Voice, decision-making and leadership are vital factors for the empowerment of women. These factors ensure that women can express their preferences, demands, views and interests, and that they can gain access to decision-making positions. Only when women and girls are empowered and supported to actively participate in decision-making processes can effective policies, based on their concrete experiences, which consider gender differences and cultural sensitivities, be developed and implemented.

Launched in July 2021 on the sidelines of the Generation Equality Forum with financial support from the CHANEL Foundation and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Voix EssentiELLES aims to strengthen women and girls, in all of their diversity meaningful engagement in decision-making processes and spaces that influence health policies and programs. Implemented by Speak Up Africa, Voix EssentiELLES supports community-based women’s organizations  in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal through a dedicated fund, a leadership and capacity strengthening program.

Three key objectives:

• To channel funds to community-based organizations (CBOs), grassroots organizations and networks.
• To strengthen the leadership skills of selected women and girls’ leaders and champions.
• To strengthen women and girls’ grassroots associations capacities to enable them to participate in and inform health programs and policies in their countries.

Chiffres clés

• 39 grassroots women’s and girls’ organisations.
• $800,000 disbursed as small grants to women and girls grassroot organizations.
• 3 Strong network of women and girls’ influencers championing Voix EssentiELLES.
• 22 CSO participated in Global Fund country dialogue processes (8 in Senegal, 11 in Burkina Faso and 3 in Ivory Coast).
• Creation of 2 Voix EssentiELLES networks in Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, and ongoing process in Senegal.