A major awareness-raising tour promoting the ViaDuQ Charter on the island of Mohéli has strengthened civil society engagement in favour of more inclusive and representative governance in the Union of the Comoros. During the tour, 17 new civil society organisations formally signed the Charter, bringing the total number of signatories across the country to 83, against a target of 100 associations.
The activity was organised as part of the European Union-funded project “Strengthening the Protection and Participation of Women, Youth and Civil Society in the Union of the Comoros” (SHAWIRI). The project is implemented by a consortium led by the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), together with the French Red Cross/Comoros Red Crescent, MAEECHA and EarthEcho Communications.
SHAWIRI seeks to strengthen the social protection and civic participation of women, young people and their civil society organisations. In particular, the project supports the internal development of Comorian civil society and promotes the greater participation of women and young people in public dialogue and decision-making processes. This work responds to the persistent underrepresentation of women in the leadership structures of many civil society organisations in the country.
The awareness-raising tour in Mohéli supported the promotion and dissemination of the ViaDuQ Charter among local associations. The Charter for the Acceleration of the Equal Participation of Women and Men in Public Life is a civil society-led initiative designed to advance gender equality within public and associative life and contribute to the emergence of a new generation of women leaders.
By signing the Charter, participating organisations commit to introducing concrete measures into their internal governance documents, including their statutes and internal regulations. These measures include promoting gender parity in positions of responsibility, alternating leadership positions between women and men and establishing dedicated mechanisms for the advancement of women’s rights and positive masculinity.
The initiative goes beyond raising awareness. It encourages associations to examine their internal practices and formally adopt governance arrangements that enable women to participate equally in leadership and decision-making. In doing so, the Charter provides civil society organisations with a practical framework for translating their support for gender equality into lasting institutional commitments.
With 17 new signatories, the Mohéli tour encouraged local organisations to translate their commitment to gender equality into formal changes in their governance practices. By supporting ViaDuQ and the Charter’s initial signatories, ECES is helping civil society organisations establish conditions in which more women can assume leadership roles and contribute to decisions affecting their communities. This work reflects SHAWIRI’s broader objective of strengthening inclusive civic participation across the Union of the Comoros.
