Because gender equality today calls for profound restructuring of our societies, seven members of the West African Young Feminists Network participated in two curated discussions on the theme: "Transforming gender norms and mindsets to achieve equality" as part of the Generation Equality Forum (GEF).
The three recommendations— from Ephrasie N’tchin COULIBALY, Jonas KINDAFODJI Dossou, Rose DIEME, Néné Fatou MARICOU, and Denise Épiphanie HABA, members of the network, and Kadiatou KONATE and Emma ONEKEKOU, partners of the network— for changing social norms in the family sphere:
- Encourage states, particularly in West Africa, to commit to approaches that modify legal norms, for example, by amending family codes through measures that promote gender equality. Influencing the political agenda of ministries to change the regulatory framework in favor of women's and girls' rights will help drive this dynamic shift in social norms.
- Support a technical and financial partnership to promote greater awareness and information on gender equality issues, using a rights-based approach involving multiple stakeholders: authorities, families, schools, communities, and religious leaders.
- Promote an approach based on the experience of communities and beneficiaries.
The family is the root of many discriminatory norms because this area is where multiple stereotypes are constructed.
Every change towards equality requires simultaneous work in the public and private spheres to truly change the norms governing relations between women and men. This is what the members of the West African Young Feminists Network are working towards in their daily commitment and in the international process of the FGE.
