Tag: african
The Gendered Aspect of HIV and AIDS: An update by Prudence Mabele from the XIX International AIDS conference
The Gendered Aspect of HIV and AIDS: An update by Prudence Mabele from the XIX International AIDS conference
In July 2012, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) supported Prudence Mabele, Executive Director of the Positive Women’s Network in South Africa to attend the XIX International AIDS conference in Washington D.C. in the United States of America. Under AWDF’s Solidarity Fund the organisation supports existing grantees partner to “…engage in activities which promote learning and the sharing of experiences on a local, national and international level”.
Prior to the conference, Ms Mabele attended two pre conference events: a 2 day conference organised by the Global Network Of People Living with HIV and NERELA’s pre conference organised by Religious leaders living with HIV.
During the conference, Ms Mabele participated in a plenary session on the theme ‘Collaborating Across Borders to Advance the Health of Women’, where she used the personal story of a PWN member to illustrate the gendered aspect of HIV and AIDS.The story is shared in full below:
Monica Modise died at the young age of 35. She left behind two daughters, Nomsa (17) and Zodwa (15), as well as a four-year old granddaughter, Zintle.
In 2005, Monica Modise was diagnosed HIV positive. It came to her as a shock. She was married to her husband, had been faithful in her marriage, and so had no reason to suspect that she would contract HIV. Her husband died in 2007 of AIDS related causes.
Monica was not employed, nor did she have the right educational qualifications or skills for the employment market. With limited options to make a means, she moved with her two daughters into her parental home then headed by her older brother, Mandla.
Moving back to her childhood home would prove to be a horrifying experience for Monica and her daughters. Unbeknownst to Monica, her brother, the uncle to her daughters had begun raping Nomsa on a regular basis. She was 13. She discovered this violation when Nomsa became pregnant. When Monica asked Nomsa why she had not told her about what was happening, Nomsa replied that her uncle had threatened to evict them from the home if she even thought of telling anyone. Monica was trapped. Without financial means, information, or support from other relatives or friends, she did not know where to go or who to turn to. They continued living with her brother, who now openly continued his criminal behaviour knowing that his sister had no alternatives.
It was through a PWN door-to-door campaign that Monica learned about living with HIV, support groups, counselling sessions, information about health facilities and people who she could turn to. Monica started attending one of PWN’s support groups and confided in the support group leader, who after hearing the story opened her home to Monica and her daughters.
At last, they had a place of safety. Baby Zintle was born healthy and in a place of safety. She escaped the nightmare that her mother, aunt and grandmother had lived through.
It was only in the place of safety that Monica could reflect and try to make sense of what had happened. She had lived in crisis management mode, never having a chance to examine her life on so many levels: discovering she is HIV positive, how to live with HIV, discovering her husband’s deceit, mourning the death of her husband, being left destitute, having to move back to her childhood home, having to negotiate living with her brother, finding out her daughter has been sexually violated, finding out her daughter is having a child by her uncle, having to find a way out of her living situation … With her stipend from PWN, she was able to take care of some of her basic needs and regain some sense of independence.
It took time for Monica to regain her strength and deal with depression, sadness, anger, disappointment, disillusionment, guilt and loss. Through the support groups and counselling, she built her strength to the point where she was able to report her own brother to the police and pursue the justice she and her daughters deserved. Upon hearing of the police case being filed, her brother fled their home and went to hide in the rural areas.
Monica followed up on the police case with little success. There was no follow-through by the police, the case was eventually dropped without explanation.
Monica became an active member of PWN. She campaigned, she counselled, she did all she could to provide women with the information she did not have access to. She often said that had she known what was out there in terms of support, she would not have made the decisions she had. But we encouraged her not to blame herself for what she did not know.
Monica died in January 2012. It was too soon, but at least she was able to make a difference in the lives of her daughters and granddaughter.
The South African Constitution is often mentioned as one of the best constitutions in the world for the rights it guarantees and protects its citizens. In terms of our policies, we can also be proud to have legislation that is progressive and seeks to serve the interest of all those who live in South Africa to the best of the nation’s ability.
However, it is unfortunate that with all the best policies and Constitutions in the world, when policy meets people it fails to live up to its promise. The story of Monica is one of many examples that demonstrate that somewhere we are missing the point.
When we look at HIV/AIDS through a gendered lens, then we can identify three main areas that cover the concerns that women and girls have to contend with:
Gender inequality and poverty
Rights to sexual autonomy and HIV
Rights to bodily integrity and HIV
1. Gender inequality and poverty
‘Women’s limited access to and control over assets and resources as well as the gender division of labour in the household increases their vulnerability to HIV and at the same time makes these conditions for women and girls living with HIV worse.’
