Category: News

By Dinnah Nwabire,

Cape Town, 6 November: For Nandis in all our diversities.

“Did you see Nandi? She stepped up to the performance stage at the opening Gala, grabbed the microphone and immersed the crowd in the power of her voice as she sang Mafikizolo’s Ndihamba Nawe – it was like a revolution!”

Jodi Williams, a colleague at the African Women Development Fund (AWDF) shared this highlight of Nandi (the real activist’s name is listed in the credits) in our team debrief from last week’s Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Forum. The forum convened over 1,500 global researchers, practitioners, survivors, activists, and funders focused on addressing violence against women and children (VAW&C).

Across the forum, one could not miss the bold intention and the visible actions by the Sexual Violence Research Initiative to hold space for, among others, African feminist researchers, queer people, survivors, activists, and global South-based movements to equitably engage.

Nandi, a lead activist with the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) was sponsored to access the SVRI Forum by AWDF, a pan-African feminist fund. As it were, she was not a listed performer but as soon as she could, she seized the stage, grabbed the microphone and sparked a powerful charge that sustained the energy in the room with her passion, skill, courage and stewardship. For millions of global South-based partners on whose invisibilised labour we stand, this claiming of space is not an unfamiliar pattern.

I left the team debrief with a lingering question. What could go right, if more Nandis not only accessed, but equitably shared centrality and voice in rooms filled with big-profile non-profits and a complex co-existence of the global North and South hierarchies? This article shares my reflections from communing with frontline activists, researchers, survivors, funder staff and new friends I made at the forum. It showcases the desired change, courage, fatigue, and leadership brought to the fore by several Nandis. Lastly, it invites us to advance truly feminist and decolonial convening spaces that centre the most excluded among us.

Before the convenings: We know that access is not a given…

Convenings are built on weeks and months of planning processes that are critical entry points to address historical participation barriers. The limited funding to most marginalised people’s organising exacerbates their exclusion as many cannot afford set registration fees, pre-paid session costs or air tickets and accommodation. Funder sponsorships like travel grants and bursaries can enable conveners to achieve equitable access to hosted forums. Without this funding, we will continue to recycle the usual voices both from the global North and the South which further narrows our perspective of the actual issues at hand.

In particular, what could go right is that funding access for more Nandis is a critical step in enabling the decentering of International NGOs that predominantly have guaranteed access funds to convenings. It also neutralises South-based intellectual hierarchies to usher in new and unfamiliar bodies, voices and leadership that enriches impact for gender justice.

Aside from affordability, it was disappointing to listen to colleagues list activists denied Cape Town visas. Inequitable, racist and xenophobic visa laws continue to disproportionately disadvantage participants from Africa and other global South countries. Conveners must choose host countries with lesser restrictions as a bare minimum. This sometimes means putting convening outcomes over pre-defined physical countries of work by host partners. Yet, these are just a few of the outermost layers on the ‘participation onion’ many Nandis must peel off to access. More layers unfold once they are in the actual convening spaces!

Disrupt and challenge exclusion within actual convening spaces

Any kind of disruption is uncomfortable for power and privilege, so, definitely many things could go right with the slightest attempt to divert from the norm. For Nandis, many must step out of crowds where it feels ‘safe’ to create own platforms of visibility and co-leadership.

Conveners and funders must meet this labour halfway by enabling most excluded people to influence the agendas and contribute to debate as speakers, moderators, facilitators, performers or presenters. It is critical to ensure that the politics of inclusion that define the broad forums and convenings genuinely trickle into conversation rooms like parallel sessions, side events or poster areas. Asking key questions like who accesses microphones, who gets spotlighted and who gets access to podiums, how frequently, why and why not can help conveners to flatten hierarchies in all sessions.

Connect the dots by tapping into national voices and movements

International and regional convening spaces often prioritise ‘flying in’ speakers, performers and other content leads with minimal attention to national, local and community-based movements in the host countries and regions. The irony of what could have otherwise gone right is the missed opportunity to enable audiences to connect the dots with what happens right under our noses. Nothing disconnects us more from the pressing needs of movements.

