My body belongs to me! My body, my choice—amplifying the power of feminist and women-led civil society organizations.
We are pleased to announce the launch of a bold new initiative—Movements for Reproductive Autonomy, Equality and Solidarity (MAREAS). A multi-country initiative across Africa and Latin America to amplify the power of feminist and women-led civil society organizations (CSOs).
The MAREAS consortium brings together four organizations with decades of experience in reproductive health and rights. The members include Reprod’Action Santé, the Consorcio Latinoamericano contra el Aborto Inseguro (CLACAI) and Médecins du Monde-France. Ipas, an international reproductive justice organization with a strong presence in all target countries, will assume the role of consortium leader.
“This multi-country initiative will not only amplify the power of feminist and women-led civil society organizations, it is also an example of how feminist sub-granting is emerging in Francophone Africa. There is no doubt we need to continue to defend gender equality and democracy. Sexual and reproductive health and rights stand as a central, non-negotiable pillar of democracy, making the MAREAS project more vital than ever. The project will help address deep structural inequalities such as gender based violence. We are thrilled to bring Latin American and East African expertise to the region and are thankful for France longstanding relationship with feminist organizations,” said Fabiola Mizero, Regional Director Ipas Francophone.
This innovative project has been funded by Agence française de développement (AFD) through its Support Fund for Feminist Organizations (FSOF) to strengthen organizations in all their diversity across Africa and Latin America. This €6 million funding will be complemented by capacity building rooted in feminist methodology and guided by regional feminist grantmaking committees. The project will be implemented through three different channels: (i) sub-granting as the consortium will provide funding to grassroots feminist organizations supporting women’s rights and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR); (ii) capacity building through peer-to-peer technical and financial capacity building, delivered by the consortium to local recipient CSOs, and (iii) through advocacy as the project will support the networking of CSOs and their joint advocacy initiatives.
This is the 9th call for proposals AFD has launched in the past 7 years to identify a consortium of CSOs implementing an intermediary fund, the others ranging on a diverse set of priorities including gender-based violence, climate justice and women’s economic empowerment. Co-piloted by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the AFD, the FSOF has supported over 1,400 organizations in 75 countries across Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, with a total financial commitment of EUR 254 million, between 2020 and 2024. The project will capitalize on the knowledge and best practices of other sub-granting projects of the Support Fund for Feminist Organizations and the CSOs supported through the project will become part of the broader FSOF community.
The launch of MAREAS follows the conclusion of the French government’s 4th Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policies (FFP), on October 28, in Paris. Feminist foreign policies not only strengthen the protection of sexual and reproductive health and rights, it centers gender equality at the core of its response to barriers faced by women and girls needing reproductive health care.
“Since 2020, AFD has been channeling resources through the FSOF to feminist movements addressing the most pressing gender equality challenges—from GBV to climate justice and now bodily autonomy through MAREAS. This approach reflects our belief that sustainable progress on women’s rights requires strong, well-resourced feminist organizations leading the way in their own communities and contexts.” says Julie GONNET, Deputy Director of the Social Development Division.
“We are incredibly honoured to partner with our allies in Africa to share lessons from the Green Wave and movement-building in Latin America, drawing on both experiences to advance bodily autonomy and reproductive justice”, said Susana Chávez, Secretariat for Strategic Development for CLACAI.
MAREAS aims to advance bodily autonomy as a fundamental right, with a strong focus on access to SRHR services. By energizing local, national, and regional ecosystems, MAREAS will position feminist CSOs as leading actors in transforming gender norms and expanding reproductive rights.
“We are honoured to be part of the MAREAS consortium. This is an opportunity to work towards strengthening and implementing strategic actions for the empowerment, emancipation and protection of the rights of girls, women and reproductive justice” said Amour Aguiar, executive director of RAS.
The organizations have historical and experiential knowledge of the environment, an understanding the dynamics of feminist movements and the importance of supporting them in the face of growing anti-rights movements. Together they will actively work to build bridges of solidarity and innovation between CSOs.
“Every day, women and girls die from unsafe abortions because they are made illegal. Healthcare should never be criminalised. These deaths are preventable: it is urgent that we guarantee safe and legal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for all,”said Marie Luissier, SHSR Advocacy Advisor at MDM France.
The report continues at: “Strengthening Feminist Movements for Reproductive Autonomy” launches at Latin American Feminist Conference – World | ReliefWeb. 3 November 2025.