In the case of Monica – and other women in her position
- She found out about her status when her husband got sick
- She had to look after her sick husband and then look after herself
- She had to start treatment
- She had to deal with her husband’s death
- She had to deal with finding a home and a means of survival
- Having moved in with her brother, she had to negotiate living in ‘his’ space
- She had to then deal with her daughter being raped
- She had to deal with her daughter’s pregnancy from her uncle
- She had to find a new home for her family
All these point to women and girls being extremely vulnerable. When women and girls do not have the security of access and control over assets and resources, it increases insecurity and vulnerability of the person. Also, even though the woman is sick as well, she still has to take care of the husband, and in many instances neglect herself and her children.
2. Rights to sexual autonomy and HIV
‘In most societies, women and girls, as compared to men and boys, face further restrictions on their sexual autonomy and bodily integrity. Women’s and girls’ inability to make sexual and reproductive choices free from discrimination, coercion or violence, as well as their inability to access and use information and products such as condoms, contraceptives, safe and legal abortion, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), etc. Such restrictions occur: at home, where women may not be able to negotiate safe sex; in communities and public spaces, where condoms or comprehensive sexuality education may be banned or unaffordable; and in health care settings, where women and girls living with HIV may be coercively sterilised or denied contraceptive information or products.’
In the case of Monica’s daughter Nomsa – and many other girls in her position
- Nomsa’s bodily integrity was violated by a member of the family
- Monica and the daughters were so embarrassed by the pregnancy that they did not have the courage to access health facilities due to stigma and discrimination
- Because of not accessing health facilities, they were not informed about the options available to them from PEP, to safe and legal abortion, and general well-being
- Nomsa did not have control or choice over her sexual and reproductive health
- Nomsa’s physical health was compromised because of being pregnant at a young age
- Nomsa had to drop out of school – she did return to complete high school
- Nomsa’s sexual interest and pleasure as an adult will be affected
- Nomsa’s exposure to HIV
- Nomsa’s access to justice was denied as the docket was closed without reasons provided
With Nomsa’s exposure to sex and sexuality in such a violent manner, she’s been ripped of experience sex as a positive experience. It will take considerable time and counselling for her to work through her experience. The restrictions placed on her sexual autonomy and bodily integrity reinforce discriminatory and patriarchal norms against women and girls.
3. Rights to bodily integrity and HIV
Gender based violence is a violation of human rights and impacts on people’s health and well being as well as inhibits their freedom of movement, ability to access education, employment, and political participation. The threats to bodily integrity and gender based violence hamper women’s and girls’ ability to prevent HIV – just as disclosure of HIV positive status may increase their vulnerability to violence. Harmful cultural and traditional practices that control women’s and girls’ sexual autonomy and bodily integrity, such as female genital mutilation, widow cleansing, property and spousal inheritance, early and forced marriages, and polygamy and virginity testing also exacerbate women’s vulnerability to HIV infection.
Monica’s story is in many ways a story of gender based violence
The violation of Monica and her daughters’ basic rights to bodily integrity and sexual autonomy are self-evident
The impact on their mental, physical and emotional well-being will remain with them through out their lives
Lack of financial independence restricted their freedom of movement and they were forced into a situation of danger
Lack of access to information and resources meant that Monica was not able to take advantage of social and health facilities available to her
The combination of all these factors place women and girls in high risk situations, and as seen through the live of Monica, the vulnerability to HIV infection is high. Without their mother, the girls have to negotiate their way through life in a manner that no child should have to. But it is through the work of support groups and counsellors that we seek to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women and girls in South Africa.
Conclusion
- Women are not a homogenous group. This principle must inform the policies and programmes that lead to the implementation of gender equality.
- Women’s rights should be seen as human rights.
- As NGOs we need to monitor and evaluate the work the we perform in the field, so that we can reduce the vulnerability to social injustice such as poverty, violence against women and girls, and HIV/AIDS.
- We need to realise that all these are cross-sectoral actions on cross-cutting issues such the girl-child, violence against women, HIV/AIDS, and the need for collaboration among partners is important.
- We must continue to work network with organisations such as the African Feminist Forum that works with organisations across the African continent towards achieving equality for women.
- We must continue to collaborate with women’s organisations in Africa but also outside of Africa to address the social and health challenges.
- We must continue to use women’s rights approach in the work that we do.
