Tag: Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi
Tributes to Joana Foster: A Life Remembered.
Tributes to Joana Foster: A Life Remembered.
Remembering Joana Foster: A friend and sister in her unwavering commitment to Feminism.
By Hilda Tadria
I had an opportunity to talk to Joana in August 2016 and she was in high spirits, attending a farewell party organised for her by friends in London. She told me she was enjoying herself, dancing; and indeed she had her laughter. I was amazed and told her my conversation with her had taught something about living positive. In our October AWDF Board meeting we were told there are some promising developments. I felt somehow hopeful. Then Saturday 6 November 2016, I receive a call from Theo Sowa without warning (Theo always warns me when she is planning to call). I was sure she had bad news when she asked me if I was at home and told her to come out with it; she wanted to know whether I was alone. I have to be frank, am glad I was alone that night so that I did not have to restrain myself in mourning for my friend.
Since then, I have been mulling over what to say about Joanna. Let me talk about her as I have known and experienced her. She and I met in what could be described as an unlikely place. We met in Dakar, Senegal by sheer destiny. In 1994 African women merged in Dakar to prepare for the famous Beijing Conference. That meeting is etched in my memory for two reasons. The fist reason is the total lack of order in a meeting where 2000 women turned up; most of them unexpected. AS I sought an explanation for the chaos, I was told it was the lack of resource.
I found myself looking for answers as to where African women could access resource for future organising. So when I saw a flyer from Global Fund for Women advertising a training on resource mobilisation; I decided that is the place I would spend my time. I found the allocated room and took my place in a circle of other women and prepared to pay attention. A few minutes after settling in, I looked around the room, and there across was this pretty woman with the most engaging smile. It was surely meant for me; I smiled back. Each time an important point was made, this woman and I would look at each other across the room , nod and smile at each other. When the session was over, we zoomed across the room and introduced ourselves. I remember we held hands as we walked out and as soon as we were out of other people’s hearing, looked at each other and in Unison said “we can do this”.
Joana and I were inseparable during the rest of our time in Dakar, planning how to start a Fund for African Women. By the time we left Dakar we had managed to get a commitment from Global Fund to give us the seed grant we needed to develop the proposal and launch the organisation. Not long after, we met with Bisi Adeleye –Fayemi who had been working on a similar plan to start a Fund. The three of us are pragmatists; we soon became a trio; and we had never separated. Our togetherness, no matter what has remained firm in spite of the challenges we have encountered; Three women, Three countries bound by a common vision and driven by feminist passion.
Now Joana has been plucked from us but I will always remember that first meeting and the engaging smile that told me ‘you are the one I want to work with’. I will remember her for her positive outlook on life; she was not willing to be brought down by events that could be managed by dialogue. Joana was elegant ; a small woman with a big heart always ready to share knowledge and gifts. I and the African women will remember her for the light she shone on women’s rights.
Joana Silochina Foster (1946-2016)
By Bisi Adeleye Fayemi
I first met Joana Foster at an international conference on Violence Against Women, which took place in Brighton, England in November 1996. I took my son with me to the conference, and he fell ill. As I fretted over my son, Joana fussed over me. After Brighton, Joana and I became firm friends. She was a mother-figure, auntie and friend. At the time we met, she had just become the Regional Coordinator for Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF), one of the leading women’s rights networks in Africa. She was based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Anytime she was in London, which was often, because her daughter Helen lived there, Joana would get in touch and we would meet up.
