We the undersigned participants at a strategic meeting on Women’s Economic Empowerment and Livelihoods, held in Cape Town on 3-4 May under the auspices of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), wish to communicate the following key messages from our deliberations to the World Economic Forum-Africa meeting “Delivering on Africa’s Promise”, 8-10 May 2013

 

We welcome the new positive image of “Africa Rising,” and stand proud of the achievements of the continent’s women and men against overwhelming odds. As partners in the efforts to ensure that Africa’s growth is sustainable and is in the interest of the continent and its peoples, we wish to bring to the attention of this meeting, the following concerns in the hopes that they will form a part of the deliberations:

 

We remain sceptical that real progress for Africa’s one billion people—the majority of whom are women–will change radically through policies centred unremittingly on markets and profits, and based predominantly on the extraction of mineral resources. African people’s needs and interests—particularly those of women—are not part of this narrow economic vision. As African women, we are only too aware that:

 

 

1. From colonialisation to globalisation, African women have been brutally marginalised from Africa’s economic activity. The colonial economic model, which dominates “development” planning to this day, deliberately destroyed indigenous African systems of production, which were based on careful custodianship of our natural resources for present and future generations. As a result, African women’s economic contribution, skills and knowledge have been devalued and relegated to the “informal economy.” The result has been that even now, economic growth and the so-called “promise of Africa” have had little relevance to the vast majority of Africa’s women.

 

1. Women’s wealth in Africa has been intimately tied to traditional forms of communal resource ownership in which communities have evolved equitable and sustainable systems of wealth creation and distribution. These same communal systems have protected and enriched Africa’s greatest assets: a natural heritage second to none, with abundant water, forest and land based resources, as well as bounteous plant, marine and animal life. The definition of Africa’s wealth and economy in limited terms of GDP obscures the true value of the continent’s real capital.

 

1. The fuel of Africa’s economic growth and development is its food system. Food systems in Africa rely on indigenous local products.The 2010-2011 report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation on ‘The State of Food and Agriculture’[1] indicates that in Africa 50-80% of agricultural labour is provided by women. Africa’s primary food security systems are at threat from the process of relentless land degradation, dispossession, privatisation and large scale land grabs. Furthermore, these local food production systems are threatened by the loss of women’s indigenous knowledge necessary to preserve our rich ecosystems, seeds and animal biodiversity. However, women farmers are being driven out of the food economy under the relentless drive towards exclusively large-scale commercial agriculture. The impact of these approaches to our environment and to our complex ecosystems cannot be stressed enough. It is time for urgent action now.

 

We urge African political and business leaders participating at the Regional Africa World Economic Forum 2013 to broaden their understanding of an “emerging Africa” beyond extractive industry driven GDP. A balance must be struck between nurturing real African economies—where we “produce what we consume and consume what we produce”—and slavishly aligning our production systems to the requirements of external powers. As African women, we wish to end the cycle of exclusion and marginalisation that has characterised Africa’s location in the global economy, and our participation as citizens within it.

 

As a group of African feminists, women’s rights and social justice activists passionate about the realisation of the rights of all Africans we commit ourselves to work with women, decision makers, business people and thought leaders across the continent to reimagine and work towards Africa’s transformation guided by principles of sovereignty, self-determination, equity and justice.

 

Signed:

African Women’s Development Fund (Regional)

African Women’s Economic Policy Network (Uganda)

Biowatch (South Africa)

Busia Community Based Services (Kenya)

Economic Justice Network (South Africa)

Gaia Foundation (International)

Grassroots Organisation Operating Together in Sisterhood (Kenya)

Land Access Movement of South Africa (South Africa)

Positive Women’s Network (South Africa)

Rural Women’s Movement (South Africa)

SOS Addis (Ethiopia)

Surplus People Project (South Africa)

Tanzania Gender Network Program (Tanzania)

The African Biodiversity Network (Kenya)

The Association of Uganda Professional Women in Agriculture and Environment (Uganda)

The Mupo Foundation (South Africa)

Wheat Trust (South Africa)

Women and Resources in Eastern and Southern Africa (Zimbabwe)

Women’s Leadership and Training Programme (South Africa)

 

Press Enquiries

 

Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah (AWDF Communications Specialist)

Tel: +233 302 521 257

Email: nana@africlub.net/awdf

Website: www.africlub.net/awdf

 

Between 2001 and 2012, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) disbursed US$4,247,740.24 in grant-making to women’s rights and national organisations across the African continent. The majority of this funding has supported small community based women’s groups like Ngallu Djiguene in Senegal which in 2005 received a grant of US5,000; Anfoega Kaolin Processing Group which in 2006 received a grant of US$5,000 and SOS Addis in Ethiopia which in 2012 received a grant of $20,000.