- We must look at existing instruments like CEDAW and implement the protocols. Regionally in Africa we have the African Women’s Decade 2010 – 2020 (AU) with its protocols, or the Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV.
The Women Leading Africa Series: Meet Josephine Nzerem
The Women Leading Africa Series: Meet Josephine Nzerem
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]In 2012, the African Women’s Development Fund published ‘Women Leading Africa‘, a series of conversations with African women leaders in the Arts, Feminist Spaces and Politics.
Throughout the work we do, AWDF staff regularly meet inspiring African women leaders from all walks of life. The ‘Women Leading Africa’ video series will share videos of inspirational African women who do amazing work in diverse communities. In the video below we introduce Josephine Nzerem, an Ashoka Fellow and also board chair of the Center for Advancement of Development Rights (CEADER), an AWDF grantee partner in Nigeria. In this video she talks about her work around disinheritance, and ensuring rights for widows.[/tp]
[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]En 2012, le Fonds Africain de développement de la femme a publié «Les Femmes gouvernent l’Afrique», une série de conversations avec des femmes leaders africains dans les arts, les espaces féministes et politiques.
Tout au long du travail que nous faisons, le personnel d’AWDF rencontre régulièrement des femmes africaines leaders inspirantes, de tous les horizons de la vie. Les “Femmes gouvernent l’Afrique” en série de vidéos fait partager des vidéos de femmes africaines inspirantes qui font un travail incroyable dans diverses communautés. Dans la vidéo ci-dessous nous introduisons Josephine Nzerem, une Ashoka Fellow et également présidente du conseil du Centre pour l’avancement des droits au développement (CEADER), un partenaire bénéficiaire d’AWDF au Nigeria. Dans cette vidéo, elle parle de son travail autour de l’exhérédation, et la garantie des droits des veuves.[/tp]
Professor Amina Mama to speak on ‘Global Militarism and the Resilence of Women in Africa
Professor Amina Mama to speak on ‘Global Militarism and the Resilence of Women in Africa
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]Professor Amina Mama, Director of Women and Gender Studies at the University of California, Davis, will on Monday 24th June 2013 give a public lecture on ‘Global Militarism and the Resilence of Women in Africa’. Please see flyer for more details[/tp]
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]Le Professeur Amina Mama, Directrice des Women and Gender Studies à l’University of California, Davis, donnera le Lundi 24 juin 2013 une lecture publique sur ‘Global Militarism and the Resilence of Women in Africa’. Veuillez voir les flyer pour plus de détails.[/tp]
Declaration of the African union commission consultative conference of women stakeholders on pan africanism, renaissance and agenda 2063
Declaration of the African union commission consultative conference of women stakeholders on pan africanism, renaissance and agenda 2063
Final draft Version 1.0
DECLARATION OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE OF WOMEN STAKEHOLDERS ON PAN AFRICANISM, RENAISSANCE AND AGENDA 2063
Preamble
1) WE, African women drawn from African Union Member States, Civil Society Organisations, Women Pan African Movements, Women’s Rights Organisations, Academia, Diaspora Organisations, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the private sector and UN Agencies met in Addis Ababa-Ethiopia from 12-13th May to consult, define and strategise on women’s priorities on Pan Africanism, Renaissance and Agenda 2063.
2) RECALLING the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, Article (1) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against women (CEDAW); the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality, the African Union Gender Policy and the Decade for African Women(2010-2020) and various regional and international Legal instruments on Women’s Rights;
3) RECOGNISING that African women and their Diaspora sisters played a critical role in the evolution of Pan Africanism, through their contributions to the anti-slavery, anti-colonial and liberation struggles. Through their efforts, women ensured that the struggles for freedom, dignity, development, peace and self-determination also addressed our aspirations for women’s emancipation, gender equality and women’s empowerment. Their aspirations found expression in the formation of strong women’s movements across Africa and the Diaspora that resulted in the development and progressive adoption of legal frameworks, policies and programmes;
4) ACKNOWLEDGE that the struggle of African women is part of a worldwide struggle of all women; that women’s emancipation is at the heart of the question of humanity itself and it is therefore universal in character;
5) CELEBRATING the key roles that African women’s movements, organisations, networks have played in advancing the liberation of Africa from colonisation and Apartheid in the pursuit of equality, peace and development for African people locally, continentally and in the international arenas, throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century.
6) RECOGNISING the role played by the pioneers of the Pan African Women’s Organisation (PAWO).
