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Harmful Practices

Reporting, analysis and field notes from a pan-African network for gender equality and development — across women's rights, SRHR, civic space, climate justice, peace and security.

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Celebrating Pan-African Women’s Day: 62nd PAWO Anniversary & Maputo Protocol at 21 Women's Rights
July 31, 2024 Africa

Celebrating Pan-African Women’s Day: 62nd PAWO Anniversary & Maputo Protocol at 21

On July 31, 2024, Pan-African Women’s Day celebrates women’s contributions to Africa’s liberation and development. It marks the 62nd anniversary of the Pan-African Women’s Organization and the 21st anniversary of the Maputo Protocol, which safeguards women’s rights. The Protocol addresses key areas such as eliminating discrimination and violence against women, promoting political participation, protecting reproductive health and economic rights, and ending harmful practices. However, nine African countries have yet to ratify it. The Network of Women Leaders for Development calls for urgent ratification and emphasizes women’s involvement in decision-making processes. The day urges action to accelerate gender equality in Africa, reaffirming commitment to women’s empowerment and advocating for a better future for all women in Africa.

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Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence through Culturally Sensitive Mental Health Services in West and Central Africa Harmful Practices
December 5, 2023 Africa

Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence through Culturally Sensitive Mental Health Services in West and Central Africa

Widespread sexual violence in West and Central Africa leaves survivors with devastating physical, psychological, and social consequences. Traditional mental health services often lack cultural sensitivity, leading to misdiagnosis, mistrust, and perpetuation of stigma. Culturally sensitive services, incorporating traditional healing practices, survivor-led support groups, and community outreach programs offer a more effective approach. Challenges like limited funding, a shortage of trained professionals, and stigma remain, but investing in training, developing culturally adapted interventions, utilizing technology, and engaging community leaders can help overcome these obstacles and ensure widespread access to culturally sensitive mental health services for all survivors.

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Unmasking Systemic Injustices: Challenges in Legal Equality, Sexual Exploitation, and Harmful Practices in West and Central Africa Harmful Practices
November 10, 2023 Africa

Unmasking Systemic Injustices: Challenges in Legal Equality, Sexual Exploitation, and Harmful Practices in West and Central Africa

In West and Central Africa, the work of the Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD) stands as a crucial force against the backdrop of pervasive challenges like legal inequality, sexual exploitation, and violence. Despite the cultural richness, numerous countries in the region continue to grapple with laws that perpetuate discrimination based on sex and gender, creating an environment conducive to violence and discrimination. RFLD’s dedicated efforts play a pivotal role in challenging these systemic issues, working towards dismantling discriminatory legal frameworks and fostering an environment where individuals, particularly women and girls, are protected from sexual exploitation and violence. Through its initiatives, RFLD actively contributes to the movement to end harmful practices, envisioning a future where justice, equality, and human rights prevail across West and Central Africa.

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Engaging Regional Human Rights Bodies to Accelerate the Elimination of Cross-Border FGM in Mali, Liberia, and Sierra Leone Harmful Practices
October 28, 2023 Africa

Engaging Regional Human Rights Bodies to Accelerate the Elimination of Cross-Border FGM in Mali, Liberia, and Sierra Leone

RFLD is a pan African regional network of women leaders for development that is working to eliminate FGM in Africa. As an accredited observer of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), RFLD has access to and the ability to engage directly with the ACHPR’s Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights Defenders and Women’s Rights. RFLD works at the regional level to eliminate FGM by advocating for the adoption and implementation of laws and policies to prohibit and punish FGM, raising awareness of the harms of FGM and promoting its abandonment, and supporting survivors of FGM and their families. Cross-border FGM is a challenge in Mali, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, where the practice is highly prevalent and porous borders make it easy for girls and women to be taken to another country to undergo FGM. Regional human rights bodies can play an important role in accelerating the elimination of cross-border FGM by monitoring and reporting on implementation of international human rights standards, providing guidance and support to governments on developing and implementing effective laws and policies, and adjudicating individual and collective complaints of FGM. Organizations and individuals can engage regional human rights bodies by submitting communications, participating in meetings and hearings, advocating for resolutions and recommendations, and developing and implementing joint action plans.

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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
  • CandidSeal of Transparency 2025Sceau de transparence 2025

DonateFaire un don Partner with RFLDDevenir partenaire See our financialsVoir nos états financiers

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