Support provided by AWDF has enabled African women to live more dignified lives. Beneficiaries of AWDF’s grantee partners tell us that support for economic security has enabled them to sustain livelihoods, educate children and pay medical bills. Take Denise Adebiyi for example who has benefited from the work of Association Femme et Vie (AFV) in Benin. In November 2012, Denise shared with an AWDF monitoring and evaluation team how ARV’s micro credit scheme enabled her to invest in her vegetable farming business. She also participated in the literacy programme run by the organisation. This has helped her improve the quality of her business as she can now read and write in the local language. According to her, the living conditions of herself and her family has changed drastically and her profit base has also increased considerably.

 

In spite of the support that AWDF and other partners give to women like Denise it is clear that much more needs to be done to create more equitable societies where African women have fair access to economic resources, capital and food security.

As part of AWDF’s efforts to share learning amongst individuals, organisations and experts working on issues of economic empowerment and livelihood, on the 3^rd and 4^th of May 2013, the organisation will bring together researchers, policy makers, donors and grantee partners for a strategic meeting on ‘Economic Empowerment and Livelihoods’ in Cape Town, South Africa. The theme for this meeting is ‘Equity, Power and Livelihoods’. In the context of renewed international attention on economic growth in Africa, it is important that the economic empowerment of women is recognised as central to women’s equality and crucial to broader development goals such as economic growth and poverty reduction.

 

 

 

 

The ‘Creative Centre for Communication and Development‘ (CCCD) based in Zimbabwe is a grantee partner of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). CCCD specialises in utilising information and communication technologies (ICT) to advance women’s human rights. In 2010, CCCD received a small grant of US$1,000 to use mobile phone advocacy to educate the public on Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Zimbabwe. In a 2011 narrative report to AWDF, CCCD stated that they chose this method of advocacy because “1 in 3 people in Zimbabwe have a cell phone” and that “subscribers can send 20 SMS messages locally for the cost of US$1”. As part of the ‘Mobile Fone Campaign’, CCCD utilised the ‘Freedom Fone application software’ (free open source software) to provide round the clock information on GBV. This included developing 5 audio interactive voice menus which also provided information on types of GBV, advice on leaving violent relationships and details of who to contact when you need help. CCCD recieved information via the ‘Freedom Fone’ about a case in which a man had raped his daughter who had consequently become pregnant. Participants in the programme met and decided to create a drama piece to highlight this issue, and in turn raise awareness about this form of Violence against Women (VAW). This performance was enacted in churches within the Bulawayo community and led to more women providing testimonies of their own experiences of GBV. This campaign coincided with a case that received prominent international attention – the story of a father from Argentina who raped his daughter for 30 years and had 10 children with her – and for this reason spurred the interest of local Zimbabwean media in CCCD’s drama performance and campaign.

In 2011, CCCD trained 25 women and girls on digital story telling. This method was chosen because it enables women through their own voices to share their experiences with the world. Below is a story by Sayamika:

Sayamika Chinyamunyamu

Capacity Building is an integral part of the support AWDF gives grantee partners and CCCD has benefited from a number of opportunities designed to help the leadership and staff strengthen the work they do. In October 2011, Gertrude Pswarayi , the Executive Director of CCCD participated in AWDF’s ‘2nd CEO Forum’ held in Nairobi, Kenya where she delivered a presentation on ‘How CCCD is using social media to advance women’s rights’. Please see presentation below:

Creative Centre for Communication and Development

In November 2012, AWDF provided support for a member of CCCD staff to attend the ‘International Workshop on Resource Mobilisation’ held in Uganda. The learning acquired from participating in this programme is proving beneficial in the development of CCCD’s fundraising strategy.

CCCD’s most recent grant from AWDF was for US$20,000 to support institutional development over the next 3 years. This includes development of a strategic plan, financial management and corporate governance training for board and staff as well as a contribution towards the recruitment of staff. The grant also enabled CCCD to strengthen its communications work, and in March 2013, CCCD launched its new quarterly newsletter, ‘Stories of Change’.

CCCD Newsletter_January _ March 2013

The board and staff of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) welcome the appointment of H.E. Mary Robinson as the United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa. It is our belief that she will bring her passion for human rights and strong sense of integrity to work for the benefit of women in the region.