7) REALISING that over the last fifty years, Africa recorded progress in economic and social development, improving the status of women, consolidating democracy and the creation of institutions to unite and develop Africa. However, we have not yet realised our dream of an integrated, peaceful, people-centred and prosperous continent that embodies gender equality and women’s empowerment;
8) STRESS THE NEED for Africa to move with determination, boldness and dedication to eradicate poverty, underdevelopment, inequality, conflict, and disease, as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity/African Union (OAU/AU).
Towards Agenda 2063
9) SUPPORT the vision of an Africa that is integrated, prosperous, people-centred, at peace with itself, and asserting its place in the global community;
10) RECOGNIZE that neither peace nor prosperity will be fully realised without the participation and emancipation of African women.
11) ACKNOWLEDGE the value of investing in women, given the role they play in families, communities and societies, translates directly into human and social development;
12) FURTHER RECOGNIZE that women constitute more than half of Africa’s population, that over seventy five percent of our population is young and the potential and opportunities this presents for speeding up the realisation of the African Agenda;
13) COMMEND the African Union for the initiative to consult with all sectors of society, the African citizenry and the Diaspora as well as Member States, RECs and AU Organs to develop a continent-wide Agenda 2063;
14) EXPRESS our determination to ensure that the voices of women, not only those who participated in the workshop, but from all countries, the Diaspora, all walks of life and generations are heard as we frame this agenda;
15) DETERMINED to take bold actions to transform our continent and to actively mobilise women for collective participation and action to advance Agenda 2063.
HEREBY DECLARE AS FOLLOWS:
That our aspirations for a peaceful, integrated, people-centred and prosperous continent mirrors the vision of the founders of Pan Africanism. In pursuance of these aspirations, we
1. COMMIT to the transformation of gender inequality in the economy; the creation of wealth and the promotion of sustainable, participatory and equitable economic development and growth through opportunities for women:
a. In agriculture, pastoralism and agro-processing,agro-business including the development of agricultural research and sciences;
b. Land rights, ownership and inheritance rights, and the development of vibrant rural economies;
c. Improve the quality and packaging of our value added products, and ensure effective branding and marketing of African products to compete in domestic and global markets;
d. Promote gender sensitive financial and non-financial business development services;
e. Promote women’s access to and control of productive assets, including land, finance and other resources;
f. Invest in the scaling up of African women entrepreneurship to generate employment, create wealth and sustainable livelihoods;
g. Enhance women access to knowledge, ownership, and the production of technology, research and innovation for value addition and development;
h. Accelerate Africa’s infrastructure revolution, including the rapid expansion of energy; transport; adequate, affordable and decent shelter; water and sanitation; and ICT infrastructure that is modern, sustainable, responds to women’s needs and with the participation of women;
i. Promote women’s trade including access to markets, removal of legal and social barriers to women’s participation in trade and facilitate intra-Africa trade;
j. Contribute towards the integration agenda, encouraging free movement of peoples, goods and services, promote harmonised inclusive and gender sensitive policies and interventions with a view to encourage women owned businesses that are regional, continental as well as global;
k. Sustainable management of natural resources in a transparent and accountable manner, to ensure more equitable distribution of proceeds, towards value-addition and beneficiation for industrialisation and the development of communities and infrastructure. In this regard, we must strengthen women’s participation in decision-making, ownership and control of natural resources;
l. Mitigate the negative impacts of natural and man-made disasters on women and girls through the implementation of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies;
m. Ensure that women and gender variables are factored in economic analysis, economic modelling, economic policies and their implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
n. Mobilise the diverse voices of women, including feminist economists, grassroots development and community activists, academics and intellectuals in the development of alternative economic models to promote sustainable, gender sensitive and equitable economic development and globalisation.
