Voix EssentiELLES: Investing in African Women for Accelerated Progress

Speak Up Africa has placed women’s leadership at the center of its strategic programming and, on the occasion of International African Women’s Day (IAWD), joins forces with the Voix EssentiELLEs network communities to reaffirm the commitment to the development and empowerment of women leaders across Africa. This year’s theme, “Investing in Women: Accelerating Progress,” calls for broad collaboration between governments, businesses, civil society, and individuals to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Exemplifying this transformative progress, we celebrate Anne-Cécile Konan, President of the National Union of Disabled Women of Côte d’Ivoire (UNAFEHCI), who has been committed to the integration and inclusion of women living with disabilities in society for nearly 20 years. Based on the observation of an increased marginalization, lack of representation and access to resources, Anne-Cécile has led a compelling advocacy since 2006 to amplify the concerns of these populations and involve the communities of her central region in Côte d’Ivoire in health prevention. Her efforts have earned her recognition from local authorities for her awareness-raising activities on sexual and reproductive health and the fight against malaria. With the support and backing of religious and community leaders, as well as health authorities in her region, her association has been able to deploy more field visits to rural areas to raise awareness of the needs of people living with disabilities and their inclusion in access to health services. In addition, UNAFEHCI also addresses the livelihood issues of these populations with training programs and income-generating activities. The association is also a member of the women’s section of the West African Federation of Disabled People and is a member of the Pan-African Network of Women with Disabilities.

Her community activism has been recognized internationally through her participation in the Hive Africa Global Leaders Program – a 3-day immersive workshop focused on community leadership, and a nomination to the HIVE Africa Hall of Fame at the awards ceremony on July 11 in Abidjan. HIVE Africa is a global community that supports leaders and social entrepreneurs committed to creating a better world through transformational leadership programs. This distinction highlights her influential role in improving health policies and the empowerment of women in Africa.

Participating in the HIVE Africa Hall of Fame has reinforced my belief that the empowerment of women, especially women with disabilities, is essential for the progress of our continent. By investing in their potential, we build stronger and more resilient communities.

Anne Cécile Konan

Anne-Cécile and her organization’s work under Voix EssentiELLES illustrates the catalytic effect of investing in women leaders on socio-political change and sustainable development. Their commitment has given a voice to often marginalized groups and shaped policies that directly impact their lives.

On this day that positions African women as agents of change and development, we celebrate Anne-Cécile Konan’s leadership and the collective strength of women across our network. Join us in celebrating these remarkable successes and continue to encourage African women in their journey towards leadership and empowerment. Together, let’s work for meaningful change and unity across our continent!

Launched in July 2021, the Voix EssentiELLES network is an initiative that currently brings together 39 organizations in Burkina Faso, Côte D’Ivoire and Senegal, around the development of the capacities of grassroots community organizations in awareness-raising and advocacy for the inclusion of women and their perspectives in health decisions. Adopting a pan-African vision of gender-focused advocacy, this initiative plans to expand to other countries in the French-speaking region of West and Central Africa over the next three years. The objective is to further strengthen women’s access to decision-making bodies, where promising results have already been recorded.