Conseil Des Femmes Francophones de Belgique

Fondée en janvier 1905, par Mesdames Marie POPELIN et Elise SOYER-NYST, la Société a été constituée en ASBL devant notaire en 1950 et ses statuts publiés au Moniteur Belge le 9 juin 1951.

Le CFFB est un organisme non gouvernemental et pluraliste qui a pour objectif général de promouvoir la cause des femmes. Dans ce but il veut :

1. grouper, associer, représenter des femmes et des associations de femmes, de tous milieux, opinions, situations, en vue de défendre leurs droits et leurs intérêts sociaux, culturels, politiques, économiques, ceci dans le respect de leur autonomie ;
2. collaborer avec d’autres associations, organisations, institutions, organismes privés et publics, nationaux et internationaux ;
3. assurer la participation, en tant que membre, aux activités du Conseil International des Femmes – CIF et CECIF et du Lobby Européen des Femmes
4. aider les associations de femmes des pays en voie de développement par des actions de coopération ;
5. donner des avis, d’initiative ou sur demande des pouvoirs publics, sur toute question concernant les droits des  femmes et l’égalité hommes/femmes.

Vrouwenraad

In 1905, Marie Popelin founded the National Council of Women of Belgium. It was the start of the women’s rights movement in our country. The French-speaking and the Dutch-speaking part went their own way in 1974, but continued to work together and still do.

We are an umbrella organization aiming at equal opportunities for all women, men and non-binary persons, regardless of their age, origin, color of skin, conviction, sexual preference, gender identity, disability, health, civil state/way of living…, taking into account mutual differences.

Our mail goal is to achieve equality between women and men in an inclusive society. We study, from a gender perspective, the connection with other grounds of discrimination (intersectionality).

Our affiliates are about 35 Dutch-speaking women’s associations with various philosophical and ideological backgrounds: big sociocultural organizations, small lobby groups, professional associations, political women ’s groups, trade union women’s groups, migrant women’s associations, grass roots organizations,…

Our ambitions:

• to eradicate all forms of violence (including domestic and sexual violence)
• to eradicate sexism and stereotyped imaging
• to prepare the transition into a caring society (the so-called Purple Pact)

Our activities :

• to inform and sensitize (through websites, newsletters, social media channels, publications, reports, hearings, conferences, files, recommendations)
• to debate (with other social and equal opportunities organizations, the different authorities, the academic world and several lobby groups)
• to lobby (giving advice and putting pressure)

Major gender related areas of research and lobby:

• health and sexual and reproductive rights (including rape and prostitution)
• decision-making
• work (pay gap/work and life balance)
• poverty (including period poverty)
• (sexual) violence
• human and women’s rights
• peace
• representation in press and media

We carefully watch the implementation and the follow-up of the resolutions of the UN World Conferences of Women, the CEDAW Convention, UN Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security and other international human rights instruments.

The Dutch-speaking Council of Women is affiliated to the ECICW and to the ICW.