Throughout the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Equipop interviews its partners about their actions to combat gender-based violence.
Activist Cornélia Glélé is a filmmaker and journalist from Benin. She is involved in and campaigns with the West African Network of Young Women Leaders and the Network of Young Feminists of West Africa.
Could you share with us the current issues related to gender-based violence (GBV) in Benin?
In Benin, violence against women is very prevalent. Rape is a recurring problem, as is street harassment. There are a lot of motorcycle taxis here, and when you're stuck in traffic, anyone can slap you on the butt. It's violence, but no one seems to be shocked by it. Harassment in the workplace and at school is also rampant. Added to all this is the hatred of feminists by certain people, who mistakenly believe that feminists are out to destroy the family unit. We therefore have many challenges to address collectively with regard to gender-based violence.
Could you give us an example of an action you are taking to address this?
In 2019, we created the FIFF Cotonou with our friends Moumine Wologan, Irmine Ayihounton, Karell Atollou, and Marina Hounnou. It is a 100% female festival dedicated to women filmmakers, so that they can tell their own stories. The next edition will take place in September 2021. This year has been devoted to fundraising and selecting films for the next edition.
I also participate in certain online activities. For example, I am a member of the jury for the Ladima Foundation film competition. This is a competition for women to share their experiences of living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the films address the issue of violence against women, which has increased during this period.
As a young feminist who is very active in the world of culture and cinema, what changes would you like to see in relation to GBV?
It may be idealistic to think this way, but I would like to see an end to gender-based violence, and I believe that cinema is a good way to achieve this. This art form has great power and can influence people's habits. Filmmakers must make films that convey the necessary messages so that our generation, but above all future generations, can live in a world without GBV.