1) COMMIT TO ACHIEVE Gender EQUALITY by the end of the Decade of African Women, by
a. Advocating for equal representation and participation of women in all institutions of society, public, civil and private and for the removal of all forms of discrimination based on gender;
b. Advocating for full gender parity by the end of the Decade
c. Promoting women’s role in leadership and governance through policies such as affirmative action and quotas; electoral law and campaign financereforms; women’s participation in political parties; mentoring and advocacy as well as the inclusion of the gender parity principle in national constitutions;
d. Mentoring young women to build capacity, self confidence and support their engagement, representation and participation in key policy and decision making institutions and structures;
e. Positioning African women; build solidarity and capacity in-order to influence and exercise power in strategic decision making spaces at the local, national, regional and global levels;
f. Promoting inter-generational dialogue, solidarity and leadership;
g. Promoting democratic and ethical governance leadership across all sectors in Africa;
h. Strengthening the accountability of governments and institutions in promoting gender equality;
i. Positioning women within the decentralised governance agenda and local governance
j. Recognising the importance of political will and sustained commitment from our political, social, economic, civil society, spiritual and cultural leadership across the continent for the implementation of Agenda 2063;
2) PROMOTE, PROTECT and ADVANCE Women’s Human Rights, by
a. Grounding the African women’s agenda on rights framework to ensure individual and collective accountability for women’s rights and gender equality;
b. Upholding the rule of law and access to justice by repealing all laws and legal obstacles that undermine women’s full citizenship and constitutional rights and by realigning national legal frameworks with the continental and international legal commitments by adopting enforcement measures;
c. Strengthening justice systems at national and continental levels to ensure they are responsive to women and girls needs and rights;
d. Advocating for the full ratification, domestication and implementation of the Protocol to the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights and other regional and international instruments as critical to the protection and promotion of women’s rights;
e. Promoting and support women’s knowledge of their rights and the law as well as their access to legal aid;
f. Promoting women’s rights, gender equality and awareness in society through the integration of citizen and women’s rights in the school curriculum and civic education;
g. Supporting and work with youth and men champions of women’s rights and gender equality;
h. Strengthening regional and international cooperation in protecting women’s rights and access to justice in instances where citizens are not within the immediate jurisdiction of their countries; protect immigrants and tackle the growing rate of trafficking of young girls and women across Africa;
i. Engaging and developing the capacity of legislators, administrators of justice as well as the legal practitioners across the continent in effectively protecting, promoting and advancing African women’s rights at national and continental levels;
j. Promoting a multi-sectoral approach to accelerate the ratification, domestication and implementation of existing commitments on women’s human rights;
k. Continueing to actively engage women’s human rights organisations and experts in the development and implementation of the African Agenda 2063;
3) PROMOTE PEACE, SECURITY AND GENDER JUSTICE and
a. Move beyond militaristic notion of security and shift towards human security
b. Advocate for the reduction of military spending and for the re-allocation of freed resources to socio economic development priorities;
c. Mainstream gender across the African Union Peace Support Operations, security, law enforcement and justice organs;
d. Demand full and equal participation of women in peace and security structures, missions, interventions and representation in key decision making positions on conflict prevention, management, resolution, peace-building and transitional justice processes in line with the AU policies and instruments as well as United Nations Peace and Security Resolutions on women peace and security;
e. Develop and adopt a continental African framework on women peace and security;
f. End persisting violence against women and girls and end impunity in conflict and post-conflict situations;
g. Guarantee the security of women during and post elections;
h. Address the escalating rate of domestic violence and increase safety measures for women in public and private spaces;
i. Institutionalise psychosocial and economic support to survivors including reparations for victims and survivors as well as addressing post traumatic stress disorder resulting from violence and armed conflict;
j. Support the provision of services to survivals of conflict and ensure comprehensive witness protection;
k. Encourage peace education amongst all sectors of society, especially for young men and women;
l. End the proliferation of arms, child soldiers, drugs, human trafficking, and the protection of the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons;
m. End all forms of institutionalised and socialised violence against women, underage girls and young women; especially child marriage and female genital mutilation;
n. Build the capacity of the police, judiciary and traditional leaders to transform harmful and cultural socialisation and practices to deal with victims of abuse and rape;
4) PROMOTE Human Development by
a. Investing and improving the quality of education and training systems, and strengthen efforts towards gender equality in education by the end of the African Women’s Decade;
b. Promoting a skills revolution to drive Africa’s modernisation, sustainable industrialisation, green economy and agricultural revolution for the acceleration of infrastructural and economic development;
c. Strengthening our health systems through gender equity in access to and awareness of health care, women’s sexual reproductive health rights and choices, and ensure drastic reduction in child and maternal mortality in all our countries;
d. Strengthening social policy and social security protection of the vulnerable, women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities and marginalised communities;
e. Recognizing the role of community, sectoral and grassroots organisations and networks in contributing to mobilisation, capacity building and social capital for development;
f. Committing towards the mobilisation of women in rural, peri-urban and urban areas, and harness the knowledge and contributions of grassroots women;
g. Accelerating the implementation of Africa’s commitments on health, especially the elimination of major killer diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Cancer;
h. Improving access to reliable, safe and affordable modern and sustainable sources of energy;
i. Strengthening data collection systems to ensure quality data for gender planning, monitoring and evaluation of initiatives, programmes on gender and the empowerment of women;
j. Supporting quality and relevant tertiary and vocational education and training, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics for girls and young women;
k. Recognising and harness the existing expertise and provide opportunities for employment in the region including the use of indigenous language.
