From June 2 to 4, 2025, feminist activists from Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, and Senegal, as well as part of the Equipop team, gathered in Dakar to jointly develop the monitoring and evaluation approach for the Des Marges à l'Avant-Garde (MAAG) project.
Drawing inspiration from change-oriented approaches (COA), participants defined a vision for change and jointly developed a monitoring system that allows them to document their knowledge and the evolution of their practices while reporting on the social changes to which the project contributes.
The AOC approach according to Equipop: an approach that puts the voices of stakeholders at the center
Since 2018, Equipop has been using change-oriented approaches to inform its monitoring and evaluation strategy. Tested in several projects, these approaches enable detailed documentation and analysis of the transformations experienced by all project stakeholders (project team and partners):
- changes in practices and behaviors,
- group learning,
- new internal dynamics.
The Des Marges à l’Avant-garde project, which aims to strengthen feminist movements in nine countries in West Africa and the MENA region, as well as Madagascar, places this approach at the heart of its operations. The challenge is to develop a monitoring system that reflects the realities on the ground, rooted in the experiences, stories, and resistance of the activists themselves.
Co-construction, reflexivity, commitment, and giving meaning to change
During this workshop, the focus was on laying the foundations for a system to monitor changes rooted in activist practices and in line with the feminist principles promoted by the project. Participants actively contributed to defining this framework. Working groups explored the dimensions of empowerment to be observed throughout the activities, the preferred methods of observation, and the key moments for reflection to be planned throughout the project.
Discussions focused on the intentions behind the monitoring, the questions we want to ask collectively, the practical details of data collection, and the most relevant tools to use. One of the key challenges is to ensure that monitoring is not an administrative burden, but rather a lever for recognition, storytelling, and transformation that can be useful to movements in general.
Participants shared their impressions: some were discovering the method for the first time, while others were happy to revisit it. Everyone praised the simplicity and flexibility of the tools, the inclusive dynamic, and the opportunity to adapt the approach for use in their own organizations.
"AOCs have specific tools, but each project is unique. It's never redundant. That's what makes them so fascinating! I remember the laughter, the connections, and the positive energy over the three days, which reinforced our commitment to raising awareness of our actions and spreading the word."_Mariette Montcho, Executive Director, ROAJELF Benin
What we retain, and what we build
The AOC workshop for the Des Marges à l’Avant-garde project laid the foundations for collective monitoring. Over three days, the workshop provided an opportunity to review the project and share the realities, expectations, doubts, and ambitions surrounding the AOC approach. Tools were tested, collective narratives emerged, and several avenues were identified for adapting the system to the contexts and needs of partner feminist organizations and aligning it with the objectives expected within the framework of MAAG.
“Thanks to this workshop, I feel more confident about AOCs: it’s very logical and easy to get used to. I am committed to sharing what we have learned here, and I hope that this momentum can continue with other resources. A logical next step.”_ Oumou Khaïry Diallo, Guinea Young Women Leaders Club
The next steps are already in sight: refining the tools, organizing new opportunities for discussion, and raising the profile of young feminists' actions.
Equipop and its partners remain committed to supporting these initiatives, convinced that social change is built over time, through the commitment and cooperation of everyone.
