As part of the Feminists in Action (FEA) project, Equipop brought together some twenty of its partners for a training session on change-oriented approaches (COA) in Côte d’Ivoire and then in Benin. This initiative is part of a clear strategy: to support the transformative power of feminist organizations in the Global South.
Highlighting the changes that transform lives
Whether it is a matter of changing perceptions and representations of violence against women, ensuring that survivors of violence see legal proceedings through to the end, or holding institutional actors accountable for providing redress and justice for these survivors, one of the major challenges for organizations is being able to capture and document the changes taking place on the ground. And it is precisely to address this challenge that Equipop has launched this training program.
The combination of theoretical input, practical exercises, individual and group reflection, and the sharing of experiences enabled the organizations to understand the challenges associated with monitoring change and the value of change-oriented approaches (COAs). It enabled them to appreciate the importance of monitoring the transformation process and the small steps—sometimes unexpected, sometimes invisible, but crucial—for achieving the intended results and impacts. The organizations worked to review the stakeholders in their projects based on their level of interest and capacity to influence actions tailored to them; to define pathways for change; and to reflect on the monitoring framework as well as the tools suited to their contexts that need to be implemented.
Thinking and building together
Beyond the technical discussions, the training session was rich in constructive dialogue, creative exercises, and the sharing of experiences; an inclusive and collaborative spirit of co-creation that the participants were quick to highlight.
“[When asked what object best sums up the training] … colored pencils, which for me symbolized creativity, reflection, and the concrete expression of our ideas throughout the workshop. So, as many colors as there were creative ideas, and as many ways to reshape our shared vision of the project… it allowed us to express our ideas effectively, to stimulate and excite our minds to bring to life what we had imagined in terms of concrete implementation.” Sidicatou ANAWE, ROAJELF Benin
Following the training, the next step is for representatives of the organizations that participated to organize internal sessions to share what they have learned, finalize the systems and tools for tracking identified changes, and continuously test and refine them to effectively document the changes. A workshop to gather information on these changes is also planned for 2027 to continue this momentum of collective learning.
