Two years after the previous edition, the third Feminist Agora was held from November 17 to 20, 2025, in Cotonou. Over four days, this event, co-organized by Equipop and the steering committee—composed of eight activists—brought together 45 feminist activists from French-speaking West Africa.
Agora 2025 was a key moment to come together, take stock of the struggles of recent years, strengthen solidarity, and collectively think about strategies and desirable futures.
“For my part, I think that participating in the various agoras was a big step forward: it enabled us to launch a national initiative that is now regional and will hopefully become international. (…) Thank you for this sisterhood.” Salematou Baldé
An Agora dedicated to co-construction
For this third edition, the Agora steering committee undertook six months of preparatory work. This process was based on a survey of former participants to gather their feedback on previous editions. Based on these contributions, the committee decided to structure Agora 2025 around four themed days, designed as a collective and progressive journey:
- Our shared values and the development of a long-term vision for the Agora space;
- Our analyses and the development of feminist counter-strategies to anti-rights movements;
- Our collective practices and modes of interaction within movements;
- A motivating event open to allies.
Building a shared vision of our space
This third edition was facilitated by in-depth work on the vision and values that underpin the Feminist Agora. The discussions provided an opportunity to reaffirm the principles that unite the community: solidarity, intersectionality, mutual respect and conflict management, accountability, alliance building, well-being, and collective care.
This period of collective reflection laid the foundations for imagining the future of the Agora as:
- a safe feminist space, attentive to issues of gender, disability, and communication;
- a space for reflection, learning, and strategic co-construction;
- A sisterhood space that encourages listening, sharing experiences, and mutual support.
Transmission between different editions of Agora and the conditions necessary to preserve, over time, a truly inclusive and protective space is a key issue.
Organizing against anti-rights movements
The participants also focused on analyzing anti-rights movements: their growing influence, their rhetoric, their strategies, and their methods. Based on these observations, they shared experiences of feminist resistance already implemented in their respective contexts.
There is a genuine shared desire to take action, with the decision to work on developing a collective action plan and drafting a feminist manifesto as tools for mobilization and political response.
Promoting well-being, celebrating sisterhood, and expressing our creativity
A discussion forum was created on feminist collectives: what they offer in terms of strength, support, and power, but also the tensions and hurt they can sometimes cause. Based on powerful testimonials about sisterhood, participants also identified areas where movements need to improve, particularly in terms of conflict management.
More intimate discussion groups allowed for deeper reflection on feminist friendships, sisterhood, and mutual care.
This space was also marked by a strong creative dimension: writing workshops (creating feminist stories, utopian narratives, letters to oneself or to another woman) and dance workshops. An open mic provided everyone with a space for free artistic and political expression, and allowed us to realize the extent of feminists' talent!
“I am touched and proud of this space: it is a space that has allowed me to meet feminist sisters from all walks of life and to share many things with them, both from elsewhere and from here. The contradictory exchanges we have had here have left a mark on me. May it continue this way!” Madeleine Gaoue
A closing ceremony focused on openness and the future
A conference entitled "Sororités francophones" (Francophone Sisterhoods), open to the general public, extended the discussion on the theme: Thinking about feminist pan-Africanism: confronting anti-rights appropriation.
This collective discussion provided an opportunity to analyze the contemporary appropriation of liberation discourse by militarized and conservative regimes, to engage in critical reflection on the political uses of the language of sovereignty, and to explore the foundations of a feminist, solidarity-based, and decolonial Pan-Africanism centered on care, reproductive justice, the fight against sexist and sexual violence, freedoms, and popular resistance.
The 2025 Feminist Agora has thus confirmed its role as a political, strategic, and deeply human space, serving feminist struggles and the collective construction of desirable futures.
“Participating in the Agora was a wonderful opportunity for me: I have felt comfortable since I arrived. It was an opportunity to learn more about feminism and what to do. You have all influenced me positively, each in your own way.” Thérèse Akakpo
