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Women’s Voices at the African Commission: RFLD at the 89th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR (2026)

RFLD’s mission report on the 89th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Dakar, October 2026. In English and French.

Last updated · November 7, 2026

Women's voices at the African Commission / La voix des femmes à la Commission africaine: RFLD mission report on the 89th Session of the ACHPR, in English and French
English and French46 and 47 pagesNovember 2026PDF
Women's voices at the African Commission / La voix des femmes à la Commission africaine: RFLD mission report

In October 2026, RFLD brought a delegation of 42 women human rights defenders, grassroots leaders, lawyers and staff from 15 African countries to Dakar for the NGO Forum and the 89th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. This mission report gives a full account of those three weeks, with photographs, results and the commitments RFLD made for the months ahead.

Download the report (English)Télécharger le rapport (français)

Why it matters

The report shows how a question raised by RFLD’s members, how can women defend rights without being exposed, reached the main agenda of the Commission. It also shows how a national institution from Benin, the Institut National de la Femme, presented its model to Senegal’s Minister of Justice, to the Ministry of Family and to the Association des Juristes Sénégalaises.

What is inside

  • The opening statement of the NGO Forum, the sub-regional reports session and RFLD’s panel on an Afrofeminist reading of shrinking civic space
  • The main agenda panel “Defending without being exposed”, chaired by the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
  • RFLD’s oral statement and its four recommendations, drawing on the Maputo Barometer 2026
  • Side events with Expertise France (Team Europe WLICT), Benin’s Institut National de la Femme and the Cyrus R. Vance Center
  • Meetings with Senegal’s Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Family and the Association des Juristes Sénégalaises
  • Exchanges with the Embassy of Sweden, the SEA-T programme (GIZ) and three Special Rapporteurs
  • Results, lessons learned, recommendations, follow-up plan and press coverage

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A pan-African network of 1,143 member organisations across 35+ countries: advocacy, research, re-granting and direct service delivery.

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Aid to women’s organisations is falling. RFLD moves funding fast to women-led organisations and defenders, in French and English, through a network of 1,143 member organisations in more than 35 African countries.L’aide aux organisations de femmes recule. Le RFLD achemine vite les financements vers les organisations de femmes et les défenseures, en français et en anglais, grâce à un réseau de 1 143 organisations membres dans plus de 35 pays africains.

RFLD currently serves as Co-Chair of the SEA-T Programme Advisory Council, mandated to ensure the programme’s direction, priorities, and resources are meaningfully aligned with the visions of African women-led civil society. The SEA-T Programme is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.Le RFLD assure actuellement la coprésidence du Conseil consultatif du programme SEA-T, chargé de veiller à ce que l’orientation, les priorités et les ressources du programme soient réellement alignées sur les visions de la société civile africaine portée par les femmes. Le programme SEA-T est financé par le ministère fédéral allemand de la Coopération économique et du Développement (BMZ) et mis en œuvre par la Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. See the partnershipVoir le partenariat

  • 1,143member organisationsorganisations membres
  • 35+African countriespays africains
  • N°553ACHPR observer statusstatut d’observateur CADHP
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Economic justice and climate justiceJustice économique et justice climatique

Women cannot be safe or equal without land, income and a voice in climate decisions. Economic and climate justice run through every RFLD programme, from ending violence to political leadership and health.Les femmes ne peuvent être en sécurité ni égales sans terre, revenus et voix dans les décisions climatiques. La justice économique et climatique traverse chaque programme du RFLD, de la fin des violences au leadership politique et à la santé.

Economic justiceJustice économiqueLand, work and the care economyLa terre, le travail et l’économie des soinsInheritance and land rights, decent work, credit for women and gender-responsive budgets.Droits successoraux et fonciers, travail décent, crédit pour les femmes et budgets sensibles au genre. Climate justiceJustice climatiqueWomen leading adaptationLes femmes à la tête de l’adaptationWomen-led adaptation, land rights, climate finance that reaches grassroots groups and a just transition.Adaptation menée par les femmes, droits fonciers, finance climatique qui atteint les groupes de base et transition juste. ProgrammeProgrammeRFLD Climate ActionRFLD Climate ActionOur programme for women’s leadership in the climate transition across sub-Saharan Africa.Notre programme pour le leadership des femmes dans la transition climatique en Afrique subsaharienne.
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