As a part of a national sex worker collective, activists like Nandi in themselves embody a discomfort to the ways discrimination finds itself in convening spaces. Thus, funding their presence is a political act against erasure. Elsewhere, South-based feminist funds have argued that what makes feminist collectives, activists and feminist funders unique, is, among others, their connection to the issues they seek to address through lived experiences and sharing of community. Prioritising community and national movements in host countries is a critical reminder of how close we are to the issues and how grounding in this knowledge validates and regenerates our organising.

Enabling what could go right: some critical priorities

1. Visibilise the Nandis

A lot of the work led by individual activists and non-traditional entities remains largely shadowed by International NGOs and big-brand nonprofits. In the exhibition hall, groups of Nandis from ‘unregistered’ collectives wondered what alternatives there were to visibility in a space taken up by big brand logos that left minimal space for them to connect and share their work in intimate non-conventional ways.

Similarly, in session rooms, several Nandis called out their fatigue from ‘collaborative’ studies that never mentioned them or the collectives they affiliated to. Their intellect, labour, lived realities and unique knowledge of study communities, erased by ‘well-meaning’ global North researchers and South-based agents of intellectual hierarchies who proudly called on them to come and “briefly share testimonies” after main study presentations were done. Conveners must track who the lead researchers are and how non-researcher experts and participating communities, activists and volunteers are credited, cited and visibilised.

1. Pursue long-term transformation

Convening spaces must enable the reimagining of how systems of oppression are constructed and deliberately seek to disrupt those patterns. If the goal is to decolonise the global research economy, Nandis demand more of us than exchanging tips for equitable partnerships between global North and global South researchers. We can identify and sponsor the centring of lead global South voices on subjects of decolonisation, research and gender like African feminist Sylvia Tamale to promote the needed consciousness and narrative shifts in convenings. In addition, the use of theatre and opportunities for multilingual engagement that includes bringing in non-colonial languages will radically transform our convening spaces.

1. Centre care and healing

For many Nandis, it is already many years of dealing with extractive research approaches and the harm of violence on their bodies and souls. These wounds often get re-opened in convening spaces with available but not fully encompassing spaces and tools for collective care, healing and wellness. Funders must accompany conveners to access and install diverse healing and collective care tools that embody the politics of decoloniality beyond Western medicalised framings of mental health and wellness.

Credits with permission

• The identity of Nandi depicted in this article seeks to honour the leadership of Pam Ntshekula and the work of the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT), the biggest sex worker organization in South Africa that advocates for full decriminalisation of  sex work.
• I acknowledge the input of Elizabeth Dartnall and Lizle Loots of the SVRI and Jodi Williams and Nana Zulu at AWDF.
• Photo courtesy of SVRI

Written by: Dinnah Nabwire | Independent Policy Researcher and Programmes Manager – Nurturing at the African Women’s Development Fund

AWDF will be joining researchers, feminists, activists, practitioners and policy makers in the upcoming Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Forum 2024, taking place from 21-25 October in Cape Town, South Africa. As part of our participation, we have supported 17 partners from across Africa to attend this crucial event, amplifying African feminist voices in the global conversation on ending sexual violence. 

In 2022, AWDF made an impactful appearance at the Sexual Violence Research Initiative which was held in Mexico in September. Among the activities facilitated by AWDF were a partner-led knowledge circle, donor engagement on decolonized and ethical funding, and dialogue for power and control in research and Southern–feminist led forum to showcase the LFS Model. 

This year’s SVRI Forum presents an excellent opportunity for AWDF to showcase our crucial work on sexual violence, particularly our KASA! Initiative. We will be advocating for increased funding and deepening partnerships within the feminist funds and sexual violence funding ecosystem. Additionally, we aim to expand our knowledge and experience regarding evidence-based sexual violence interventions.