5) PROMOTE Science and Technology, Research and Innovation and
a. Promote the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes on science, technology, engineering and mathematics and technology education for girls and boys;
b. Accelerate women’s access to and control of technology to reduce their care burden and release them to unleash and realise their potential;
c. Promote the innovative use of science and technology to advance women’s economic opportunities and for the eradication of poverty and the development of infrastructure and industrialisation;
d. Build, develop, document and protect African indigenous knowledge and culture, as a driver of and contributor to innovation.
6) ADVOCATE FOR Cultural transformation, Pan Africanist values, Renaissance and
a. Celebrate and develop the positive aspects of our indigenous African knowledge, cultures and institutions that promote women’s status, our African identity and our unity in diversity;
b. Promote and renew women-cantered Pan African unity and values including solidarity, service and self-determination and reliance;
c. Build new generations of Pan Africanist through cultural exchange, youth service programmes, arts and culture amongst African youth, including the Diaspora;
d. Encourage all countries to teach African history, Pan Africanism and Renaissance in schools and educational institutions, so as to foster people-to-people integration and promote the establishment of Pan Africanism and African Renaissance Chairs at universities;
e. Invest in and promote African cultural products and industries with the view to strengthen African identity, unity, diversity and gender equality;
f. Strengthen African cultural industries that create opportunities for women including artists, crafters, musicians, filmmakers, dancers, traditional healers and designers;
g. Review and document cultural norms, values and practices that promote or impede women’s empowerment, gender equality and women’s rights, and influence positive change and development of African cultures;
h. Engage with traditional authorities, including women cultural leaders to address traditional and cultural practices impacting women’s empowerment, gender equality and women’s rights;
i. Promote targeted approaches to transform household gender relations;
j. Engage African media to ensure that the diversity of African women’s stories are told the African way by African women;
k. Strengthen our continental media houses, to become vibrant, Pan African and primary sources of news and entertainment for Africans;
l. Establish a Pan African women multi-media network to drive Agenda 2063;
m. Promote the development of Pan African cultural products and content using new technologies to promote African identity, positive gender identity and equality as well as African heroines and heroes amongst our children;
n. Promote pride in our African identity, and take charge of the narrative of who we are, our past and our future, and our place in the world;
o. Strengthen our linkages with the African Diaspora and mobilise the Diaspora in support of Africa’s renaissance and prosperity;
p. Promote unity amongst African nations to enable them to compete on the global stage;
q. Preserve, protect and promote the use of African languages as an important part of African heritage and identity.
7) MOBILISE resources for Africa’s transformation and
a. Explore, promote and sustain innovative ways of domestic resource mobilisation, including review of tax systems, public and private investment policies and pension funds towards African development;
b. Promote African philanthropy to ensure ownership of the African development agenda.
c. Upscale allocation of resources for gender related and women’s empowerment interventions, and advocate for the equitable allocation of national and continental resources across genders;
d. Encourage effective, equitable and accountable use of resources, manage the resources in the interest of current and future generations; and act against corruption, pilfering of national resources and illicit outflows from the continent;
e. Advocate for the allocation, redistribution of public and private resources towards priorities that are critical to women’s empowerment and development, and ensure women’s participation in these processes;
f. Foster home-grown public-private partnerships to broaden domestic resource base, and encourage domestic investment by public and private sectors.
g. Institutionalise gender parity and gender mainstreaming in African institutions such as the African Union and its organs, African Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa;
h. Define the rules of engagement in development cooperation and aid, foreign investments, relationship with the global financial architecture so that they align with African development, gender equality and women’s empowerment priorities;
i. Ensure that the proceeds of the continent’s natural resources are utilised for development, industrialisation, women’s empowerment, and positive legacies for future generations.
8) ENSURE broad-based participation, foster Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships, and
a. Ensure effective engagement and ownership of Agenda 2063 by all stakeholders at all levels of implementation;
b. Foster strong women’s networks, alliances and grassroots movements to implement Agenda 2063;
c. Strengthen the mechanism for mutual transparency and accountability;
d. Foster a culture of information sharing and effective coordination among women within and across Africa and the African Diaspora.