In her position as the former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002), Mary Robinson demonstrated commitment to issues of human rights, women’s rights and climate justice. Her support of the African Women’s Movement is commendable. In 2009, Mary Robinson in her foreword to ‘The Compendium of Key instruments for Women’s Human Rights in Africa‘ published by AWDF stated:

Mary Robinson is also a member of the ‘Gender is my Agenda‘ campaign, an advocacy initiative for African Union Heads of State to implement the ‘Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa‘ . This campaign has the support of the AWDF.

AWDF looks forward to supporting Mary Robinson in her new role as the United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

 

 

On the 10th of March, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) and the African Feminist Forum (AFF) organised a panel discussion on ‘What’s new in African feminisms: Pop, People and Politics‘ as part of the WOW festival at the Southbank Centre in London. Resource persons were Jessica Horn, a founding member of the AFF, writer and women’s rights consultant; Rita Ray, DJ, Presenter and African music specialist; Meklit Hadero, musician, cultural activist, and Senior TED fellow, and Pontso Mafete, Programme Manager for Women and Girls at Comic Relief UK. The panel was facilitated by Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, AWDF’s Communications Specialist.

The dynamic panel addressed the issue of what exactly African feminisms involves, shared details of African feminist led initiatives on the continent, discussed the potential popular culture has to change gender inequity and invited the audience to send in tracks for the compilation of an African feminist mixtape (please email your track choice to communications [at] africlub.net/awdf). Questions from the floor were engaging and included a desire to know more about African politics on the continent and a reminder that African women politicians need support (whilst being held accountable) by the African women’s movement.

Footage from the event can be viewed via

 

Prudence Mabele is the Executive Director of the ‘Positive Women’s Network‘ (PWN) in South Africa, an organisation that supports women living positively. To date, PWN has received US$210,000 in grants from the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). This has included funding to support the expansion of PWN’s ‘Community Home Based Care’ programme, bursaries for staff to attend influential policy spaces where issues of HIV and AIDS are being discussed, such as the ‘International Aids Conference’, and support for education and awareness raising on HIV and AIDS. Prudence is also a member of the African Women’s Leaders Network for Family Planning which supports the efforts of African women to improve access to reproductive health and family planning.

In this video Prudence shares her thoughts on the state of violence against women in South Africa.

 

 

Photography by Paballo Thekiso

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To download a PDF of this poster please click below:

AWDF ePoster (1)

Alliance Française (Accra) and the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is pleased to announce that Fatoumata Diabate, an award winning photographer, will be teaching a basic photography workshop at Alliance Francaise (Accra) from 9am-12pm between the 18^th of February and the 21^st of February 2012.

15 amateur women photographers will be selected to participate in this workshop. The workshop aims to build African women’s skills to be able to document their own stories, experiences and contributions to Africa’s development. This is part of our efforts to address the knowledge gaps in our history and documentation about

the roles African women have made to develop their communities and nations.

Please apply by emailing thelma@africlub.net/awdf and in 100 words or less, tell us why you should be chosen to participate in this workshop. Alternatively, you may also apply by sending an image or images you have shot. The subject field of your email should state ‘Photography Workshop’. Please do not send more than 3 images, or 1mb of digital information. Please send your applications by the close of day on the 12th of February 2013.

Kindly note that selected participants will need to participate in ALL days of the workshop, and may be asked to work on a photography project as part of the class.

 

“AWDF’s support towards CAFENEC has been immense and immeasurable. AWDF’s support has opened more promising avenues to CAFENEC. The impact made by the AWDF funded widowhood rites project, has attracted partners such as GTZ/GIZ and Partnership Transparency Fund to also support CAFENEC’s activities in diverse ways. As a result of AWDF’s support, CAFENEC is now known all over the international circles.” Lyddienne Nkaleu, National President, Committee d’ Assistance a la Femme Necessiteuse du Cameroon (CAFENEC)

 

For many of AWDF’s grantee partners across the continent, AWDF has been their first funder. AWDF’s support to community-based organisations strengthens existing groups which grantees are able to leverage to generate additional resources and support as exemplified by the quote above.

In 2010, AWDF provided CAFENEC with a grant of US$15,000 to support women farmers and traders, many of whom are women are living positively. Out of the grant received, CAFENEC purchased 2 grain grinding mills, 2 vegetable grinding mills, 2 mills for grinding groundnuts and melon seeds, 1 grater for grinding gari, (a derivative of cassava) and 8 spraying machines. Four subsidiary women’s groups (representing 42 women in total) benefited from micro credit loans of CFA 500,000 (approx. US$1000) to CFA 800,000 (approx. US$1600). The credit received has enabled women traders to engage in small-scale businesses, which include catering services and animal husbandry.

