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HIC at the 2026 World Social Forum 2026 in Benin

HIC

World Social Forum 2026 in Cotonou

World Social Forum 2026: Reflections, Challenges and the Strength of Social Movements

Background

Introduction & Context

Established in January 2001 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, the World Social Forum (WSF) emerged as a global counter-space to the neoliberal economic agendas championed by elites at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Designed as an open, horizontal, and self-managed platform, the WSF serves as an inclusive space for social movements, civil society organisations, and activists globally. The Forum provides a collaborative space for critical reflection, cross-movement convergence, and the collective formulation of alternatives to systemic exploitation, inequality, and commodification. Over the past two decades, 16 major global editions, spanning cities such as Dakar, Nairobi, Tunis, Mumbai, Montreal, Belém, and Kathmandu, have linked localised grassroots struggles with global advocacy networks.


The return of the World Social Forum to the African continent for its 17th edition in Cotonou, Benin, represented a deliberate political choice.

West Africa stands at the intersection of acute structural pressures, including widespread land grabbing, extractivism, climate vulnerability, armed conflict, and top-down economic reforms, yet remains a vibrant hub for community-led mobilisation and resistance, and the defence of collective land and natural resource rights. The selection of Benin was spearheaded by the Global Convergence of Struggles for Land and Water West Africa (CGLTE-OA) in coordination with the WSF International Council, mobilising a broad coalition of Beninese civil society organisations, regional platforms, and international social movement allies. While the event initially moved forward with the backing and commitment of the Beninese government, the subsequent unfolding of events highlighted the complex and volatile realities of hosting critical civic spaces within the region.

West African caravan
World Social Forum Benin 2026


Global struggles for land, housing and dignity are deeply interconnected.

HIC Participation

HIC at the 2026 World Social Forum

HIC’s participation at the forum aimed to leverage this space to scale up the HIC Convergence of Social and Feminist Movements, which is a process that unites diverse struggles around habitat-related rights. The 2026 forum offered a critical opportunity to centre global struggles for land, housing, and dignity within a hostile political climate characterised by the aggressive commodification of and exclusionary nature of housing and land rights, increased persecution of human rights defenders, the rule of law and a rapidly shrinking civic space where power and decision-making is concentrated in the hands of the few. In response, the HIC Convergence champions democratic, self-management principles and feminist approaches to land and housing. By emphasising these frameworks as common denominators, the convergence seeks to lead a collective resistance anchored in popular power against systemic injustices.

Our priorities

Our objectives

01.

Launch the Statement of Shared Priorities for social and feminist movements, co-developed by movements focused on the social production of habitat, feminist approaches, and climate justice.

02.

Build deep solidarity with social movements by demonstrating that the housing struggle is a shared, cross-cutting struggle that intersects with environmental, agricultural and labour realities.

03.

Coordinate directly with social movements to centre habitat-related human rights and priorities within local, national, and international advocacy agendas.

August 2026

Timeline of Events at the WSF

Pre-forum mobilisation & preparation

  • Nearly two years of regional and cross-continental mobilisation spearheaded by the International Council and the Global Convergence of Struggles for Land and Water, West Africa (CGLTE-OA), led by the HIC Board Representative for Social Movements, Massa Koné.
  • HIC was actively represented in the Technical Organising Committee by the Africa Regional Coordinator, who participated in the planning and coordination meetings.
  • HIC’s 13-person delegation arrived in Cotonou on the 3rd August 2026.

