Reseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Developpement (RFLD)

The Network of Women Leaders for Development — Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement (RFLD) — is a leading African feminist network operating continent-wide. Founded in 2013, RFLD intervenes on women's rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), civic space, climate justice, and the protection of women human rights defenders across Africa. Today, the Network counts 670 member organisations across 15+ countries — plus regional engagements across the 55 member states of the African Union through our continental policy hubs.

We are an ACHPR Observer with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and a member of the Working Group of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. We were selected by GIZ/BMZ as one of twelve African feminist organisations for the SEA-T flagship cohort (2025-2028), within which RFLD holds the 2026 Council Presidency.

Current Main Goals

• Protecting Rights & SRHR: We work to protect the rights of women and girls, making sure they have access to sexual and reproductive health services. We also support their active involvement and representation in all areas where decisions are made.

• Defending Civil Liberties: We stand up for civil liberties and democratic values, with a focus on human rights. This means supporting freedom of expression, assembly, and association, and making sure democratic principles are respected.

• Digital & Media Ecosystems: Strengthened digital, civic and media environment and ecosystem that withstand threats, backlash and violence and promotes human rights and democratic freedoms.

• Grassroots Subgranting: We subgrant civil society groups to take a more active role in gender justice.

People and Groups Served

The Women Leaders Network for Development is a Panafrican organisation based in West Africa working to promote and protect the rights of women, youth, and vulnerable groups and ensure their participation in decision-making spheres. RFLD fosters effective cooperation through awareness-raising, training, education programs, coalition building, and advocacy using communication technologies.

RFLD represents thousands of Women Human Rights Defenders expanding its reach across sub-regional networks. RFLD brings its expertise to improve collaboration among women human rights organisations, address resource constraints that compromise the safety and security of WHRDs, and build the capacity of defenders to effectively engage with human rights instruments and mechanisms.