The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) is a pan- African, feminist and membership-based network based in Nairobi with over 800 members across 49 African countries. FEMNET exists to facilitate and coordinate the sharing of experiences, ideas, information, and strategies for human rights promotion among African women’s organizations through networking, communication, capacity-building and advocacy at the regional and international levels. Since inception in 1988, FEMNET has strategically positioned herself as a convenor, organizer and facilitator on dialogues around critical issues including women’s involvement in governance and leadership, promoting women’s economic justice, advocating for women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, ending gender-based violence and harmful practices (such as female genital mutilation and child marriage) and strengthening the women’s movement in Africa.
FEMNET continues to be intentional in influencing decisions made at national, regional and global levels, constantly ensuring African women voices are amplified and their needs, priorities and aspirations are prioritized in key policy dialogues and outcomes that have direct and indirect impact on their lives. FEMNET has established her niche as a nucleus serving to mobilize African women and girls to lobby and advocate for the domestication and implementation of commitments made by African governments to the advancement of gender equality and realization of women’s rights. Such commitments include the global and continental declarations on gender equality and women’s rights that African governments are signatories to such as the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women and Girls (CEDAW), Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), ICPD Programme of Action, and the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development (SDGs) at the global level and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) at the regional level.
