Women’s Participation and Stability in Fragile Contexts: A Strategic Commitment by Stake experts
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Stake experts achieved an important milestone in its development by becoming a signatory of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), led by UN Women and the United Nations Global Compact.
For us, this commitment goes beyond merely signing a form. It reflects our conviction of a reality observed on the ground: in fragile or transitional contexts, stability does not depend solely on security measures, but also on the legitimacy of and trust in institutions among all citizens. Including women in decision-making processes enriches institutions with a diversity of perspectives and contributes to strengthening social cohesion and consolidating trust where it is most fragile. Women’s role in local economic networks and community dynamics makes them a strategic lever for building resilient and relevant institutions.
Our experience in the field perfectly illustrates this tangible impact. As part of an International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Coastal States Stability Mechanism (CSSM)-funded project on women interncommunity cohesion in Benin’s Guéné village (Alibori department), we witnessed how women’s groups across several villages and ethnic backgrounds were able to create the positive changes they longed for in their own communities. These actions strengthened collective action, fostered cooperation between women of different backgrounds, and enabled the accumulation of collective financial resources, demonstrating the effectiveness and sustainability of their initiatives.
By joining the WEPs, Stake experts commits to continue to contribute to creating these positive changes, both as a company and in the work and research that we do in West Africa’s local communities. We aim to continue to systematically integrate a gender perspective into our analyses, recommendations, and interventions. We consider that the inclusion of women is not only a moral imperative. It is, rather, a structuring factor for stability and resilience in fragile contexts.
Discover our commitment and view our official profile here: [https://www.weps.org/company/stake-experts]