25N International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 2025

Nikki unites against Gender-Based Violence: How OAN International Commemorated 25N in 2025

On November 25, 2025, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the OAN International team in Nikki (Benin) organized a day of reflection and community dialogue focused on the fight against gender-based violence. Once again, the organization reaffirmed its commitment to defending women's rights and to preventing all forms of violence that affect their well-being and development.

A modest but deeply meaningful commemoration

Unlike previous editions, this year's commemoration took place in a more modest atmosphere, in keeping with the community's social context. However, the depth of the conversations and the quality of the contributions made this day an especially valuable moment for the collective building of solutions.

OAN International brought together around the same table elders and traditional leaders, representatives of civil society, citizens, religious leaders, as well as communal structures and other NGOs present in the area. This diversity of voices allowed for a broad and participatory analysis of the various manifestations of gender-based violence in Nikki and its surroundings.

Presentation of progress and challenges since 2017

During the meeting, OAN International presented its achievements and the actions carried out since 2017 in the fight against this serious social problem. Experiences of awareness-raising, community support, training and joint work with local authorities to promote safer environments for women and girls were shared.

The organization also took the opportunity to present the difficulties encountered in implementing its activities: resource limitations, socio-cultural barriers and structural challenges that continue to hinder the effective protection of women's rights.

A space for reflection and joint building

One of the most relevant moments of the day was the open dialogue among the different participants. Based on the shared experiences, proposals for solutions were formulated aimed at improving the prevention, support and response to gender-based violence.

As a result of this exchange, a joint roadmap was drawn up and approved, which will guide the next actions and will make it possible to strengthen the collaborative work among organizations, community leaders and institutional actors.

A renewed commitment to a future without violence

The fight against gender-based violence requires perseverance, coordinated work and the active involvement of the whole community. With activities such as the one on 25N, OAN International reaffirms its will to keep building safe spaces and to promote a lasting social transformation in Nikki.