“Gender is an approach to influence.”
On June 2, during the International Hydrological Science Assembly held in Montpellier, the UNESCO Icireward Center and the University of Montpellier signed a partnership agreement with the UNESCO Chair "Water, Women and Decision-Making Power" and Felix Houphouet Boigny University in Abidjan. Interview with Euphrasie Kouassi Yao, holder of this chair, former minister and special advisor to Ivorian President AlAssane Ouattara.
You head the UNESCO Chair in Abidjan on "Water, Women and Decision-Making Power." Why bring these three themes together in one chair?
If we look at water usage, women account for 90% of it, yet they only occupy 17% of professional activities related to water. How can society improve? We need to give decision-making power to these women, who know a lot and understand the importance of water. We must address this imbalance with a gender and development approach.
In this approach, how do you define gender?
Gender is a tool, a method, a development strategy. An approach that takes gender into account analyzes the situation of women and men in a comparative way, identifies sources of inequality in order to reduce and correct them. Social inequalities in terms of education and health; economic inequalities in terms of opportunities; political inequalities in terms of decision-making between women and men, between girls and boys.
This chair has been in existence since 2006. Why is it important that it is located in Africa?
Because in Africa we have our own standards, cultures, and ways of doing things that are different from those in Europe. We need to take gender tools and adapt them to our context. And don't forget that many African countries are developing countries. We don't lack wealth in Africa, nor resources, nor even money, I would say, but we lack strategies to reconcile these resources with the expectations of the population, and that is the mission we have set ourselves with this chair.
What actions are you taking to achieve these objectives?
The first thing is training, because people lack knowledge about the gender approach. We have structured these issues of gender equality and put in place tools such as practical and strategic needs, role distribution, stereotypes, etc. We have already welcomed nearly 200 people, and I can assure you that when these decision-makers come to our training sessions, they change course both for their families and for their companies.
Today you came to sign an agreement with the Icireward center and the University of Montpellier. This agreement provides for exchanges between Professors and students. What are your expectations?
For me, the University of Montpellier is the only university that matters. I know its power, I know its international influence. With this partnership, we will have greater influence and we will be stronger in meeting sustainable development goals in the areas of water, gender, and technological innovation. We could save the world, and I mean that. Many countries are knocking on Côte d'Ivoire's door, so if we can count on a university that is already well-known and already has the technology, then we can move faster.
This agreement also provides for joint research programs and academic and scientific activities. President Philippe Augé mentioned earlier the possibility of creating an international degree. What could this bring?
I think it would be a very good collaboration between France and Africa. I think that's exactly what it's all about. I have already mentioned the importance of training. There are skills in Africa and there are skills in Europe, so how do we bring them together? We are definitely keen to set up this international degree.
This agreement also mentions the reciprocal participation of partner entities from both institutions, such as research centers and companies. In Côte d'Ivoire, you yourself participated in the creation of the Gender and Competitiveness in Business label Gender and Competitiveness in Business. What is its purpose?
You know, companies are all about profitability, so you can't just tell them they have to take women into account in their society. You have to present them with a label that will enable them to increase their profitability, their reputation, and their leadership thanks to women. We have set up a vast program to do this in the hydraulic sector, and we need to extend it to all sectors. Thanks to the label, these companies will become more structured and will benefit from greater strength, intelligence, and human resources. We already have 67 companies on the list.
You were Minister for the Advancement of Women, Family, and Child Protection, and you are now Special Advisor to the President of Côte d'Ivoire, Alassane Ouattara, in charge of gender issues. How has this career path enabled you to advance the cause of women?
I started out teaching in girls' high schools. I saw how brilliant they were, yet I didn't see them in society. Why? Women didn't believe in themselves, society didn't give them much space, and action had to be taken to help them regain that space. I started working at the ministry, where we set up the Compedium des Compétences Féminines de Côte d'Ivoire (Compendium of Women's Skills in Côte d'Ivoire) program, which showcases women and increases their visibility in all sectors at all levels, regardless of ethnicity, political party, or religion. I then created the Directorate for Gender Equality and Promotion, the first of its kind in Africa. From there, I became a minister and then a special advisor on gender issues. At every level, I propose projects, at every level I try to influence, and I can assure you that gender is an approach that influences.
In France, the issue of gender is also hotly debated. How do Ivorian women view what is happening in Europe?
European women are doing a lot, but it is important to remember that we must not export what is happening in Europe to Africa, nor what is happening in Africa to Europe. In our country, in order for women to become decision-makers, we must first improve their living conditions. We must give them access to healthcare and education, we must enable them to be aware of what is happening in the world so that they can then participate and exercise control. I have seen the Me Too movement in Europe , rape... All of this exists in Africa, of course, but we cannot do anything if we do not first fight poverty.