FEA in short
Femmes Entraide et Autonomie - FEA is an association based in France whose objective is to promote the integration of people in exile and to promote the health and rights of young girls and women in France, in Europe and in the countries of origin.
We are committed to raising awareness on gender-based and sexual violence and promoting gender equality. At FEA we work in particular to eradicate harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation and forced and/or early marriages within communities from different diasporas, and we build bridges with their countries of origin in order to achieve lasting change.
We seek to improve access to rights, care, services and culture for women and girls, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds.
Our activities include reception, information, guidance, prevention, protection and training.
Women's rights: in what context does FEA operate?
Our mission
The fight for gender equality and full access for women to their rights is still an issue nowadays. At all times and everywhere, women have stood up against male domination, to be free to be and to realize their rights. A long and tedious battle involving patriarchal representations, forms of assignment to defined social roles, ways of behaving or dressing, the control exercised over women's bodies and sexuality and the difficulties of inhabiting the History and public space are still present and anchored in all societies today.
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The victories won over time must be saluted and have enabled, albeit unevenly depending on the region and time, tremendous progress in terms of emancipation and the obtaining and respect of certain rights. They are all steps towards achieving true gender equality.
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However, progress remains to be made, particularly in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence and the full realization of women's sexual and reproductive rights and health as fundamental rights. Thus, the World Economic Forum establishes, in its 2021 global gender gap report, that it will be necessary to wait another 135.6 years before achieving gender equality. A deadline pushed back by 35 years due to the Covid-19 epidemic... The words of Simone de Beauvoir then resonate: “Nothing is definitively acquired. All it takes is a political, economic or religious crisis for women's rights to be called into question. Throughout your life, you must remain vigilant." Except that the crisis was about health and climate.
Our vision
Women from immigrant backgrounds, migrants or refugees in France face the double challenge of sexism and discrimination. Indeed, they face a large number of specific difficulties including:
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Difficulties accessing information, whether linked to problems understanding the French language, using electronics or difficulties in discussing certain questions with family, friends or professionals.
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Specific violence encountered during the migratory journey and taboos and/or psychological trauma which impact their asylum request.
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Living conditions that are sometimes very precarious, which influences their access to various services (travel problems, childcare, etc.).
Beyond vigilance, we need concrete and constant actions. Achieving lasting results requires that every rights holder and citizen and every manager and duty bearer engages and cooperates effectively, regardless of their gender, origin or age.
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Access to equality and the full realization of women's rights must be universal. Actions put in place to correct inequalities must be inclusive and human-centered, contextualized and involve the people affected at each stage.
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At Femmes Entraide et Autonomie, we adopt this approach in the various projects we implement, focusing on two action themes:
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Promoting gender equality and combating gender-based violence, including by fully integrating men.
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Access to women's health.
Some figures on immigration in France
151,070 asylum requests in 2019, including 51,935 were made by women (or around a third).
In 2019, 6.7 million immigrants lived in France (9.9% of the total population).
46.5% of immigrants living in France were born in Africa.
In 2021, Ofpra protected more than 14,000 little girls against female sexual mutilation (more than 16,000 at the end of the first half of 2022).