"Gender is an approach to influence"

On June 2, at the International Assembly of Hydrological Sciences in Montpellier, the Unesco Icireward Center and the UM signed a partnership agreement with the Unesco Chair in "Water, Women and Decision-making" and the Université Felix Houphouet Boigny Abidjan. the Unesco Chair in "Water, Women and Decision-Making Power" and the Université Felix Houphouet Boigny d'Abidjan. Interview with Euphrasie Kouassi Yao, holder of this chair, former minister and special advisor to Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara.

In Abidjan, you hold the UNESCO Chair in "Water, Women and Decision-Making Power". Why a chair that brings these three themes together?
If we look at how water is used, it's women who use it to the tune of 90%, yet they account for only 17% of water-related professional activities. How can society improve? We need to give decision-making power to women, who know a lot about water and its importance. We need to address this imbalance with a gender and development approach.

How do you define gender in this context?
Gender is a tool, a method, a development strategy. A gender-sensitive approach compares the situation of women and men, and identifies the 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, girls and boys.

This Chair has been in existence since 2006. Why is it important for it to be located in Africa?
Because in Africa we have our own norms, cultures and ways of doing things that are different from those in Europe. We need to take the tools of the genre and adapt them to our context. And don't forget that many African countries are developing nations. We don't lack wealth in Africa, nor resources, nor even money I'd like to say, but we do lack strategies for reconciling these resources with the expectations of our populations, and that's the mission we've set ourselves with this Chair.

What are you doing to achieve these objectives?
The first thing is training, because people lack knowledge of the gender approach. We've structured these gender equality issues, and introduced tools such as practical and strategic needs, role distribution, stereotypes... We've already welcomed nearly 200 people, and I can assure you that when these decision-makers come to our training courses, they change the trajectory of both their family and their company.

Today you're here to sign an agreement with the Icireward center and the University of Montpellier. This agreement provides for exchanges between teachers-researchers and students. What do you expect from it?
For me, the University of Montpellier is the only university that counts. I'm aware of its power and international influence. With this partnership, we'll have greater influence and we'll be stronger to meet the objectives of sustainable development in the fields of water, gender and technological innovation. We could save the world, and I weigh my words carefully. A lot of countries are knocking at Côte d'Ivoire's door, and if we can count on a university that is already known, that already has the technology, then we'll be able to go faster.

The agreement also provides for joint research programs and academic and scientific activities. Earlier, President Philippe Augé mentioned the possibility of creating an international establishment diploma.
I think it would be a very good way for France and Africa to work together, and I think that's exactly what it's all about. I've already mentioned the importance of training. There are skills in Africa and there are skills in Europe, so how do we bring them together? So we're really keen to set up this international diploma.

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 label Gender and Competitiveness in Business, what is it for?
You know, companies are all about profitability, so we can't just tell them that they have to take women into account in their company. We need to present them with a label that will enable them to increase their profitability, their reputation and their leadership thanks to women. We've set up a vast program to do this in the hydraulics 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've been Minister for the Promotion of Women, the Family and Child Protection, and today you're special advisor to Côte d'Ivoire President 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 didn't you? Women didn't believe in themselves, society didn't give them much of a place, and I had to do something to help them regain that place. I started working at the Ministry, and we set up the Compedium des Compétences Féminines de Côte d' Ivoire program, which reveals women and boosts their visibility in all sectors at all levels, without distinction of ethnicity, political party or religion. I then set up the Department of Equality and Gender Promotion, the first of its kind in Africa. From there I went on to become Minister and then Special Advisor in charge of gender issues. At every level I issue projects, at every level I try to influence, and I assure you that gender is an influential approach.

In France, the gender issue is also the subject of intense debate. How do Ivorian women view what's happening in Europe?
European women do a lot of things, but it's important to remember that what happens in Europe shouldn't be deported to Africa, and what happens in Africa shouldn't be deported to Europe. Back home, if we want women to be the driving force behind decision-making, we have to start by improving their living conditions. You have to give them access to health and education, you have to make them aware of what's going on in the world, and then allow them to participate and control. I've seen the Me Too movement in Europe , the rapes... All this exists in Africa, of course, but we won't be able to do anything if we don't fight poverty first.