Women of the World in Seine-Saint-Denis: Review of the capitalization seminar “Towards Caring Territories for Women Victims of Violence” in Bobigny

Day 1: 20th Women World Meeting in Seine-Saint-Denis

The gathering began with the “20th Women of the World Meeting in Seine-Saint-Denis” at MC93 – Maison de la Culture de Seine-Saint-Denis in Bobigny. Stéphane Troussel, President of the Seine-Saint-Denis Department, emphasized that the International Observatory on Violence Against Women (OIVF) is a crucial space for effective action. “We must all do more to protect women,” he stated.

This was followed by a discussion on femicides, where Yadira Cortés Castillo, Psychosocial Support Specialist at the Red Mesa de Mujeres in Ciudad Juárez, denounced nearly 3,000 femicides recorded in 30 years in her territory. Lidia Rodríguez Chávez, Director of Inclusion and Social Welfare of the Iztapalapa Mayor’s Office, presented the “Siempre Vivas” strategy, based on close ties with communities to ensure safe public spaces and partnerships with local actors, such as public transport drivers and shopkeepers.

Staff from the OVF and the Seine-Saint-Denis Department also shared strategies and innovations to address femicides, such as establishing a direct hotline and using gender-disaggregated data.

Maïra Topall, coordinator of international programs at the Observatory on violence against women in Seine-Saint-Denis, and Amanda Flèty, coordinator of CSIPDHR -UCLG, then introduced the international network of over 50 local women leaders and experts titled “Caring Territories for Women Victims of Violence.” Furthermore, Maysoun Dawoud, Head of the OVF in Jenin (Palestine), illustrated how, with the support of the AFD, this initiative empowered women and their children even during wartime, thanks to care-based public services and economic opportunities.

During the plenary session titled “Sexual Violence,” Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, called for the establishment of support networks among women and grassroots movements, ensuring their inclusion in all public policies affecting them. Rohey Malick Lowe, Mayor of Banjul, emphasized solidarity and local action as key elements in empowering women and combating violence.

To conclude the day, Pascale Labbé, Vice-President of the Departmental Council of Seine-Saint-Denis, expressed gratitude to the participating local leaders and experts, as well as to our Committee and UCLG, for strengthening the international perspective of the OIVF. Ernestine Ronai and Emilia Saiz, UCLG Secretary-General, proclaimed the Charter of Values “Towards Caring Territories for Women Victims of Violence.”

The day was enriched by cultural performances led by women and feminist, anti-patriarchal groups. The Seine-Saint-Denis Department choir performed “Canción sin Miedo” and a song denouncing female sexual mutilation. The mariachis Las Arrieras presented feminist renditions of genre classics, while LOBA, a Congolese traditional percussion group, energized participants. A hip-hop performance by the group Time Room Lockers concluded this inspiring day.

Day 2: Focus on the International Program “Caring Territories for Women Victims of Violence” and the Importance of Networks such as REFELA and Mercociudades

The second day began with a plenary session titled “The State of Violence Against Women Globally: Local and International Perspectives” at Canal 93 in Bobigny. Abdel Sadi, Mayor of Bobigny, welcomed the participants. He was joined by Pascale Labbé, who reflected on the lessons learned from the program’s training sessions held in Iztapalapa and Banjul. Reem Alsalem delivered the opening remarks, urging all actors to end all forms of violence against women, with the creation of observatories as a cornerstone strategy.

The international program was then highlighted. Ernestine Ronai explained that “this immense work has put violence against women at the heart of our cooperation projects in our department.” Emilia Saiz recounted that “equality has always been on UCLG’s agenda, which took shape when the Swedish Association of Local and Regional Governments put the need to include women in local decision-making on the agenda.” The UCLG Secretary General reaffirmed that “if we have more women in decision making, we can change institutions, public policies and the conversation” and reflected on the network we need to create: “it is UCLG, and how do we reach all the people? We have to start with the group of those who are willing, and this is the CSIPDHR.”

During discussions on thematic priorities, Valérie Driot, Territorial Internationalization Officer at AFD, reaffirmed her organization’s commitment to supporting local projects promoting equality and common goods. Rohey Lowe, who hosted one of the trainings in his city, Banjul, in January 2024, again made the invitation to use “the recipe of solidarity, because we have a voice and it is very strong, and that is why we say that all efforts must be local”.