9) SET MILESTONES towards the realisation of AGENDA 2063 and
a. Acknowledge that Agenda 2063 is a long term continental vision, and its realisation will require short and medium-term milestones and strategies, so that we assess progress on the way;
b. Ensure that African women’s input and priorities are captured in the post 2015 development agenda, so that it reinforces milestones towards the realisation of Agenda 2063, and that the global agenda supports Africa’s transformation and development;
c. Achieve gender mainstreaming in all milestones, as well as specific gender targets and indicators;
d. Set up a comprehensive knowledge management strategy promoting and tracking the intersection between post MDGs and Agenda 2063 processes and milestones.
THEREFORE RESOLVE TO TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
a. Present at the upcoming 50th Anniversary Summit these aspirations of women, and advocate for the inclusion of the proposals in the 50th Anniversary Proclamation;
b. Undertake, individually and collectively, to engage women in our countries and the Diaspora to participate in the debate and formulation of Agenda 2063 and its milestones;
c. Urge Member States, RECs, the Diaspora region, civil society, and the broader women movements and networks to organise similar women stakeholder workshops at country and regional level on Agenda 2063;
d. Develop an Action plan for the Implementation of the concrete strategies proposed at this Consultative workshop with a view to enrich the Agenda 2063 framework and to accelerate the realisation of the objectives of the Decade of Women in all our countries and across the continent;
e. Develop a communication and information plan to popularise this Declaration with a view to encourage widespread participation and ownership by women of Agenda 2063.
We commit as African women, as gender activists and Pan Africanists to continue to play a transformative role in our families, communities, grassroots movements, organisations, educational institutions, work places, parliaments, media houses, farmers’ and business associations, judicial systems, security forces, diplomatic missions, religious platforms and in all spheres of our lives, to work for a just, peaceful and prosperous Africa and world.
Adopted on this thirteen day of May 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Developing a collective framework & agenda to advance social justice philanthropy in Africa and the Arab region
Developing a collective framework & agenda to advance social justice philanthropy in Africa and the Arab region
Demonstrate leadership, be inclusive, recognise the power vested in grantmakers, and build African narratives.
These were the 4 key themes that emerged from a meeting of social justice philanthropic organisations convened by Trust Africa in October, 2012.
Read the PDF of the full report by clicking the link below:
Supporting Livelihoods, Changing Lives…
Supporting Livelihoods, Changing Lives…
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 3rd and 4th 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.
Meet the Writers Podcast with Mamle Kabu, Kuukua Yomekpe, Boakyewaa Glover, Mama C.
Meet the Writers Podcast with Mamle Kabu, Kuukua Yomekpe, Boakyewaa Glover, Mama C.
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]On the 7th of March 2013, AWDF in partnership with Alliance Francaise, Accra, and with the kind sponsorship of Printex held a ‘Meet the Writers’ discussion with Mamle Kabu, 2009 Caine Prize Nominee and 2011 Burt Award Winner for Ghana; Kuukua Dzigbordi Yomekpe, Memoirist and Winner of the Marcelle Althaus Reid Award, Boakyewaa Glover, author of Circles, and Mama C, Black Panther Activist, Performance Artist and poet.
This forum was an opportunity for the public to meet writers up close and personal, learn more about the intricacies of writing and the publishing industry. Pictures of the event may be viewed by clicking here . To listen to a podcast of the event please click the links below.[/tp]
[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Le 7 Mars 2013, AWDF en partenariat avec Alliance Française Accra, et avec le parrainage de Printex, a eu une discussion ‘Rencontrez les auteures ‘avec Mamle Kabu, Nominé Prix Caine 2009 et Burt Award Winner en 2011 pour le Ghana; Kuukua Dzigbordi Yomekpe, mémorialiste et lauréat du Prix Marcelle Althaus Reid, Boakyewaa Glover, auteur de Circles, et Mama C, militante Black Panther, Performeuse et poète.
Ce forum a été l’occasion pour le public de rencontrer des écrivains de près et le personnel, en savoir plus sur les subtilités de l’écriture et de l’industrie de l’édition. Les photos de l’événement peuvent être consultées en cliquant ici. Pour écouter un podcast de l’événement veuillez cliquer sur les liens ci-dessous.[/tp]
Yari Yari Ntoaso: Continuing the Dialogue – An International Conference on Literature by Women of African Ancestry
Yari Yari Ntoaso: Continuing the Dialogue – An International Conference on Literature by Women of African Ancestry
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]I am excited that Yari Yari Ntoaso, an international conference focusing on African women writers is coming to Ghana from the 16th-19th May. Our very own Ama Ata Aidoo is one of the founding members of this initiative and the conference will bring together numerous inspirational women writers of African descent. Women like Angela Davis and Carole Boyce Davis who helped shape my thinking around the intersection of race and gender. Nnedi Okorafor, whose book is currently in the pile of ‘books to read’ on my bedside table. Bibi Bakare-Yusuf who started the Cassava Republic Press, and who I had the privilege of interviewing for ‘Women Leading Africa‘.
