Press and recognition
RFLD in the media.
Press coverage, institutional recognition and publications that have featured, cited or interviewed RFLD on its work for African women’s rights.
Media contact
- Press enquiries
- admin@rflgd.org
- Languages
- English and French
- Spokespeople
- The Africa Director, programme directors and the legal team
- Headquarters
- Africa Office, Accra, Ghana
Recognition from continental and international institutions
RFLD has been formally recognised or referenced by African Union bodies, UN platforms and international coalitions.
Support Group of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
Resolution 602 of the Commission names RFLD to the Support Group of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Focal Point on Reprisals in Africa. RFLD also holds Observer Status N°553 with the Commission.
Read Resolution 602ReliefWeb organisation profile
RFLD’s official profile and publications on ReliefWeb, the information service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
View the profileMember of Solidarity for African Women’s Rights
RFLD belongs to SOAWR, the coalition hosted by Equality Now that works to advance the Maputo Protocol across Africa.
View the SOAWR profileInternational development press
The state of feminist funding in francophone West Africa
Alliance Magazine’s analysis of the funding for women’s organisations landscape in francophone West Africa, with RFLD’s view on the structural gaps in philanthropy reaching the region.
Read on Alliance MagazineEmpowering women in West Africa
A feature on RFLD’s focus areas, its strategic plan and its country initiatives across the region.
Read the featureRFLD on Devex
RFLD’s organisation profile on Devex, the media platform for the global development community.
View the profileRFLD’s role in amplifying women’s voices in West Africa
A feature on RFLD’s work within the Sida-funded Consortium for Human Rights and Media in Africa.
Read the featurePartner in the Consortium for Human Rights and Media in Africa
A Sida-funded initiative bringing together civil society, media and human rights organisations across sub-Saharan Africa.
Visit the Consortium for Human Rights and Media in Africa2026 coverage
66 articles across Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, The Gambia and Benin
Press coverage of RFLD’s work in 2026, grouped by event. Articles open on the publisher’s website.
Access to justice for women: RFLD, Benin’s Institut National de la Femme and Senegal’s Ministry of Justice
September and October 2026 · 8 articles
RFLD hosted Benin’s Institut National de la Femme in Porto-Novo, then brought a joint delegation to Senegal’s Minister of Justice in Dakar and organised a panel during the 89th Session of the African Commission on how Benin supports survivors of gender-based violence.
NGO Forum of the African Commission’s 89th Session: women, water and the Maputo Protocol
September and October 2026 · 4 articles
At the opening of the NGO Forum in Dakar, RFLD asked the African Commission to review women’s access to water and sanitation under Article 15 of the Maputo Protocol and urged the remaining States to ratify it.
Dakar consultation on protecting women human rights defenders
June 2026 · 22 articles
The launch of RFLD’s Dakar office and a regional consultation with the ACHPR Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, the Embassy of Sweden and GIZ.
- MyJoyOnline Ghana
- GhanaWeb Ghana
- Class FM Ghana
- The Overseer Ghana
- The Guardian Nigeria
- EnQuête+ Senegal
- News Agency of Nigeria Nigeria
- News Agency of Nigeria Nigeria · second dispatch
- News Authority Nigeria
- Hammer Times Nigeria
- Sharp Edge News Nigeria
- Treasure Times Nigeria
- Daily Nigeria News Nigeria
- Premium Times Nigeria · promoted
- The Point The Gambia
- Askanwi The Gambia
- N24 Gambia The Gambia
- Alkamba Times The Gambia
- GambiaJ The Gambia
- Block TV The Gambia
- VoiceOut Digital The Gambia
- Les 4 Vérités Benin
The digital civic space consortium annual consortium meeting, Harare
June and July 2026 · 8 articles
RFLD’s role in the digital civic space consortium, the three-year initiative on Africa’s digital civic space with Magamba Network and DefendDefenders.
Advocacy Nexus: women defenders trained in Porto-Novo
July 2026 · 11 articles
A regional training for women human rights defenders from eight francophone West African countries on digital security and advocacy, opened by the ACHPR Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders.
- Bénin Intelligent Benin · in French
- Boulevard des Infos Benin · in French
- Hirondelle Info Benin · in French
- Le Coopérant Web TV Benin · in French
- Visages du Bénin Benin · in French
- Adjashe News Benin · in French
- Sang Neuf Benin · in French
- Info du Moment Benin · in French
- Le Paraclet Benin · in French
- Aura News Benin · in French
- Benin Web TV Benin · May 2026 training, in French
West Africa Feminist Data Summit and the Porto-Novo Declaration
July 2026 · 7 articles
The first West Africa Feminist Data Summit, with about a hundred delegates, and the adoption of the Porto-Novo Women-led Declaration.
Organisational Resilience Program and the free RFLD Management Suite
2026 · 4 articles
The launch of a programme equipping 500 African nonprofits with a free, donor-ready management system.
Analysis and opinion
2026 · 1 articles
Commentary on the African human rights system citing RFLD’s work.
African and regional media
RFLD opens its Dakar office and mobilises West Africa
Coverage of the launch of RFLD’s Dakar office during a regional conference on the protection of women human rights defenders. In French.
Read the articleRFLD Dakar: an institutional anchor for the West African women’s rights sector
Promoted feature on the opening of RFLD’s Dakar office and its consultation on protecting women human rights defenders.
Read the articleWomen leaders trained in political leadership and women-led action
Report on RFLD’s two-day training in Porto-Novo for about fifty women leaders from francophone West Africa, supported by BMZ and GIZ. In French.
Read the articleDigital, networking and advocacy: an intergenerational dialogue with RFLD
Benin’s public broadcaster on an RFLD intergenerational dialogue about digital tools, networking and advocacy. In French.
Read the articleRFLD equips its partners
Coverage of RFLD’s work to strengthen local partner organisations so that gender justice and development initiatives have more impact. In French.
Read the articleAdvocacy techniques training
RFLD trains its teams in advocacy techniques to meet development challenges. In French.
Read the articleHave you covered RFLD? Send the link to admin@rflgd.org and we will add it here.
For journalists
Write about our work and use our data
RFLD speaks on African women’s rights law and policy, sexual and reproductive health and rights, digital safety for women human rights defenders, funding for women’s organisations and the state of African civil society. Spokespeople are available in English and French, and the DƆNÙESÈ Data Center can be cited free of charge.
About RFLD, in brief
The Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD) is a pan-African network of 1,143 member organisations in more than 35 African countries. It is registered in Ghana, Senegal, Benin, Nigeria and The Gambia, with headquarters at the Africa Office in Accra and six offices across the continent. RFLD holds Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and an NGOsource 501(c)(3) equivalency determination.
Press kit and resources
- 2025 Annual Report (PDF)
Programme delivery, finances and governance - Strategic Plan 2023–2028 (PDF)
Four strategic objectives and six fields of work - Women Human Rights Defenders Report 2025 (PDF)
Women human rights defenders in sub-Saharan Africa - DƆNÙESÈ Data Center
Twelve open tools for African civil society - Press kit
Boilerplate in English and French, key facts, logos and usage guidance - Podcasts
Three series and Maputo Protocol audio in four local languages
Read what we publish
Original research, programme reports, legal briefings and policy papers across our six fields of work, free to read and available in English and French.
For funders and partnersPour les bailleurs et les partenaires
Fund the women who defend rights in Africa, nowFinancez maintenant les femmes qui défendent les droits en Afrique
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
- CandidPlatinum Seal of Transparency 2026Sceau de transparence Platine 2026
DonateFaire un don Partner with RFLDDevenir partenaire See our financialsVoir nos états financiers