In March 1998, Joana stopped over in London on her way to attend the annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York, the meeting known in the international women’s movement as CSW. I was going to attend the CSW that year as well, and we were booked on the same flight out of London. The day before, we met up for lunch at a restaurant near AMwA’s office in Holborn. As we walked down the street, we were comparing notes and sharing our frustrations dealing with our respective donor agencies. I was telling her about my experiences with a funder who had sat on our proposal for eighteen months only to turn around and give a ridiculous excuse for rejecting the funding request. I ended my rant with, ‘It is about time we started our own fund as African women’. Joana stopped in her tracks. ‘What fund’? she asked. ‘An African women’s fund’ I said. She laughed and said, ‘Welcome on board. We already have a fund’. Prior to that conversation, AMwA had been planning to start a fund for African women, as a logical step from the work we were already doing, running capacity building programs for African women and facilitating advocacy opportunities. Joana Foster and Dr Hilda Tadria had started working on the idea of an African women’s fund as far back as 1994, based on inspiration Joana had drawn from attending a workshop organized by the US based Global Fund for Women. ‘African women can do this’, Joana said to herself, and she managed to convince Dr Tadria to join her. Both of them did some planning and consultations, but the timing was not quite right. Dr Tadria was working with the United Nations Economc Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis, and did not have much time for additional endeavors. Joana was Ghana Country Director for CUSO, a Canadian NGO at the time, then she left to become Regional Coordinator of WILDAF in Zimbabwe. The idea of the fund for women in Africa was put on hold. After our March 1998 discussion, Joana, Hilda and I decided to join forces and the two separate ideas for a women’s fund in Africa became the African Women’s Development Fund. I left London in 2001 to move to Accra where we had decided to locate the fund, and Joana finished her term at WILDAF and returned to Ghana. I became the Executive Director of AWDF and Joana was the Chair of the Board.
AWDF could have been based anywhere in Africa, since it was an Africa-wide foundation. Several countries met our objective criteria – an enabling political environment, a vibrant women’s movement, a favorable banking system that would allow the flow of money in and out of the country and so on. For me, what clinched the deal for Ghana was the fact that not only was it close to Nigeria, since I did not want to live too far away after being out of Africa for so long, it was Joana’s home. Auntie Joana was my mother and my friend, so it was a no brainer. Ghana it was.
I learnt a lot from Auntie Joana. We spent a lot of time together travelling, attending meetings and planning for AWDF. She was always full of enthusiasm, joy and energy. She loved to cook, garden and dance, and she enjoyed good wine and tea. She was also a very elegant woman who took a great deal of pride in her appearance. She was also a very healthy eater.
When I arrived in Accra, April 2001 to start work at AWDF, I stayed with Joana for the first month. We had so much fun together, setting up AWDF, recruiting staff, looking for a place for me to live, and planning for the future. After all the various journeys the idea had taken, AWDF was formally launched in June 2000 in New York at the Beijing plus 5 Review Conference, with an Africa launch in December 2001. Five years after the Beijing conference, African women were proud to celebrate a concrete achievement, and Joana Foster was key to that. Sixteen years later, AWDF is globally acknowledged as a key player in the international philanthropic movement, having funded over 1,200 women’s organisations in 42 African countries. In spite of the many difficulties involved in raising significant funding for grant making and operations, AWDF continues to grow and its influence in the field of feminist philanthropy is undeniable. Joana’s dream of a well-respected foundation for African women came true.
Joana had a very cosmopolitan upbringing and outlook. Born of a Ghanaian mother and Indian father, Joana understood what it was like to manage diversity from a very young age. She had a wide family network which included Ghanaian, Indian, Lebanese and English relatives. When I was out with her in Accra, she would always make stops to see one family member or the other. She was a very generous person and was always giving something to someone. Once, on a visit to Harare, I had admired a porcelain dinner set made by local potters. Joana made arrangements to have a dinner set shipped to Accra for me. Her training as a Lawyer provided the backdrop for a life-long devotion to social justice and women’s rights issues, which took her to many countries around the world as a policy advocate, organizer and administrator.
Joana and I did not always get on. This is to be expected when strong women from different generations work together. In spite of the occasional wrinkles in our relationship, our love for each other was never in doubt. When Joana moved from Ghana to Liberia to work for the UN, I missed her a great deal. I missed her comforting presence in Accra, and I missed her as a travelling companion. I stayed with her in Monrovia when I went for the inauguration of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in January 2006. I asked Joana if she needed anything from Ghana, and she said I should bring her some tomatoes! I have a policy of not travelling with food items because I do not want to subject myself to the scrutiny of customs officers anywhere in the world. However, I could not think of saying no to Joana, so I hauled a large carton of tomatoes to Monrovia. Fortunately, the customs officers were too busy receiving the free CDs of the famous Liberian singer Miatta Fahnbulleh’s special recoding we had sponsored for the inauguration, that they ignored Joana’s tomatoes.
