLD anchors the consortium’s gender work in continental law and connects it to grassroots feminist movements.
- Implementation tracking through the Maputo Protocol Hub
- Links to grassroots organisations through the WAFF Fund
- Expertise on women human rights defenders in francophone contexts
- Continental advocacy on harmful practices, GBV and bodily autonomy
04 · Open data.
The DƆNÙESÈ Data Center gives every partner reference material on women’s rights, civic space and human rights compliance.
- West Africa Legislative Platform for ECOWAS women’s rights law
- ACDEG Hub for democracy charter compliance
- AU Mechanisms guides for civil society
- Open data on civic space, harmful practices and SRHR
“Consortium work is strongest when each partner brings what the others do not. RFLD brings francophone Africa, continental legal expertise and feminist movement infrastructure.”
Opportunities
Why coalitions make an impact.
One response to many different pressures.
Media freedom, defender protection and digital rights face different pressures in different countries. Together the seven partners cover the whole picture, where each would cover only part of it alone.
Francophone defenders gain continental access.
Through CHARM, RFLD’s member organisations reach protection, peer networks and advocacy spaces that would take years to build alone.
Phase III is a moment to deepen the model.
With Phase III running through 2027, the consortium can consolidate what works and extend it to more countries and more defenders.
The consortium partners
Seven partners, complementary strengths.
Short institutional summaries. Visit each partner’s website for its own programmes and results.
The full consortium narrative, evaluations and partner results sit with DefendDefenders as consortium lead. This page covers RFLD’s role only.
If funders invest
What further investment in RFLD would add.
CHARM funds RFLD’s role within the consortium. Complementary support to RFLD would let the same francophone infrastructure reach further.
Defender protection
Urgent-action grants for women human rights defenders through the WAFF Fund.
A standing rapid-response fund for francophone defenders, able to act within days.
Continental advocacy
ACHPR side events, shadow reporting and UPR submissions.
A presence at every ACHPR session, with francophone defenders supported to attend and speak.
Open data
Legislative, ACDEG and AU mechanism tools used by consortium partners.
Regular civic-space monitoring published in French and English for all partners.
For consortium-level questions, please contact DefendDefenders. For RFLD’s francophone work, ACHPR engagement or Maputo Protocol expertise, we would be glad to talk.
Engage with RFLD
Get in touch.
Confidential channel for safeguarding and integrity concerns: integrity@rflgd.org