CBDF was formed by organisations that promote human rights and women’s rights in particular. From 1998 to 2002, 15 organisations implemented a project on the rights and citizenship of women in French-speaking Africa with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). At the end of the project, these organisations decided to form a coalition to consolidate their achievements under the project. Under the Leading from the South project, the organisation will use the grant to carry out a countrywide advocacy campaign with sensitisation meetings for decision makers, religious leaders and community members to increase the women’s participation in decision making processes to 30% as prescribed by law.