Joana told me she was ill with cancer in 2014. Over the past two years I have followed the progress and setbacks of her treatment through visits to her in London, emails and phone conversations. The last time I saw her was in August 2016 in Accra. She had come home to put her affairs in order. She was very frail, but still had a sparkle in her eyes and her sharp wit. She told us that she was going to attend her own wake in London before she passed away. ‘ I am going to be there for my own wake. No one is going to have more fun than me’ she declared. That was vintage Joana. Warm, funny, smart, loving, generous, optimistic. She passed away quietly in London the afternoon of Saturday November 5th2016.
One of Joana’s favourite saying was, ‘We have to do something’. That is what Joana spent her life doing. Something, and a whole lot more. I will miss my mother, sister and friend. I will miss one of the greatest feminist activists I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from. Rest in peace Auntie Joana. We will continue to ‘do something’.
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Gender Specialist, Social Entrepreneur and Writer. She is the Founder of Abovewhispers.com, an online community for women. She can be reached at BAF@abovewhispers.com
An unforgettable friend and mentor.
by: Comfort Lamptey
I still vividly remember the first day l met Auntie J, some 21 or so years ago. I was in Accra to attend a workshop being organized by Cuso, the organization she was heading at the time. I remember the classy, beautiful cloth she wore that day, her stylishness, and her captivating smile, as she walked into the conference room. We became friends instantly. She took me under her wings and nurtured and mentored me to the very last day I saw her on 23 September 2016 in London. I will forever cherish that short walk we took together from her flat to Willesden Green station, where we said goodbye.
Auntie Joana taught me so many enduring life lessons. She taught me not to take myself too seriously; she taught me that the fight for social justice and gender equality requires stubbornness, a sense of humor and a very thick skin; she taught me the importance of always maintaining a spirit of youthfulness. Over the years, she introduced me to so many people and places in Ghana, as l sought to re-establish a life there after many years abroad. We had lots of fun together. But by far, the greatest lesson Auntie J taught me was that even when confronted with the most daunting and devastating news, as she received in the final few months of her life, it is possible to face this with grace and dignity and to uphold a positive spirit to the end.
A standard-setting peacekeeper
Auntie J was a pioneer and trail blazer. I has a close-up view of this during the period we worked together as gender advisers in the field of UN peacekeeping. Whilst working as a senior gender adviser to the UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia, Auntie J broke new ground in a number of important areas which had far-reaching effects on global peacekeeping practice, and which also helped to advance the push for women’s rights in Liberia. As an example, she advocated strongly and successfully with the mission leadership to ensure that thousands of girls who played support roles with the fighting forces in the war were not ignored, but got support as part of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process (DDR). The formal recognition of the category of Women Associated with Fighting Forces (WAFFs) in UN DDR parlance, took root in Liberia as a result of the formidable work done by Auntie J and her colleagues.
She also educated the mission on the value of using sex disaggregated data to enhance operational success. This was clearly illustrated during the first voter registration process which took place in post-war Liberia in 2005. Through a gender analysis she undertook with the team on the number of registered voters, it became apparent that less than a third of eligible women had registered to vote. She subsequently mobilized the mission to devote resources to support the Ministry of Gender and women’s constituencies across the country to launch an all-out ‘register to vote’ campaign, targeting women. The results were impressive, as the final count of women who registered to vote , exceeded 50 percent, a factor which helped to propel the first woman President into office in Africa.
As a strong supporter of civil society activism, Auntie J understood the importance of strengthening the women’s civil society movement in post-war Liberia, to enable them to be better-positioned to engage as partners with government in the reconstruction of the country. To this end, she provided strategic technical guidance and resources to support the establishment of the Women’s NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) as an umbrella entity to support effective planning, resource mobilization and coordination of the work of women’s NGOs in Liberia.
Through these and other efforts, Auntie J left an indelible mark on UN peacekeeping practice, by showing how the use of a gender lens can enhance both operational effectiveness and women’s empowerment in a fragile post-conflict context.
I thank God for Auntie J’s life, for all she taught me and the countless other younger women she mentored, and for the privilege of counting her as a friend and as family.