Members of CAFENEC report that starting small businesses have also given their self-confidence a boost. Many members who had previously not travelled outside their own villages now visit larger towns to trade. Women farmers are now able to provide themselves and their families with at least one nutritious meal a day. As a result the health of women living positively within the group has improved, members fall sick less often and as a result have seen a reduction in the stigma they faced from family and other members of the community.

PROGRAMMES SPECIALIST, KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

Background

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is a grant making foundation, which aims to support the work of the African women’s movement for peace, equality, sustainable development and social justice. AWDF, which is based in Accra, Ghana. AWDF requires the services of an experienced, innovative and dedicated Programmes Specialist, Knowledge Management, to support the senior management team in the development and implementation of an organisational knowledge management strategy.

Job Specification

As a learning organisation, the generation of knowledge, its management and dissemination is critical to the work of AWDF. Knowledge produced in various forms within AWDF is important to the organisation’s mandate to raise the profile and visibility of African women, the African Women’s Movement, the organisation itself and most importantly, the issues it seeks to address.AWDF also disseminates knowledge to showcase the work of its grantees, to raise awareness of the issues they seek to address, to influence decision-making in Africa and internationally and to mobilise greater public support for women’s rights in Africa. In addition, it generates and disseminates information, knowledge and learning to strengthen grantee organisational effectiveness.

The post holder will be responsible for coordinating AWDF’s knowledge management function, ensuring a sound evidence base of the impact of AWDF’s work, as well as the ability to showcase this work and the issues the organisation seeks to address, to broad publics both internal and external to AWDF.

The post holder will have primary responsibility for:

1. Commissioning, Repackaging and Disseminating of research in AWDF’s key areas of work:

• Ensuring AWDF is kept abreast of external research, studies and trends that will impact on AWDF’s key areas of work.
• Coordinating specified AWDF commissioned research
• Developing tools to enhance knowledge management within AWDF
• Working closely with the Communications team to disseminate key information and education about AWDF’s work.

2. Ensuring Quality Standards of AWDF’s Knowledge Production
   • Coordinating the compilation of AWDF’s key publications
   • Ensuring that publications such as reports and other publications are produced in line with AWDF’s publications and reporting guidelines.
   • Ensuring that all AWDF commissioned research and documentation is produced in line with AWDF publications and reporting guidelines.

3. Ensuring a Sound Evidence Base of AWDF’s Impact
   • Working with the M&E Specialist to produce periodic qualitative and quantitive reports of AWDF’s work and achievements
   • Compiling or coordinating compelling narratives of the achievements of AWDF’s constituents for advocacy, awareness raising and public mobilisation.
   • Development of dissemination strategies for this work
   • Supporting senior management and AWDF colleagues with high quality, well written, accurate and specific information to achieve AWDF’s mandate
   • Developing and managing a database of AWDF’s key partners and stakeholders.

4. Ensuring Knowledge Production as a Learning Tool
   • Coordinating the production or collation of good practice guidelines, tools and practice
   • Providing regular internal briefs to AWDF staff team
   • Developing advocacy materials, policy and legislative briefs on key aspects of AWDF’s work
   • Representing AWDF at key meetings and convenings with a view to demonstrate AWDF effectiveness and value added from a sound evidence base.

5. Managing AWDF’s Resource Centre
   • Working with the team to update the electronic and physical library as well as oversee the use of this resource).
   • Providing guidance to the management team on key research, documentation, studies and writing for purchase to house in the resource centre

6. Any other duties as may be assigned by the line manager

Person Specification

• At least a second degree in social sciences or related field with at least seven years relevant experience, including significant experience of working in the field of women’s rights organising in Africa.
• Strong analytical, writing and communication skills.
• Strong IT skills especially in the areas of database development and management
• Demonstrable commitment to women’s rights and social justice.
• A productive self starter who can develop and put in place innovative information ideas
• Demonstrable ability to liaise with a broad range of people
• Ability to absorb high volumes of information and documentation and to break down difficult and complicated concepts.
• Ability to track multiple activities assist and collaborate with other staff and respond to direction and requests
• Ability to work on one’s own with minimum supervision.
• Experience working with an international organisation (preferred)
• Working knowledge of French preferred.
• Experience of engaging in social science research is desirable
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally

Qualified candidates should send applications (2 pages) and a CV of not more than 4 pages to the Human Resources Manager, African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), 78 Ambassadorial Enclave, East Legon, P.M.B.CT 89, Cantonments Accra Ghana. Copies should be sent by email to Grace@africlub.net/awdf, with ‘Programmes Specialist, Knowledge Management’ as the subject reference. Applications should reach AWDF no later than February 28, 2013.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted for additional information and interviews.