The caravan border situation and restrictions on all WSF-related public assemblies

  • On Monday, August 3, the West African Caravans (including Massa Koné) reached the Beninese border from Togo. Despite initial entry clearance, security forces intercepted the caravans, escorted them under armed guard, and forced them to re-enter Togo late Monday night.
  • The WSF International Council (IC) convened an extraordinary emergency session with HIC representatives participating to assess the rapidly evolving political situation.
  • Beninese authorities restricted WSF public assemblies at the Université d’Abomey-Calavi, forcing the official cancellation of the Opening March scheduled for August 4

The abrupt ban of the WSF by the government

  • The Beninese government issued an outright ban on all WSF-related activities at the university venue, leading to the cancellation of the official forum program.
  • HIC prioritised the immediate physical safety of its 13-person delegation, arranging early flight departures and suspending parallel in-person sessions to avoid state confrontation.
  • HIC resolved to transition its main event program, including the launch of the Collective Statement of Shared Priorities, to a virtual format after the forum.

Subsequent Government Decision on the Forum

  • Following negotiations between organisers and authorities, the government agreed to allow the forum to proceed without further state interference.
  • The 17th World Social Forum (WSF) officially kicked off on Wednesday, August 6, 2026, on the campus of the University of Abomey-Calavi.
  • Remaining HIC delegates in Cotonou participated in activities, including welcoming the arriving West African Caravans, joining the opening march, and attending the official opening ceremony alongside thousands of social movement delegates.

World Social Forum Benin 2026 participants

Social movements continued to organise, adapt and build solidarity despite the disruption.

Reflection

Reflection and analysis of events

From the developments/experience of the forum, it is clear that states view autonomous gatherings of social movements as a political threat to be contained rather than a democratic exercise. The armed return of the caravans to the border and their treatment there highlights how border controls and the use of state security bodies are weaponised to challenge and dismantle cross-regional solidarity and movement building. What happened in Cotonou is a reflection of the systemic regional and global trend of shrinking civic spaces, criminalisation of human rights defenders, and restriction of the freedom of public assembly. Such actions directly undermine the conditions necessary for marginalised communities to organise and demand structural change.


This WSF reality directly speaks to the diagnosis and demands articulated in HIC’s Statement of Shared Priorities that was drafted through the Convergence of Social and Feminist Movements.

The state’s attempt to silence the forum highlights key pillars of the statement:

Land, territory and housing rights

The pushback faced by the CGLTE-OA caravans and land defenders highlights why the defence of land, territory, and housing rights must remain central to all social movement agendas.

Women and marginalised groups

Autocratic state interventions disproportionately impact women and marginalised groups who rely on collective spaces for safety, mutual support, and advocacy.

Cross-regional movement alliances

The challenges experienced in Cotonou demonstrate that local struggles against forced evictions, land grabbing, and civic repression cannot be won in isolation; they require deeply interconnected, cross-regional movement alliances.

Despite the hostile environment, the experience in Cotonou offered a powerful testament to the strength and resilience of social movements when facing state interference. Rather than demobilising, movements adapted in real time, holding decentralised sessions, organising emergency coordination meetings, and utilising hotel and network spaces to continue dialogues. Public statements and denouncements were issued promptly, denouncing the actions of the Beninese authorities and standing in solidarity with Massa Koné, CGLTE-OA, and local organisers.

HIC delegation and World Social Forum activities
Participants at the World Social Forum

Looking ahead

Impact on HIC’s Program

While the initial cancellation prevented us from holding our planned self-organised sessions in their original format, the HIC delegation actively participated in key plenary moments and thematic sessions organised by partner movements. Our presence ensured that HIC’s commitment to cross-movement solidarity was visibly demonstrated despite the disruption.

A core objective for HIC at Cotonou was the in-person launch of the Collective Statement of Shared Priorities. While the physical session was suspended to safeguard delegate well-being and adapt to venue restrictions, the spirit and purpose of this milestone remain fully intact.

A dedicated online launch event

We have resolved to host a dedicated online launch event for the Statement. This virtual gathering will carry forward the same momentum, objectives, and political depth intended for Cotonou, bringing together HIC Members, Allies, and partner social movements across all regions.

The exact date for the online launch is currently being finalised. Details and invitations will be circulated as soon as the date is confirmed.


The experience of Cotonou reaffirmed that, even in the face of restrictions and disruption, social movements continue to adapt, organise and build collective alternatives.