Key AWDF and Partner-led Activities at SVRI Forum 2024: 

AWDF and COFEM Poster Presentation

The SVRI poster presentation session is designed to showcase innovative research and programmes, facilitate in-depth discussions, and promote greater interaction between presenters and participants.

• Date: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
• Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM
• Venue: Cape Town International Convention Center 2

African Feminist Knowledge Circle

Led by the Knowledge and Voice team,  the African Feminist Knowledge Circles are an  evolving space where African feminists convene to share identities, stories, tools, politics and approaches from their many journeys of challenging the patriarchy. This activity is only open to identified partners and participants. 

Rest & Resistance Workshop

The Solidarity and Care team has over the years learnt the importance of creating an environment and space that is a cocoon for activists to retreat into. For this workshop, the cocoon will be a softly lit room, a curated playlist of black healing music to set the tone for a peaceful and restorative experience. Spaces for this activity are limited. You are urged to attend early for a spot.

• Date: Thursday, 24th October 2024
• Time: 12pm – 1:50pm
• Venue: Cape Town International Convention Center 2

Flourish Retreat

The Retreat will involve three interconnected processes led by the facilitators and the chef. Activists will engage in rituals rooted in indigenous African practices that focus on anchoring, honouring, and connecting to the self, each other, and nature for spiritual, emotional, and physical healing. This activity is only open to identified partners and individuals. 

We invite all attendees to connect with us during these sessions and throughout the forum. It is an invaluable opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another, and strengthen our collective efforts in combating violence agains women and gender diverse people and promoting gender equality.

Here is the full programme of the SVRI forum where you will find details of these and other very insightful activities at the forum.

Connect with AWDF online X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Follow our live updates from the forum using #AWDFatSVRI. 

Recently, AWDF held a Voice, Power and Soul festival in Accra, Ghana, which showcased the power and diversity of African feminist voices. This event brought together artists, thinkers, and changemakers to challenge the erasure of African feminist narratives. 

At its core, the festival celebrated indigenous ways of knowing, being, and creating as integral parts of liberatory praxis. It boldly challenged the erasure of African feminist narratives, placing storytelling, indigenous knowledge, memory, and lived experiences at the forefront of feminist discourse.

This transformative journey served as a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience of African feminist voices. It highlighted their crucial role in shaping our collective future and driving positive change across the continent. This event speaks to our strategic priorities geared to shape and amplify positive narratives of African women and African feminism.

Read the magazine here and watch the video highlight of the festival below.

Accra, 4 September: The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is hosting 40 participants  for a feminist financial management learning offering in Accra, Ghana from 4-11 September 2024.

Attendees included in this engagement have been drawn from  partners supported under the Leading From the South programme   and Foundation for a Just Society  (FJSI)  as well as non-funded entities.

This learning offering responds to gaps identified in  the AWDF  Programmes mapping of entities in feminist movements which highlighted critical gaps in reaching entities within women’s and feminist movements that do not meet mainstream categorisations of “traditional grantee partners”. These include individual activists and unregistered collectives. Influenced by a feminist movement centered approach to  financial management this space has been created to build stronger partnerships, inclusion,  accountability and flexibility.

The  Arabic, French and English speaking partners who are part of this offering will have an opportunity  to engage in  peer learning and sharing, connecting and knowledge exchange , fostering a deep understanding of each other’s diverse contexts  and experiences.

This financial management learning offering is being hosted in alignment with AWDF’s Lemlem Strategic Priority 1 on Resourcing and accompanying African Women’s Rights and Feminist movements.

Written By Afua Gyapomaa,

Accra, 28 August 2024: I had the privilege of attending the 5th African Philanthropy Conference (APC), held from July 29 to August 2, 2024, at the Elephant Hills Resort in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The conference, themed ‘The Next Frontiers of African Philanthropy’, was a transformative experience that offered profound insights into the evolving landscape of African philanthropy.

The theme captured APC’s essence, focusing on innovative strategies and emerging trends reshaping traditional philanthropic models. This year’s APC was not just a gathering of professionals; it was a movement—a convergence of like-minded individuals and organisations committed to redefining the boundaries of philanthropy in Africa.

