Our Journey
- Empowering women for land rights
- Advocating for policy change
- Community-led reforms
The African Women’s Network for Community Forest Management (REFACOF) was established in the wake of the International Conference held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 25 to 29 May 2009. Co-organised by the Government of Cameroon through the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife (MINFOF) and the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), this conference focused on the theme ‘Forest Tenure, Governance and Enterprise: New Opportunities for West and Central Africa’.
Seizing the opportunity presented by the participation of delegates from ten West and Central African countries, including Cameroon, the 45 women committed themselves to reflecting on the situation of women in the forestry sector in Africa. The birth of REFACOF was thus derived from the determination and commitment of this core group to play a pioneering and active role in questioning and influencing land and forestry policies in relation to the status and quality of rural women’s land and forest tenure rights. Aware of the constraints, threats and challenges – but also of the existence of a critical mass of opportunities – the Network set about strengthening its geographical and organisational base. Today, it forms a geographical matrix spanning 20 countries.
Our Vision
What we firmly envisage and want to see on the horizon in the coming decades is that “the land and forest rights of rural women are customarily recognised and legally secured, in order to contribute to greater involvement in climate action and help improve their socio-economic position by 2055.
Our Mission
REFACOF has defined its mission in all the countries it covers and the reason for its institutional existence, which is to promote the land and forest rights of rural women in Africa and to influence policies, laws, decisions and practices for gender equity in tenure.
Join Us
REFACOF Permanent Secretariat
Edea, Cameroon
Phone: +237 991 919 623
Email: info@refacof.org/ refacofsecretariat@gmail.com
Become part of a powerful network dedicated to women’s rights and forest conservation. Participate in advocacy campaigns, capacity-building workshops, and economic empowerment initiatives across Central and West Africa.
Our
- Championing women's rights
- Advocating for gender equity
- Empowering women in land and forestry
- Promoting active participation in reforms
