Hilux Fokou Ngoumo is one of the leaders for the next generation. He is 20 years old, from Bertoua, a small city in Cameroon. For three years, he followed the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) – an annual meeting held at the United Nations – virtually. In 2024, with Fòs Feminista’s support, he was able to attend the event in person in New York.
At CSW, Hilux spoke at multiple panels to share insights from the grassroots initiatives he is engaged in as a participant and member of MIFALI, an adolescent and young women-led feminist movement mentored by Fòs Feminista partner Women for a Change Cameroon. These include campaigns for comprehensive sexuality education and training sessions with boys and young men to respond to gender-based violence and champion gender equality in Cameroon. In this global and powerful space, Hilux was also selected to be among the firstever cohort of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women’s Global Youth Fellows for Gender Equality.
Fòs Feminista is supporting young leaders from the Global South like Hilux to have an active and influential voice in political processes that impact them and their communities. Through our Advocacy in Practice program, we work with young people who are new to international advocacy to develop the knowledge, language, and tools to engage in regional and global advocacy spaces, particularly at the United Nations.
In the six cycles of Advocacy in Practice Fòs Feminista has led since 2022, we have trained young people from 59 countries, prioritizing the participation of women, Afro-descendants, gender-diverse people, Indigenous people, and people with disabilities.
After participating in the training, Indigenous activist Ananya Drong was inspired to mobilize her community in Bangladesh.
“Many women in our communities are illiterate, and I want to support them in engaging more actively in discussions surrounding our rights and well-being.”
Ananya Drong, Indigenous activist.
Applying and sharing her new skills and knowledge about advocacy, education, and community action, Ananya is encouraging and mentoring other young Indigenous women to pursue education and leadership roles, and to participate in global conversations about the issues that affect their lives. She aims to reach 50 Indigenous communities in the country with knowledge-sharing sessions.
