Every year, our team welcomes many interns, students and researchers who are interested in our projects. So it's only natural that we should call on this pool of motivation and knowledge to help us analyse and develop our approach to gender and our actions aimed specifically at women. Three students answered our call. They share their experiences with us.
Why did you choose to do your internship at LC?
I did a three-month placement at LC during my 3rd year of a Bachelors degree in International Cooperation (HEP Namur). I was interested in gender issues and women's empowerment, and it turned out that the NGO wanted to strengthen this aspect within its projects.
What was the purpose of your internship?
I worked on taking gender into account in the socio-professional integration of street children (ESDR) in Kinshasa (DRC). What did your research teach you? It showed that gender relations as understood and adopted in the West cannot be transposed as such to African societies because the realities are not the same. Taking gender into account in this project was superficial and encountered difficulties because societies are still strongly patriarchal. Women are relegated to the background in economic activities and/or directed towards precarious sectors, but they are also not always welcome in political and decision-making roles within society.
What do you think needs to be improved to ensure that the gender dimension is better taken into account?
Firstly, the social realities and gender representations prevailing in society must be taken into account. Then involve men more in awareness campaigns (positive masculinity), because involving them means making them aware of the importance of empowering women and the positive repercussions for society in general and for couples in particular. To make them understand that this is not a war between women and men, but rather a struggle for better living conditions, regardless of gender. And finally, to get the State (lobbies) to put in place policies in favour of free education and the inclusion of all sections of society in order to put an end to the inequalities in access to education that penalise girls.
Aminata Cissé,
Master's student in political science
in international relations at the University
Sorbonne Paris Nord (France).