The week-long conference featured diverse discussions on topics ranging from the role of digital technologies to the importance of climate science and innovative financing models. An impactful discussion centred around how philanthropy can address colonial injustices and promote cultural preservation through restitution and reparations. These conversations emphasised the need to understand historical contexts to create meaningful and lasting impact. This is particularly relevant as African philanthropy increasingly grapples with colonialism’s legacy and its continuing effects on the continent. The conference highlighted the critical integration of technologies like AI and robotics in philanthropy, stressing the need for responsible use to benefit the greater good. It also underscored the vital role of young leaders in shaping inclusive strategies and enhancing the sector, particularly in fostering practices that empower marginalised communities.

Personal reflections: a time of growth

Participating in the APC was an enriching experience, professionally and personally. The exchange of ideas and the collective wisdom of the participants broadened my perspective on the power of philanthropy to drive social change. The conference reaffirmed my belief that African philanthropy is at a pivotal point, where tradition meets innovation and where collective efforts can truly make a difference. The sessions on feminist philanthropy and governance were particularly impactful. These discussions highlighted the importance of centring the perspectives of historically marginalised groups and ensuring transparency and accountability in all philanthropic endeavours. The feminist lens, in particular, challenged participants to think critically about how philanthropy can be more inclusive and equitable. It aligns closely with the values emphasised in my work, where the focus is on creating fair and just systems for all.

Read more

Afua Gyapomaa is the Partnerships and Philantrophy Officer at AWDF. This article was originally published in  the Alliance Magazine, official media partner for the 5th African Philantrophy Conference 2024.

The African Philantrophy Network will host the APN Assembly from 4th-8th November 2024, at Elephant Hills Resort, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. This Assembly will take place under the theme Collective Freedom from Collective Struggle. 

The APN Assembly is the flagship event of the APN. It brings members, partners and innovative practitioners together to share experiences, new knowledge and collective reflections on development of African philanthropy.

#APNAssembly2024 aims to build a powerful movement of philanthropic actors whose experiences and wisdom will amplify the influence and the recognition of African philanthropy as a driver for systemic change throughout the continent and globally.

The objective of the APN Assembly is to provide a platform for members and other delegates from the continent and globally to actively reflect on issues of agency facing African communities, and how responsive African philanthropy practices and policies are. Participants will use the space to celebrate ideas and share practical solutions of African generated and African owned philanthropy, and make recommendations with concrete actions to unlock philanthropy’s potential in driving social and systems change.

Registration for the #APNAssembly2024 is  open! Don’t miss the chance to connect and network with African philanthropy influencers and leaders from across the continent and diaspora. Register NOW and attend! https://assembly.or.tz/

 Read more about the Assembly HERE

You still have time to make you voice count. The “Where Is The Money for Feminist Organizing?” #WITM survey deadline has been extended to 31 August

The Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) recently launched their “Where Is The Money for Feminist Organizing?”

Make your voice count,  join in sharing  your lived experience with funding your organizing, claim your power and shine light on the  state of resourcing for feminist movements through this  global online survey

Learn more about the survey and its impact here.

ABOUT THE SURVEY

WITM is a global self-administered online survey designed to shed light on the financial status of diverse feminist movements. It is now available here in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

TAKE THE SURVEY 

The WITM survey is aimed for groups, organizations and movements working specifically or primarily for the rights of women, LBTQI+ people and on gender justice, in all contexts, at all levels, and in all regions.

KEY DETAILS  

• The survey deadline has been extended toAugust 31st, 2024
• It’s accessible to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive abilities
• Takes approximately 30 minutes to complete

Results of the survey will be shared at the AWID Forum in Bangkok in December 2024 and online.

GET MORE INFORMATION:

Please contact AWID team with any questions you might have about the survey at witm@awid.org

Our team is growing  at AWDF,

We have vacancies for dynamic, driven African Feminists with a passion for women’s rights and social justice. If you are a team player, proactive and excited about working with multiple stakeholders and partners, we’d love to hear from you.

