Money is only one condition for feminist movements to work. They also need the freedom to register, meet, speak and receive funds. RFLD’s 2026 data report, Funding Feminist Movements in Francophone West Africa, describes the second gap facing the region alongside the funding gap: a political one. In October 2026, the CIVICUS Monitor rated three of the eight countries covered by the report “obstructed” and five “repressed”.
The ratings
The CIVICUS Monitor rates the state of civic freedoms in every country on a scale of 0 to 100. The table below summarises the ratings and the recent developments recorded in the RFLD report.
| Country | Score | Rating | Recent developments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Côte d’Ivoire | 53 | Obstructed | Arrests at banned opposition protests around the October 2025 presidential election; new rules for civil society organisations in 2024 |
| Senegal | 47 | Obstructed | Upgraded from repressed in December 2025 |
| Niger | 32 | Repressed | About 2,900 of 4,700 registered NGOs suspended in 2025 |
| Togo | 29 | Repressed | Protests in 2025 against constitutional changes, with deaths, arrests and internet restrictions |
| Guinea | 29 | Repressed | Dissolution of 40 political parties in March 2026 |
| Mali | 26 | Repressed | Associations suspended in 2024; political parties banned in June 2025 |
| Burkina Faso | 25 | Repressed | At least 1,174 civil society organisations suspended or dissolved by June 2026; on the CIVICUS watchlist since July 2026 |
More than 80% of people in sub-Saharan Africa live in countries rated repressed or closed (CIVICUS Monitor, 2025). Francophone West Africa is no exception.
What closing civic space means for women’s organisations
For women’s organisations, closing civic space takes concrete forms. Registration takes longer and requires more documents. Rules on foreign funding oblige organisations to declare every grant and sometimes to wait for authorisation before spending it. Activists who speak out on violence, land or political participation face harassment, online and offline. In the most severe cases, organisations are suspended or dissolved, and their bank accounts frozen.
Each of these measures has a funding consequence. A funder may hesitate to sign a grant with an organisation whose legal status is uncertain. A grant already signed may become impossible to transfer. And the women the organisation serves lose support, often without any public notice.
Coastal States and the Sahel
The ratings show a clear divide. The coastal States of Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Senegal are rated obstructed, with scores between 47 and 53. The Sahel countries and Guinea are rated repressed, with scores between 25 and 32. Senegal is the only country to have improved recently, having been upgraded from repressed in December 2025. Togo, although coastal, is rated repressed after the 2025 protests.
Feminist leaders have asked funders to treat the Sahel and the coastal States differently (RFLD, 2025). In the Sahel, support may need to go to informal groups, organisations in exile and regional networks, with reporting adapted to protect partners. In coastal countries, organisations can still receive grants directly, and funders can invest in their long-term strength.
The role of African human rights mechanisms
RFLD holds observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (No. 553). It uses this status to raise the situation of women human rights defenders and civic space before the Commission and its Special Rapporteurs. RFLD’s report asks governments of the region to protect civic space so that women’s organisations can register, receive funds and operate safely, in line with the African Charter and the Maputo Protocol. Follow RFLD’s work at the 89th ordinary session of the African Commission.
What funders can do
RFLD recommends that funders assess the legal and security risks that new laws on associations and foreign funding create for their grantees in each country, and adapt their reporting requirements accordingly. Public lists of grantees and visible branding can expose partners to risk in repressive contexts. Funding through regional intermediaries that know the context can reduce that exposure.
Senegal: obstructed, yet still open
Senegal hosts a renewed phase of Canada’s Women’s Voice and Leadership programme, launched in December 2025, and RFLD’s Dakar hub. Its upgrade from repressed to obstructed in December 2025 is a positive signal. Senegal shows that the funding and political gaps can be narrowed when donors stay engaged and governments respect the freedom of association.
Key figures
- 5 of 8: countries covered by the report rated repressed in October 2026.
- 25 out of 100: Burkina Faso’s score, the lowest of the eight.
- 53 out of 100: Côte d’Ivoire’s score, the highest of the eight.
- More than 80%: the share of people in sub-Saharan Africa living in countries rated repressed or closed.
About the report
This article draws on RFLD’s data report Funding Feminist Movements in Francophone West Africa: 2026 Data (RFLD/DR/2026/03), published on 4 October 2026. Read the summary of the report, download the English edition or the French edition. Sources cited in this article are listed in full in the report.
