Description
A hybrid public meeting will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026, starting at 10am (Benin time), in Cotonou (room in the 2nd arrondissement) and online (see the link https://meet.jit.si/activite228FSMI after downloading the "Jitsi" app). This event is being organized by three Beninese organizations as part of the Intersections Global Social Forum process: https://intersectionsglobal.net/fsmi This is the organization "Under the Shadow of the Protection of the Laws" ( NGO YETIN ). Health and Education Development Assistance Council – Benin (CASED-Benin) and The Organization of Women in Rural and Peri-Urban Areas (NGO OFER), These organizations, which work to protect and promote women’s rights, are offering two open discussion sessions, each lasting one hour. A first theme: the absence of women in decision-making bodies and the low female representation in the electoral process, both at a micro and macro level. At the highest levels of national and international decision-making structures, female representation has not undergone major changes since the 4th World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, in 1995.
In national parliaments, women are still a minority, with an estimated representation of 13% globally, although the electorate in most countries is predominantly female. When analyzing women's lives in their social, political or economic context, equal participation in decision-making was not only a matter of justice and democracy, but could also be seen as a necessary condition for women's interests to be taken into account. Without the active participation of women and the consideration of their points of view at all levels of decision-making, it will be impossible to achieve the objectives of equality, development and peace. It was with this in mind that three organizations offering the activity wanted to support in the electoral process certain women leaders who have responsibilities in their communities in horticulture, livestock and product processing, and who did not have access to primary education, who are members of political parties and appear on municipal and legislative lists. The objective is to encourage women to vote for these candidates to allow them to these female leaders are elected, exercise their responsibilities and participate in decision-making. Support is provided for elected women, in order to help them exercise their rights and powers and reconcile their political and professional duties. Several international treaties enshrine the principle of equal participation of women and men in power structures and decision-making, aiming to eliminate all discrimination against women. The objective here is to make the community understand that all women are, in principle, equal, regardless of their level of education, and that we must fight for equal opportunities and equality between the sexes, because before the law everyone is equal. A second theme for the meeting: women facing the negative impacts of climate and environmental changes. Women, as development agents who seek empowerment, play a fundamental role from the family to the local and national community. This function, however, is hampered by the effects of soil erosion and degradation of flora and the environment, resulting from climate change, as well as deforestation, agricultural pressure and livestock farming. These effects worsen women's working conditions, make them more vulnerable and test their resilience.