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CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION: The “SahelActivists” take on inequality in Chad

25 octobre 2023

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An AfricTivistes team travelled to N’Djamena, Chad, from 24 to 28 January 2022 to deliver theoretical and practical training on civic engagement and social change. The visit also provided an opportunity to establish a community of change-makers and share good practices. Called “SahelActivistes”, the group aims to tackle inequality in the region.

In partnership with Oxfam and WiLDAF, AfricTivistes ran five days of theoretical and practical sessions in Chad on civic engagement and social change in the digital age. Held at the WenakLabs digital fabrication laboratory, the sessions gave participants a solid grounding to help them advocate for reducing inequality in Chad. Those selected through an open call showed a genuine interest in the issue and a readiness to help change things. The group, now known as “SahelActivistes”, includes journalists, teachers, sociologists, lawyers and human rights defenders. Its members have expressed their determination to become genuine change-makers, drawing on both individual and collective leadership.

Aged between 18 and 40, the participants recognised that their involvement is essential to building a better future for the region. “The young people are the hope of the Sahel. Through their commitment and determination, they help reduce inequality and provide a timely response to the situation facing this region. They must be listened to and, above all, heard, because they have solutions to offer,” said AfricTivistes President Cheikh Fall, who led the sessions.

During the training, the “SahelActivistes” developed their own definition of inequality in the Sahel: the unfair and unequal distribution of wealth arising from political, institutional, economic and social conditions. In their view, inequality takes the form of discrimination and restrictions on the rights of the vast majority of the population, compounded by the weight of tradition and culture. “We are convinced that inequality is a scourge that breeds war, terrorism, insecurity, mistrust, political instability, underdevelopment and the hoarding of wealth,” they said.

The “SahelActivistes” are convinced that reducing inequality requires:

  • Education for all;
  • Good governance;
  • Social justice;
  • Accountability;
  • Respect for the rights of vulnerable groups;
  • A fight against injustice;
  • The promotion of innovation;
  • The active involvement of political, cultural, religious and traditional stakeholders.

During the sessions, participants also mapped influential stakeholders whose actions could affect inequality. These included supportive stakeholders with high influence, hostile stakeholders with high influence, and neutral stakeholders who tended to be supportive and had moderate influence.

To encourage Chad’s political authorities and religious and traditional leaders to support efforts to reduce inequality in the Sahel, the “SahelActivistes” plan to use a range of strategies, including online and offline activities. These include awareness campaigns for community-based organisations (CBOs) and citizens on the Mining Code and the allocation to the population of 5% of the resources generated by mining. Their awareness-raising work will also include training and a series of workshops called “Tchad Savoir”, as well as training for young women to help them advocate effectively for girls’ education. They will also develop and produce content for their online and offline awareness campaigns.

“Carrying out these activities will help people better understand the Mining Code and the issues surrounding inequality in the Sahel. It will also allow us to introduce young people to the values and importance of education,” said the “SahelActivistes”. They believe that a fairer division of responsibilities within the social division of labour—including reproductive, productive and community roles—will also help reduce inequality.

The “SahelActivistes” therefore aim to create accessible, relevant educational content that addresses all these concerns. They say their approach will help bring about a better future in the short term, by 2025. To support their work, they have already launched the hashtags #Nos5pourCent and #EducActionSahel, which will feature in their online communications. The “SahelActivistes” can also count on WenakLabs, a local AfricTivistes partner in Chad, which has pledged to provide logistical and operational support.

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