Marion Abonnenc – Women Deliver
2020

Marion Abonnenc

  • Age: 28
  •    |   She/her/hers

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The views, ideas, and reflections of girls and women, especially the youngest and most vulnerable ones, must be systematically taken into account in order to adopt egalitarian, inclusive, and sustainable policies. Greater visibility must be given to female role models and inspirational leaders to encourage others to express themselves more.

- Marion Abonnenc

Bio

Marion Abonnenc is a French feminist, expert in humanitarian action. She has developed a strong sensitivity and expertise on gender issues during her previous field missions (Benin, Madagascar, India, Bangladesh). She is currently in charge of the humanitarian and civil society portfolios at the French Embassy in Sudan. The incredible mobilization of Sudanese women during the 2019 Sudanese revolution inspired and motivated her to take this position in July 2021.

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What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?

The refusal of injustice and inequality. When I was 22 years old, I went to South India (Tamil Nadu State) for a gap year. I worked on microcredit programs for untouchable and low-caste women's groups in rural areas. The condition of women in India touched me deeply and made me want to dedicate my life to gender equality.

Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.

Highlighting particularly inspiring/combatant/committed women. In my current position as Humanitarian and Civil Society Officer at the French Embassy in Sudan, I accompanied the participation of a Sudanese activist (Amira Osman) in a roundtable entitled ""Citoyennes"" at the Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA) in Paris in May 2022. Amira Osman is the founder of ""No to Women Oppression"", an initiative to advocate against the much-derided Public Order Law. She was arrested in January 2022, shortly after the last military coup in Sudan in October 2021. She has won a Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk. https://www.imarabe.org/fr/rencontres-debats/forum-de-l-ima-citoyennes-4 https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20220528-sudanese-women-s-activist-amira-osman-hamed-wins-human-rights-prize https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/women-s-rights-leader-detained-in-sudan-capital

Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?

Playing sports (volleyball, running, tennis); recharging my batteries in nature, going hiking; taking pictures of places I want to remember and moments and people that are important to me; traveling, opening myself to new horizons, making discoveries and intercultural encounters.

Languages Spoken:

  • English (Advanced/Native)
  • French (Advanced/Native)
  • German (Intermediate)
  • Spanish (Elementary)

Publications:

Speaks On:

  • Humanitarian action
  • Sexual and gender-based violence in conflicts
  • Women participation/activism in revolution/civic movements (ex: Sudan revolution 2019)

Past Awards, Certifications, or Fellowships:

  • Honorable Delegate at Lyon Model United Nations (2017)
  • Best Delegate at Paris Model United Nations (2016)
  • Building a Better Response online training course from Harvard Humanitarian Initiative
  • Advanced Security in the Field online training course from United Nations Department of Safety and Security
  • Partnerships that Change the World: Innovative Alliances Between Companies and Associations online training course from Essec Business School
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