I am honoured that I have been invited to speak on a panel about ‘Writing Sexuality’. The entire Yari Yari programme is FREE and the general public are invited to attend, participate and learn from all the resource people who will be there.
Click links below for the full programme and press release
YYN DRAFT Schedule YYN GHANAPress Release[/tp]
[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Je suis heureuse que Yari Yari Ntoaso, une conférence internationale axée sur les femmes écrivains africaines se tienne au Ghana du 16 au 19 mai. Notre chère Ama Ata Aidoo est l’un des membres fondateurs de cette initiative et la conférence rassemblera de nombreuses femmes écrivains inspirantes d’origine africaine. Des femmes comme Angela Davis et Carole Boyce Davis, qui ont contribué à façonner ma pensée autour de l’intersection de la race et du sexe. Nnedi Okorafor, dont le livre est actuellement dans la pile des «livres à lire» sur ma table de chevet. Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, qui a commencé la Cassava Republic Press, et que j’ai eu le privilège d’interviewer pour ‘Women Leading Africa‘.
Je suis honorée d’avoir été invitée à prendre la parole lors d’une discussion sur “Ecrire la Sexualité”. L’ensemble du programme Yari Yari est libre et le grand public est invité à y assister, à participer et apprendre de toutes les personnes ressources qui seront là.
Cliquez ci-dessous pour le liens programme complet et communiqué de presse
YYN DRAFT Schedule YYN GHANAPress Release[/tp]
Announcement: Professor Sesae Mpuchane to take office as AWDF Board Chair in January 2013
Announcement: Professor Sesae Mpuchane to take office as AWDF Board Chair in January 2013
The Executive Board of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is pleased to announce that in January 2013 Professor Sesae Mpuchane will take over as Chair of the Executive Board of AWDF. This follows the completion of two terms in office as Board Chair by Dr. Hilda Tadria, co founder of AWDF. The Board and staff of AWDF offer their sincere thanks to Dr Tadria for her six years of exemplary leadership in that role, and look forward to benefitting from her expertise as an ongoing member of our Executive Board.
Professor Sesae Mpuchane has been a member of AWDF’s Executive Board for 3 years, bringing her considerable experience in academia, science and fundraising to the work that AWDF does. She sees her work with AWDF as “an opportunity to be part of a network or movement that is committed to the full empowerment of women through the creation of an enabling environment for positive change” and cites AWDF as “one of the few organisations that scouts or explores for value in women, at all levels, brings that value to the fore and helps to make it grow and flourish. A caring organisation such as the AWDF can bring about much needed change to society”
Theo Sowa says, “ It has been my priviledge to work with a committed Executive Board under the leadership of Dr Hilda Tadria. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Dr Tadria and all of AWDF’s Executive Board for their service to the organisation. I am pleased that Professor Sesae Mpuchane has accepted the nomination of her peers to take office as Board Chair. The whole AWDF team look forward to working with her in the service and achievement of African women’s rights”.
Click to read Professor Sesae’s bio
The International Planned Parenthood Federation for Africa (IPPFAR) Philanthropy Awards honours Co-Founders of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF)
The International Planned Parenthood Federation for Africa (IPPFAR) Philanthropy Awards honours Co-Founders of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF)
The Co-Founders of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Her Excellency Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria; Ms Joana Foster, Head of Mission, medica mondiale, Liberia; and Dr Hilda Tadria, Executive Director of ‘Mentoring and Empowerment Programme for Young Women’ will be honoured on Tuesday 27th November 2012 with the IPPFAR Philanthropy Award at the 60th Anniversary Gala of the International Planned Parenthood Foundation. This celebration takes place at the Birchwood Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa.
IPPFAR states, “Philanthropy Awards recognises the work of individuals and institutions that are actively impacting communities and women’s development on the continent through philanthropy and community engagement”.
Theo Sowa, Chief Executive Officer of AWDF said, “We are delighted that the pioneering work of the 3 Co-Founders of AWDF is being recognised by IPPF-AR. It is important to celebrate the individuals and institutions that are working so hard to move this continent forward, and Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Joana Foster and Hilda Tadria are powerful symbols of the change that African women are leading throughout their communities and on the continent today.”