Thank you, Auntie J. I hope to be able to honor your legacy everyday by championing the causes you believed in and worked for throughout your life. Wɔ ojogban (Rest in Peace)!
‘And Then The Women Came’ A Tribute To The African Women’s Development Fund
‘And Then The Women Came’ A Tribute To The African Women’s Development Fund
by Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi
At the panel discussion, the first question we were asked was about our earliest recollections of acts of philanthropy. For me, it was my parents. I believe that most Africans get immersed in cultures of giving from an early age. I grew up observing my parents helping family and friends with contributions towards school fees, vocational training, medical expenses and personal milestones such as weddings and funerals. They gave financial support, material assistance and provided accommodation. I therefore understood, like many others who had a similar upbringing, that no matter how much or little I had, there was an obligation to assist others.
My mother was always giving something to someone. I watched her give away money, clothing, foodstuff and her exquisite collection of dishes. I saw her give advice and support to women in the neighborhood. She would take in women in distress and offer them a shoulder to cry on and give them sound counsel till they could get back to the rigours of life. From my mother, I learnt the value of solidarity with other women, and the importance of being your sister’s keeper.
My entry point into institutional philanthropy was through my involvement as the Executive Director of Akina Mama wa Afrika in London (AMwA) (1991-2001) as well as Comic Relief, UK. AMwA was a development organisation that supported African women in the UK and Europe, as well as women’s movements in Africa. In 1996, I started raising funding for an African Women’s Leadership Institute, an AMwA program which was to be a regional networking and training forum for young African women – I was still young then! I was very alarmed when I got a letter from a European funding agency (after eighteen months of waiting) declining to fund the leadership institute. What upset me was not the No but why they said No.
According to them, African women’s priorities were food, shelter, livelihoods, etc., and not leadership development. I could not understand how a group of people in Europe, no matter how well meaning they were, could decide what African women needed. I went on to raise significant funding for the leadership institute from other sources and today, the AWLI has trained over 6,000 women leaders across Africa. It is interesting to note that a version of the very project that was deemed unworthy of funding showed up as a project of one of the funding agencies who had received the proposal from us a year later! The lesson I learnt from this, after being awakened from my innocence, was that other people had a better idea of how African women’s leadership could be encouraged, anyone other than African women themselves.
This is the motivation that fueled the establishment of AWDF, as a space that would mobilise and disburse resources to women’s organisations across Africa. We wanted to provide African women’s movements an opportunity to engage in initiatives that would raise the status of women, with needs and priorities determined by them. We wanted to fund initiatives that would transform women’s lives and not simply uphold the status quo. The experience of co-founding AWDF and serving as its Executive Director for the first ten years has been one of the most fulfilling of my life. In the early days of AWDF, as I embarked on the journey to establish AWDF as a reputable philanthropic organisation, I discovered that it was not feasible to make the case for funding to one entity in Africa without taking into consideration the context within which people were making decisions and the politics of international donor funding. I found myself in spaces where, in the early days, I would be either the only African in the room or the only vocal one. I would hear things like ‘ We would like to fund in xyz country but we don’t know who to support’ or ‘We have a lot of money to give away for xyz thematic issue but we can’t find the right partners’. Of course I found a lot of these assertions patronizing and insincere, masking an ambivalence about African capacity to manage and deliver on programs, and to be trusted with resources, but I decided that the best way forward was dialogue, advocacy and setting an example.
Today, AWDF has grown from a handful of institutional donors in 2000 to a large network of institutional, corporate and individual donors, with over $25 million in grants made over the years to at least 1,200 women’s organisations in 42 African countries. AWDF also has an endowment fund invested in real estate, fixed deposits and the money market. From a staff of four in 2001 when we made our first grants, the organisation now has a staff of up to twenty-five. Our grants have been used to enhance women’s livelihoods and raise them from poverty, to empower girls, pass legislation, train and empower women in decision making to mention just a few. We have also played a key role in the strengthening of key women’s networks on the continent. The fact that AWDF is acknowledged as a credible organisation with a track record of integrity, success and achievement is an accomplishment to be deeply appreciated. AWDF’s story is a gift to African civil society. It is possible to have an Africa based and Africa led grant making institution that walks its talk, and aspires to the best foundation practices anywhere in the world. In the universe of Women’s Funds and southern-based philanthropic institutions globally, AWDF stands tall as a well-respected role model.
