International news, particularly in the United States, has shown how fragile advances in human rights, especially women's rights, can be. The overturning of Roe v. Wade marks a victory for conservative anti-rights movements. Their influence is growing across the globe, and all feminist activists are now facing their coordinated actions. Collective resistance is being organized!
The Network of Young Feminists in West Africa and Equipop organized the fourth meeting of the Sororités francophones (watch the entire meeting on video). The aim of this meeting was to gain a better understanding of the reality of anti-rights and anti-choice movements and to consider ways of countering these movements, which affect the work of feminist activists both on the ground and at the international level. The challenge to the Roe v. Wade ruling in the United States was at the heart of the discussions. Laurence Meyer, from Digital Freedom Fund, explained how conservative states have attempted to overturn this ruling by implementing coordinated litigation strategies to reach the Supreme Court (read Equipop's updated analysis by Equipop).
Actors, strategies, and modes of action
This news story demonstrates the effectiveness of anti-rights movements. They work to dismantle the universality of human rights by promoting a heteronormative worldview and denouncing "gender ideology." Their theory argues that feminist and LGBTQIA+ movements aim to disrupt traditional society's worldview. Jeanne Hefez, from Ipas, notes a parallel evolution between the recognition of sexual and reproductive rights and the rise of anti-rights movements. These anti-rights movements include various types of actors: religious organizations, conservative NGOs, companies, etc. Some may be linked to governments, allied media outlets, and local associations. They use human rights vocabulary to attack and discredit these rights by advocating for anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQIA+ policies. Networking allows these movements to obtain substantial funding to carry out their actions.
Rise of anti-rights movements in Senegal
Amy Sakho, from Planned Parenthood Global, discussed the situation in Senegal, where she is working as a lawyer to obtain authorization for medical abortion in cases of rape and/or incest in accordance with the Maputo Protocol. Anti-rights movements are almost all religious in origin and work against abortion and feminists by presenting the authorization of medical abortion as contrary to Islam. "They have succeeded in enlisting and convincing most Senegalese people that feminists are simply promoting a Western agenda," explains Amy Sakho.
The battle for information
Anti-rights movements are developing major communication campaigns, both in physical spaces and online. Laurence Meyer emphasizes that access to information on how to have the safest possible abortion is as important as access to abortion itself. The issue of data protection is also very important, particularly in applications related to reproductive health and the body (menstrual tracking) or other online platforms. "There is a monetization of the restriction of women's rights," adds Laurence Meyer.Anti-rights movements are criminalizing our bodies, our rights, our access to health care, and our access to information."
Feminist activists on the front lines
To counter these anti-rights movements, feminist activists face many challenges.
- Technical difficulties Technical, first of all. " Taking on Google or Twitter is complicated ," explains Laurence Meyer. Especially since it is necessary to find the right jurisdiction and evidence to prove that an anti-rights movement is violating a human right.
- Difficulties in terms of resources. Activists do not have all the necessary resources and face "legal level in terms of laws, health regulations, etc.," as Jeanne Hefez puts it.
Countering anti-rights movements
Digital Fund of Freedom develops projects to counter these anti-rights movements in the digital space. "In the face of these movements, the strategy is to build lasting, cross-cutting coalitions that respond to both feminist and legal technicalities. The goal is to create effective power relations," emphasizes Laurence Meyer. Amy Sakho points out that in Senegal, a coalition of religiousleaders has been created to confront anti-abortion religious groups. With the Islam and Populations network, Senegalese activists and lawyers have put forward a religious argument that sheds light on Islam in favor of the right to abortion in cases of rape and/or incest. Finally, in order to successfully counter them, it is necessary to analyze their funding, their methods, and their objectives so that "we [activists] can anticipate rather than react," says Jeanne Hefez. "Our action is cyclical; there are no gains that are not under threat." We must continue to encourage spaces for sharing knowledge and strategies, and also ensure the safety of organizations and activists.
Amy Sakho isthe Country Advocacy Program Manager at Planned Parenthood Global. She is also a lawyer and member of theAssociation of Senegalese Lawyers, and was the coordinator of the advocacy committee for access to medical abortion in cases of rape or incest in Senegal. Jeanne Hefezis an advocacy advisor at IPAS. She has worked in South Africa, French-speaking Africa, and the United States, and is committed to promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights. Laurence Meyer isthe director of social and racial justice at the Digital Freedom Fund. She is a lawyer and works on the concept of race in law.
Thanks to AFD and Global Affairs Canada, who are supporting this activity as part of the "Young Feminists in West Africa" project.
