Rouguiatou Diallo - EPISODE 05

Women contribute substantially to the economy of the African continent. Whether they are farmers or entrepreneurs, these women are more economically active than women in any other region of the world. However, throughout the ages, these same women have been systematically excluded from decision-making spaces and programs that affect their health and well-being. Only when women and girls are empowered, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential and actively participate in decision-making processes can effective policies that take into account gender differences and cultural sensitivities be developed and implemented.

Discover the interview of Rouguiatou Diallo, Program Officer at the Youth Network for the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation, with Tombany Kouloufoua and his Podcast Entre-Elles, who talks about the abandonment of female genital mutilation within the framework of the Voix EssentiELLES initiative. 

Voix EssentiELLES aims to support women and girls, in all their diversity, by promoting meaningful engagement in the decision-making spaces and processes that influence health policies and programs. Led by Speak Up Africa, and with technical and financial support from the CHANEL Foundation and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Voix EssentiELLES will bring together and channel the efforts of diverse stakeholders through a fund that will invest in community-based organizations and through Université de l'ExcELLEnce, a customized training program that will enable women's and girls' organizations across Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal to strengthen their organizational, leadership, advocacy, and communication skills.