On the occasion of the 16 days of activism against SGBV, discover 7 Equipop partner associations committed to the fight against SGBV in West Africa. The Cellule Nigérienne des Jeunes Filles Leaders was created in May 2015 by a group of Nigerian students to promote the rights of women and girls in their country. It now has 135 members, including 8 volunteers and 7 salaried staff.
[vc_column width= »2/3″]The Cellule reinforces the rights of women and girls in Niger through five action levers: 1. It stimulates social change by challenging discriminatory cultural and social norms. 2. It encourages women's leadership and participation in decision-making bodies. 3. It fights against all forms of discrimination, particularly sexist and sexual violence. 4. It promotes the education of young girls and their retention in school. 5. It promotes the sexual and reproductive health of women and girls, in particular access to quality services, care and information.
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"Nigerien women and girls face several challenges that hinder their full development and equal participation in society. That's why women's leadership, girls' education, gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health and rights are at the heart of the Cellule's actions." - Nafissatou Hassan Alfari, President of the Cellule Nigérienne des Jeunes Filles Leaders
FOCUS ON THE LEADERSHIP AND MENTORING CAMP Since 2019, La Cellule has been offering a Leadership and Mentoring Camp aimed at young girls. This initiative, organized every two years, is celebrating its third edition this year. A mentoring system is established between young girls who have already succeeded in their academic or leadership careers and less experienced girls. The former accompany and guide the latter in developing personal and professional skills, and in making decisions about their future. The girls are also trained in leadership, communication, personal development, community project management and thematic knowledge. This sisterhood and empowerment are virtuous circles in which the mentored girls in turn become role models. They positively influence their peers and contribute to the development of their communities through feedback and community micro-projects.
Being able to choose your life Niger has one of the highest rates of early marriage in the world. According to a 2018 demographic and health survey carried out in Niger by the National Institute of Statistics, around 76% of women aged 20 to 49 married before the age of 18, and almost 28% before the age of 15. When the Cellule works against early and forced marriages, it is fighting against an infringement of children's rights, against sexist and sexual violence and for gender equality. Information and empowerment Through the promotion of menstrual health and reusable sanitary towels, the structure has contributed to the economic empowerment of around a hundred women and girl seamstresses - who create sanitary towels - in the Tillabéry and Niamey regions. By setting up discussion clubs and distributing an awareness-raising guide in five schools in Niamey, Hamdallaye, Sakoira and Damana, 500 young people have also been informed and have been able to acquire - alone or collectively - essential knowledge about their bodies. Equipop's sorore support Thanks to Equipop's support, the organization has been able to implement concrete initiatives for its organizational development. The hiring of salaried staff, made possible by funding from the "strategic partnership" program, has significantly strengthened its operational capabilities. At the same time, an organizational development fund has enabled us to draw up a five-year strategic plan, accompanied by a three-year action plan, an advocacy strategy and a resource mobilization policy. These additional resources have reinforced the organization's effectiveness in achieving its mission.
