The West African Network of Associations and NGOs for the Fight against Gender-Based Violence (ROAO-LVBG) was established in May 2021 by a group of associations and NGOs from Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Senegal.
Violence against women and girls is a scourge. On a global scale, the statistics are quite telling. According to the 2015 United Nations report, 35% of women, or one in three, experience violence in their lifetime.
In West Africa, physical violence against women is particularly high. Several studies have highlighted the forms of violence against women but also their extent as well as the underlying causes. On analysis, there are strong similarities in the forms of violence women face in these countries.
The NGOs and Associations of the various countries of West Africa are making enormous efforts in the fight for the eradication of all forms of violence against girls and women. , including FGM. These efforts have made it possible to make significant progress. But it is clear that from one country to another, there are various forms.
This disparity in achievements is partly explained by the lack of synergy between the actors in the fight, not only in the same country but also between countries which often share the same borders and the same cultural realities.
Hence the need to pool control efforts through a partnership between actors. This should enable the managers of NGOs and Associations, apart from fortuitous meetings which they are not always the initiators, to discuss their activities and good practices.