In a global context marked by increasing conflict, the rise of authoritarianism, and the weakening of human rights, feminists continue to imagine and build political alternatives. What roles do they play in peace processes? What forms do their struggles take in the face of violence, crises, and injustice?
During the 12th edition of the Sororités francophones conference series, three feminist activists from different backgrounds attempted to answer these questions: Yasmina Benslimane, Anny T. Modi, and Épiphanie Nodjikoua Dionrang.
- Yasmina Benslimaneis a feminist activist committed to gender equality and social justice. Originally from Morocco, she founded Politics4Her, the largest youth-led intersectional feminist organization, as well as Climate Sirens, a social enterprise dedicated to climate justice. Her commitments have earned her numerous awards, including BBC 100 Women, Forbes 30 Under 30, and the title of Peace Builder from UN Women.
- Anny T. Modiis a Congolese women's rights activist. Co-leader of the "Women, Peace, and Security" pillar of theAfrican Women Leaders Network (AWLN), she coordinates the National Consortium for Feminist Humanitarian Solidarity in Support of Women and Girls in the DRC. A member of numerous coalitions, she calls herself "the mother of the Amazons."
- Épiphanie Nodjikoua Dionrang, alias Fanny’s d’Or, is a slam poet and feminist activist from Chad. As president of the Chadian League for Women’s Rights, she works to promote equality and combat violence against women. She is also a member of the Réseau des Elles du Sahel(Sahel Women’s Network).
Feminism and peace: a political vision
At the start of the meeting, the moderators reiterated the objective of the Sororités francophones cycle: to create a space for transnational feminist dialogue, where experiences, analyses, and strategies for action can be shared.
For Yasmina Benslimane, peace cannot be conceived without social justice:
"We cannot talk about peace without talking about structural inequalities, patriarchy, and domination."
She points out that feminists are often at the forefront of mobilizations for climate, social, and political justice, but remain largely excluded from decision-making spaces.
Women, conflict, and invisibility
Anny T. Modi discusses the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She points out that women are among the first victims of armed conflict, yet are marginalized in the resolution process:
"Women are present on the ground, they organize solidarity, they resist, but they are absent from the negotiating table."
She emphasizes the need to recognize feminist knowledge and practices as political resources in their own right, rather than simply community initiatives.
Art, activism, and resistance
For Épiphanie Nodjikoua Dionrang, a slam poet and feminist activist from Chad, art is a key tool for social struggle and transformation. Through slam poetry, she seeks to raise awareness of violence against women and challenge social norms:
"Words are weapons. When we speak, we disturb, but we also open up spaces of awareness."
She emphasizes that artistic creation makes it possible to reach other audiences and to politicize experiences that are often relegated to the private sphere.
Building transnational feminist solidarity
During the discussions, the speakers highlighted a key issue: the need to strengthen feminist solidarity across borders. In the face of globalized systems of domination, feminist struggles must also be organized transnationally.
As Anny T. Modi summarizes:
"Our struggles are all different, but they are connected. It is in sharing our experiences that we find strength."
This 12th edition of Sororités francophones served as a reminder that feminism does not merely denounce violence and injustice: it offers alternative political visions based on justice, solidarity, and social transformation.
About the Francophone Sororities cycle
The Sororités francophones conference series is a joint initiative of the Network of Young Feminists of West Africa and Equipop. It aims to create a space for reflection and dialogue around feminism, bringing together experiences from different French-speaking contexts.
Through these meetings, the aim is to nurture diverse feminist narratives, strengthen transnational solidarity, and share analyses and strategies for action.
