IPPF DG and FON Organizations in Côte d’Ivoire: Promoting Intersectionality for Women’s Rights

By: Aminata Ba

On Saturday February 10, the Director General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, met with FON’s grantee organizations in Côte d’Ivoire, principally those based in Abidjan. Held at the headquarters of IPPF’s sub-regional office for West and Central Africa, the meeting was attended by Initiative Tile, SOS Forêts, Action et Humanisme and La Fondation Djigui la Grande Espèrance, as well as AIBEF , an IPPF member association. Each of the organizations was accompanied by an allied flagship organization, including the UNDP (with the Inclusive “Governance Initiative project”), Water Life, Organisation Nationale pour l’Enfant, la Femme et la Famille (ONEF), Coalition contre les MGF, and Association des Paralytiques de Côte d’Ivoire (APCI).

 

The organizations shared their experiences, highlighting their work and challenges in the field of feminism and the promotion of the rights of women and marginalized people. Alongside this, they expressed their aspirations for the establishment of gender equality in Côte d’Ivoire. At personal level, they look forward to seeing marginalized populations develop an awareness of their rights, no longer seeing them as favors, but as indispensable freedoms. With regard to policy-makers, their wish is to see the emergence of more harmonious coordination between players involved in the fight against Gender-Based Violence, breaking down existing silos.

 

 

Intersectionality as an Engine for Progress in the Fight for Women’s Rights in Côte d’Ivoire

 

The IPPF General Director, after listening to these organizations, welcomed the concrete manifestation of intersectionality at the heart of the work of FON grantee CSOs in Côte d’Ivoire. He shared his reflections on the power inherent in this intersectionality. During his visits to Côte d’Ivoire, he understood from the country authorities he met that the delay in adopting a law on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) stems from the challenges associated with cross-sectoral legislation, making it complex to have this law adopted.

 

From a pragmatic perspective, Dr. Alvaro Bermejo advocated in favor of demonstrating the power of CSOs to achieve this intersectionality, setting them up as a concrete example to stimulate the advancement of laws to combat gender-based violence. He emphasized also that this intersection provides a space for exchange and knowledge-sharing between organizations, strengthening their collective impact. In conclusion, this meeting offered a promising vision of strengthened collaboration and significant progress in the promotion of women’s rights in Côte d’Ivoire.