People have often asked me what is so special about philanthropy for women. It is not different from other kinds of philanthropy, because the key issue here is giving. However, what makes philanthropy for women special, is that it comes from a belief system that understands the critical importance in investing in women for sustainable growth and transformative change in our communities. We can do this in different ways, for example through initiatives to provide women with livelihoods, through making them safe from all forms of violence, giving them facilities to enjoy good health for themselves and their children, and giving them a voice in decision making at all levels. These are the ways in which AWDF has supported thousands of women over the past fifteen years. It is work that requires long-term support and involvement, but it also yields results that are unquantifiable in many cases. An empowered girl or woman will go on to have an empowered family, will be self-sufficient, will be able to support her husband better and the community will be better off for it.
It is a very welcome development to see wealthy African philanthropists, male and female, stepping up to add value to the field. What I would like to see more of, is a willingness of these wealthy philanthropists, some of whom have large foundations, to do more social change philanthropy. This way, we can have some impact on the political and socio- systems that keep hindering Africa’s development. Most African philanthropists also do not have a strategy for funding work to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality, beyond social welfare issues. I would like this to change.
During her remarks on the panel in Accra, Leymah Gbowe spoke about a trip she made to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with a delegation from the Nobel Women’s Initiative in 2014. DRC has acquired a reputation for being the ‘rape capital of the world’, due to the violent conflict that has raged in that country for many years now. At the forum in DRC, woman after woman told stories of what they had endured. Leymah said the narratives of the women would go something like this, ‘When I was attacked and raped by a gang of militia, I wanted to commit suicide. I thought my life had ended. And then the women came. They brought me food, cared for my children and encouraged me’. Or the narrative would be, ‘They killed my husband, took away my son, and raped me and my two daughters. I lost my mind and did not know where I was. Then the women came and they took care of me, prayed for me and gave me the little they had’. Testimony after testimony went on like this, and they all included, ‘Then the women came’. The delegation from the US was made up of donors, journalists, researchers and activists. When it was time to ask questions, they were all about, ‘ So how many times where you raped?’, or ‘Do you still think about the rape?’. Leymah was furious. When it was time for her to sum up the meeting as head of the delegation, she pointed out that they should not miss the true story they had just heard. The story was not about the rape of women in DRC. It was about the solidarity of women, stepping out, stepping up and being there. And then the women came. According to Leymah, this is what AWDF means to her and other African women. We are there to listen, encourage, support and strengthen women’s initiatives. We might not be able to respond to the avalanche of requests we receive, but we try our best within the limits of the resources we have.
The future of African women and philanthropy is very bright. We now need to encourage women to be at the forefront of philanthropic giving for social justice. We give already, to our families, friends, community associations and religious institutions. Women should now be more deliberate, bold and ambitious in their giving. I would like women to work together through professional associations, corporative, networks of women in leadership and so on, to pool resources for transformative change. It is important to raise money to assist with the building of schools, clinics, retirement homes and a wide array of social inclusion programs. We however need to start looking at some of the root causes of these social disparities especially where it concerns women’s well-being. Women should fund awareness and prevention of all forms of violence, women in political leadership, and changing attitudes and behaviours which underpin a culture of oppression.
Congratulations to AWDF. It has not been easy, the journey has been a long, hard, often lonely one, and it still continues. A big thank you to my successor as CEO, the formidable Theo Sowa. Thank you for running with the baton. As we celebrate 15 years of hard work and dreams, we are encouraged by our success and eager for the next chapter. If you love Africa, and you love African women, put your money where your heart is.
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is one of the founders of the African Women’s Development Fund, a Gender Specialist, Social Entrepreneur and Writer. She is the Founder of Abovewhispers.com, an online community for women. She can be reached at BAF@abovewhispers.com
This Piece was originally posted on her website, Abovewhispers.com.
AWDF Co-Founder Launches New Blog Above Whispers
AWDF Co-Founder Launches New Blog Above Whispers
AWDF Co-founder Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi has launched a new blog targeted at mature audiences.