Maira Topall, project coordinator, presented the thematic fact sheets, a learning tool for the international program, available in Spanish, English, French and Arabic.

Click HERE to access them!

Paola Pabón, Prefect of Pichincha, shared that, thanks to her re-election, her region has been implementing a care policy for five years, centering indigenous women due to their significant representation in the country. She also emphasized the importance of organized civil society and invited local governments to recognize their role as part of the State, with the responsibility to protect women, children, and future generations. Mahamat Ardjoune, Communication Officer on Violence Against Women at REFELA-Chad, spoke about efforts to raise awareness among young women about the consequences of violence, carried out in collaboration with women’s organizations.

The plenary session titled “Local Governments Listening to Women: Addressing Femicides, Public Action Against Domestic Violence, and Strengthening Public Services for Women’s Protection” was moderated by Maéva Bonnet from the OIVF and Benedetta Cosco, Policy Officer from our Committee.

In the “Femicides” section, Renée Jeftha, Social Work Policy Developer for the Victim Empowerment Program in Western Cape (South Africa), and Lydia Cordero Cabrera, Counselor at the Municipal Institute for Women of Ciudad Juárez, highlighted the importance of comprehensive approaches involving all of society and partnerships with civil society to drive the creation of institutions dedicated to this issue.

For “Intimate Violence,” Kiné Fall, 2nd Elected Secretary of the Departmental Council of Ziguinchor; Rose Bouzaid (Expert, WILDAF Mali); and Tamyris Elpidio, Coordinator of the Gender Thematic Unit of Mercociudades (Niterói, Brazil), shared how their territories provide 24/7 legal, medical, and psychological support for women victims and their children.

In the “Public Services for Women’s Protection” section, Verónica Sánchez, Mayor of Pedro Moncayo, and Folashade Olabanji-Oba, National President of ALGOVC and Vice-President of Ikorodu (Lagos State, Nigeria), explained how they have opened care centers offering training and economic opportunities for women, while highlighting the essential role of police support in protecting women. Verónica Sánchez also shared her personal experience as a victim of political violence, encouraging participants to remain united: “One woman can change a canton, but together, we can change society.”

The second day was also marked by in-depth discussions on the local tools needed to protect women and guarantee their rights. One of the highlights of the day was the consultation on the creation of local observatories , facilitated by the UN Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Reem Alsalem , which highlighted their strategic and multidisciplinary role in the fight against violence against women. The participants discussed best practice and the obstacles to collecting reliable data. Myriam Abdallah, Head of the Ngazidja Observatory on Violence against Women (Comoros), illustrated how such mechanisms can not only strengthen local public policies, but also guide the actions of partner territories by drawing on precise knowledge of local realities.

The day culminated with a session co-organized within the WYDE project, titled “Caring Territories: Empowering Women in Local Politics: Changing Norms, Ending Violence.” The first panel was moderated by Emilia Saiz, who emphasized that the WYDE program fosters dialogue to discuss the struggles and obstacles faced by local governments in empowering women.

Carola Gunnarsson, Councillor of Sala, UCLG Special Envoy for Freedom, Solidarity, and Fighting Violence Against Local Political Leaders, and UCLG Vice-President for Europe, drew attention to the rise of both online and physical violence, undermining women’s rights to participate in democratic and political life. Oriane Filhol, Deputy Mayor and Departmental Councillor of Seine-Saint-Denis, shared how she has received multiple threats during awareness campaigns, calling for mechanisms to halt this cycle.

Faced with these challenges, Hawa Sidibé, First Vice-President of the Nouakchott Region, highlighted the importance of REFELA and the 20% quota for women in her country’s assemblies as crucial to shaping their future. Similarly, Fabiana Goyeneche, Director of International Relations for Montevideo, emphasized the strength of the Feminist Municipal Movement in empowering other women to reach spaces of political leadership.

The second panel was moderated by Cécile Roth, UCLG’s gender focal point, who shared how the WYDE program has collectively addressed the issue of social norms. Hélène Bidard, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of Gender Equality, Youth, and Popular Education, noted the multiple forms of political violence, such as discredit and threats, exacerbated by extreme polarization. Mamou Bamba Diabaté, Mayor of Pelengana and President of REFELA-Mali, and Fatimata Sao, Municipal Councillor of Tevrag Zeina, Nouakchott, reiterated the importance of international women’s networks for empowerment.

