- Evidence has shown that savings groups, over and above their economic impact on women, also transform the interactions between women and their communities.
- When women are able to come together in safe spaces, they gain confidence in their individual and collective voice and have the power to bring about change for a more equitable world.
- When we network or connect these groups together, we increase their legitimacy and credibility to develop strategic alliances with local and national Civil Society Organizations, creating avenues for women to raise their voices and fight for gender justice.
- WOM in West Africa has changed the name from savings groups to "solidarity groups". Because it’s not just about economic solidarity but building social and political solidarity too.
- By June 2020, solidarity groups in West Africa, with Women On the Move, had directly supported positive impact on more than 1.6 million people.
Women on the Move Global Report 2021: Women's Collective Voice
Women on the Move (WOM) is a CARE regional strategy to mobilize existing savings groups (previously referred to as Village Savings & Loan Associations, or VSLA) in West Africa to serve as a platform for women and girls to assert their rights. These savings groups have been a foundational CARE approach to women’s economic justice. This report looks at the evolution of WOM from 2016 to 2021 and how Women's Collective Voice has become a powerful, impactful tool to drive gender equality in West Africa.
- Countries: Benin, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Togo
- Published: July 2021