Above Whispers is a space “primarily, (but not exclusively) for middle-aged women, and will provide an opportunity for people to engage in discussions about a range of issues such as politics, social justice, development, financial security, women’s rights, health, entrepreneurship, popular culture, faith, parenting and relationships.”
It hopes to offer a unique platform to engage with other people in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
Click here to read Bisi’s response to Nigerian writer Olatunji Ololade’s article on African Feminists “Beasts Of No Gender, The Nation.”
Bisi Adeleye- Fayemi, a feminist activist, philanthropist, social entrepreneur and writer, is one of AWDF’s co-founders.
Video: Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi shares her thoughts on the minimum age of marriage in Nigeria
Video: Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi shares her thoughts on the minimum age of marriage in Nigeria
Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is a Co-Founder and Board Member of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF). She is also a member of the African Women Leaders Network for Reproductive Health and Family Planning. Bisi is also the wife of the Governor of Ekiti State, Nigeria.
In this video, Bisi shares her thoughts on the current controversy in Nigeria about the minimum age of marriage, and strongly advocates for the protection of the rights of girls and women.
Philanthropy in a changing world: Let a hundred flowers blossom
Philanthropy in a changing world: Let a hundred flowers blossom
[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]In this article originally written for Alliance magazine Theo Sowa speaks about the importance of multiple approaches to creating a better world whilst focusing on a solid foundation of creating an enabling environment for the realisation of the full range of human rights for all.
To read the article in full please click here[/tp]
[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Dans cet article, écrit à l’origine pour Alliance magazine Theo Sowa parle de l’importance des multiples approches pour créer un monde meilleur tout en se concentrant sur une base solide de créer un environnement propice à la réalisation de l’ensemble des droits de l’homme pour tous.
Pour lire l’article dans son intégralité, veuillez cliquer ici[/tp]
2012 End of Year Letter
2012 End of Year Letter
The AWDF offices will be closed from the 20th of December 2012 until the 6th of January 2013.
Please click here to read the ‘End of Year Letter’ from Theo Sowa, CEO of AWDF.
We wish you the best of the festive season.
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.”
Launch of ‘Women Leading Africa: Conversations with Inspirational African Women’ Thursday 25th October
Launch of ‘Women Leading Africa: Conversations with Inspirational African Women’ Thursday 25th October
Launch of ‘Women Leading Africa: Conversations with Inspirational African Women’ by the African Women’s Development Fund as part of the Adventurers in the Diaspora (AiD) Forum
Date: Thursday, 25th October 2012
Venue: Branche Lounge, Golden Tulip
Time: 7.30pm
This event will include a panel discussion on ‘African Women and Leadership’ moderated by H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi with panelists Ama Ata Aidoo, internationally acclaimed writer; Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Theologian; and Mary Wandia, Regional Programme Officer for the Open Society for Eastern Africa
Please find flyer attached Flyer
Ekiti Enacts Law Against Gender-Based Violence
Ekiti Enacts Law Against Gender-Based Violence
[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Friday, (November 25), signed the gender-based violence bill passed into Law recently by the State House of Assembly, in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. The Assembly had passed the bill into Law on November 2, a day after it conducted a public hearing that attracted an unprecedented crowd, including wife of the Governor of Oyo State, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, to the hallowed chamber. The Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin; Chief of Staff, Mr. Yemi Adaramodu and some members of the state executive council witnessed the ceremony. The initiator and chief promoter of the Bill and Wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, also led its co-sponsors and other stakeholders to the event, which coincided with the International Day of Violence Against Women.Other active players in the sponsorship of the bill were the state ministry of women affairs, social development & gender empowerment, office of the special adviser to the governor on planning and Millennium Development Goals, as well as the state chapter of International Federation of Women Lawyers.
The new Law was in response to gross abuses affecting individuals or groups disproportionately because of their sex across the state. It seeks to protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women, children and a minority of men against physical, economic, mental or sexual harm or suffering, as well as threats of such acts,coercion and other deprivations of liberty within the public or private spheres. It frowns on harmful traditional practices, such as Female Genital Mutilation and widowhood rites; imposition of dress codes under any guise; child marriage and criminalising pregnancy outside marriage.