We are thrilled to announce three new positions within AWDF .

Senior Programme Officer (SPO)– Non-traditional and Emerging actors & collectives

Non-traditional and emerging actors and collectives are entities that organise in non-conventional ways and exist outside ‘NGOisation’ limits. They include non-registered collectives and those that exist informally like ‘lose’ coalitions and individual activists. They employ new, radical, unconventional organising tactics like digital activism, artists, other creatives, festivals, to mention a few examples.

This new position of  Senior Programme Officer in this portfolio  (SPO) Non-traditional and emerging actors and collectives’ entities is responsible for the implementation of AWDF’s resourcing strategy to strengthen and uphold African women’s and feminist organisations and movements. Furthermore they are responsible for ensuring the successful implementation of the organisational and departmental strategies by ensuring our resourcing work (grantmaking and accompaniment) is responsive to the needs of the particular type of entity they are focused on. 

Check out more information HERE 

Applications for the vacancy should reach AWDF no later than Monday, 5th August 2024.

Senior Programme Officer (SPO)– CBOs and NGOs 

CBOs and NGOs -are more formalised entities regulated by their respective members, and by governments in accordance with the laws governing such entities. Individually or in collaboration with others, feminist NGOs organise around a range of issues.

Serving in this portfolio, the Senior Programme Officer (SPO) CBOs and NGOs’ entities is responsible for the implementation of AWDF’s resourcing strategy to strengthen and uphold African women’s and feminist organisations and movements. The role is responsible for ensuring the successful implementation of the organisational and departmental strategies by ensuring our resourcing work (grantmaking and accompaniment) is responsive to the needs of the particular type of entity they are focused on.

Check out  more information HERE

Applications for the vacancy should reach AWDF no later than Monday, 5th August 2024.

Senior Programme Officer (SPO) “At scale” partners 

Also part of the resourcing team, the Senior Programme Officer (SPO) “At scale” partners’ entities is responsible for implementing the AWDF Resourcing Strategy to strengthen and uphold African women’s and feminist organisations and movements. The role is responsible for ensuring the successful implementation of the organisational and departmental strategies by ensuring our resourcing work (grantmaking and accompaniment) is responsive to the needs of the particular type of entity they are focused on. 

 “At scale -Partners” –  include consortia, coalitions, or networks of diverse movement entities (individuals, NGOs, CBOs, and non-formal entities) united by a common geography, membership, and set of objectives, whose work is national, sub-regional, continental, or global.

To apply  check out more information HERE

Applications for the vacancy should reach AWDF no later than Monday, 5th August 2024.

African Feminists have and continue to challenge entrenched systems of power and oppression that have systematically invisibilised African feminist knowledge. This zine captures the narratives that we are hearing and learning from African Feminist Movements on the role of African indigenous knowledge systems and ways of knowing as well as the role of the arts and creative expression as powerful tools for challenging erasure and silencing.

Read the Magazine here 

Are you ready to work in close collaboration with colleagues in the “Nurturing” cluster, to unlock the agency of African women’s rights and feminist activists, leaders, organisations, collectives and movements so they flourish and are impactful?

Do you have experience in conceptualising and leading technical capacity strengthening  for movement partners using a transformative and de-colonial  approaches? Are you passionate about co-creating tools and processes that afford   feminist and women’s rights activists, organisations and collectives in Africa the ownership, confidence, self-determination and space to make transformative choices and impact their communities across the continent?

AWDF is hiring to fill a vacancy for the position of Programme Specialist – Agency and Resilience. To fill this position, we are looking for a highly motivated Programme Management Specialist who is passionate about reimagining the future of feminist capacity strengthening.  We are keen to work with an individual who is passionate about women’s rights and feminist movements in Africa, is excited about African feminisms, embraces African women’s diversity and is innovative..

Please follow this link to apply for the position of Programme Specialist – Agency and Resilience