Finally, Marylin Neven, Head of EU Liaison for International IDEA, acknowledged the challenges and explained that the WYDE program aims to transform social norms and inequalities to empower women to participate fully.

Day 3: Focus on Tools and Local Public Policies, Towards Beijing+30

The third and final day began with three dialogues about the implementation of caring territories for women victims of violence around the world. Dialogue 1, featuring Maysoun Dawoud and Lina Zuher from the OIVF in Jenin, addressed the training of professionals. Maysoun and Lina highlighted the importance of training professionals in local governments to protect and empower women even during times of war.

Dialogue 2, titled “Protecting Women in Shelters,” included contributions from Amparo Sayago, Director of International Relations of Quilmes; Lorena Chagas Lemos, Sub-Secretary of Human Rights and Citizenship of Contagem; Nelly Ouassenan, Deputy Mayor of Cocody; and Laureen Genthon, Deputy Mayor of Nanterre responsible for women’s rights. The participants shared their experiences in creating and managing shelters for women victims of violence, highlighting approaches based on human rights and offering legal, medical, and psychological services for victims and their children.

Dialogue 3, “A Culture of Partnership with Associations and Residents,” was co-led by Lidia Rodríguez Chávez from the Iztapalapa Mayor’s Office and Zahra Amarine, Project Officer at the Migration and Development Association (Morocco). They showcased how collaboration with civil society is essential for integrating gender perspectives into local public policies.

Then, Maéva Bonnet, International Projects Officer at the Observatory of Violence against Women in Seine-Saint-Denis; Viviana Herrera, UCLG Communications Officer and Benedetta Cosco, UCLG Inclusion Project Officer, presented the online course entitled “Towards Caring Territories for Women Victims of Violence”, a first digital resource aimed at local governments, their teams and anyone wishing to combat violence at local level. The course was developed by the OIVF, Commission and UCLG’s learning unit.

To access the online course, click HERE

The final day also focused on exchanges between local authorities and civil society. The session entitled “‘Violence’ here and there: a dialogue with associations in Seine-Saint-Denis ” highlighted a number of initiatives undertaken by local and international associations to combat violence against women. During this session, the winners of the Call to Action in Seine-Saint-Denis presented their international solidarity projects as part of the FICOL programme. The actions carried out by these associations illustrated a variety of prevention and protection tools and resources. Examples included eloquence workshops organised with young people to encourage the deconstruction of gender stereotypes, the creation of a shelter for women victims of violence, and awareness-raising initiatives on economic violence. These projects illustrate the local mobilisation in Seine-Saint-Denis and beyond, in an effort to protect women and girls who are victims of violence from the Seine-Saint-Denis diasporas and to raise community awareness.

Finally, Emilia Saiz opened a powerful debate titled “Towards Beijing+30: Challenges and Perspectives for Caring Territories for Women Victims of Violence.” Local leaders and experts shared key messages and discussed the next steps to prepare for this significant milestone.

Ernestine Ronai shared her experience at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, where cities had already demanded the financial resources necessary to implement public policies to combat all kinds of violence. She emphasized the importance of continuing to address all forms of violence against women, as equality is fundamental to human development.

Ana Falú, Executive Director of CISCSA and UCLG Ubuntu Advisor, encouraged participants to recognize the progress made while deepening and safeguarding the feminist agenda achieved so far.

Key points highlighted by participants:

• Ensuring equality for local women officials driving equal public policies.
• Strengthening partnerships with civil society and international women’s networks.
• Securing more resources and guaranteeing financial autonomy for local initiatives.
• Raising awareness among future generations so that women know their rights from a young age.
• Reaffirming the key role of local and regional governments in ending gender-based violence.

The “Towards Caring Territories for Women Victims of Violence” program has laid the foundation for global change, as emphasized by Emilia Saiz. From the creation of observatories to the economic empowerment of women, local initiatives are essential to combating all kinds of violence against women. This seminar demonstrated that local governments, in collaboration with civil society and global networks, have the power to transform realities and build a more equal future.