Addressing a press conference after the Bill was singed into Law, the wife of the governor disclosed that the journey that culminated into the eventual signing of the bill started exactly a year ago. She expressed gratitude to the governor, speaker and members of the House Assembly, particularly the House Committee on Women Affairs for working very hard to ensure the speedy passage and signing of the bill into Law. Erelu Fayemi said, “My joy knows no bound today. Exactly one year ago, that is on November 25, 2010, I led a delegation of women to pay a number of advocacy visits to His Excellency, the Governor.“We also went to the House of Assembly and the Judiciary. And those advocacy visits were to commemorate the International Day of Violence against Women.” During these visits, she said that the team requested the stakeholders to give assurances that there would be zero tolerance for all forms of abuse against women and girls, as well as for a legislation to protect women and girls from violence. Erelu Fayemi said that the lobby group also advocated provision of adequate financial, material and technical resources to promote women empowerment and gender equality across the state.She solicited the support of concerned individuals and groups to ensure the continued relevance of the new Law in the lives of ordinary citizens it seeks to protect.
Addressing the gathering, the governor noted that at least one in every five women had been physically or sexually abused at one time or the other, which he said was a universal reality in every society. He said it became expedient to put appropriate legislation in place to combat violence against women, given its devastating effect on women’s wellbeing and development. The governor said, “Cautions should be put in place for severe penalties against perpetrators, protection of victims and enhancement of public awareness on the danger of continued silence due to cultural influence and shame. “I wish to state here equivocally that the state government would continue to protect human rights and ensure justice takes its course against those who commit crimes rather than sweep it under carpet. “I enjoin all segments of the society, including the organised private sector, faith-based organisations and other non-state actors to get more involved in stemming the ugly trend of violence and abuse against women and girl-child.”[/tp]
[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Le gouverneur de l’État d’Ekiti, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, le vendredi (25 Novembre), a signé la loi sur la violence fondée sur le sexe dans la loi adoptée récemment par la Chambre d’état de l’Assemblée, à Ado-Ekiti, la capitale de l’Etat. L’Assemblée avait adopté le projet de loi le 2 Novembre, une journée après avoir tenu une audience publique qui a attiré une foule sans précédent, y compris l’épouse du gouverneur de l’État d’Oyo, Mme Florence Ajimobi, à la chambre sanctifié. Le vice-gouverneur de l’Etat, Mme Funmilayo Olayinka; Président de la Chambre de l’Assemblée, M. Adewale Omirin; Chef d’état-major, M. Yemi Adaramodu et certains membres du conseil exécutif de l’Etat ont assisté à la cérémonie. L’initiateur et principal promoteur du projet de loi et l’épouse du gouverneur, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, ont également conduit ses co-sponsors et autres parties prenantes à l’événement, qui a coïncidé avec la Journée internationale de la violence contre les femmes.D’autres acteurs dans le parrainage du projet de loi était le ministère de l’état d’affaires de la femme, le développement social et l’autonomisation des femmes, le bureau du conseiller spécial du gouverneur sur les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement et la planification, ainsi que le chapitre de l’État de la Fédération internationale des femmes juristes.
La nouvelle loi venait en réponse à des violations flagrantes affectant des individus ou des groupes de façon disproportionnée en raison de leur sexe à travers l’état. Il vise à protéger les droits de l’homme et des libertés fondamentales des femmes, des enfants et une minorité d’hommes contre un préjudice physique, économique, psychologique, sexuel ou des souffrances, ainsi que la menace de tels actes, la contrainte ou autres privations de liberté dans le public ou les sphères privées. Il fronce les sourcils sur les pratiques traditionnelles néfastes, comme les mutilations génitales féminines et les rites de veuvage; l’imposition de codes vestimentaires sous quelque forme; le mariage des enfants et de criminaliser la grossesse hors mariage.
Lors d’une conférence de presse après aue le projet de loi a été roussi dans la loi, l’épouse du gouverneur a révélé que le voyage qui a culminé dans la signature éventuelle du projet de loi a commencé il y a exactement un an. Elle a exprimé sa gratitude au gouverneur, au Président et des membres de l’Assembly House, en particulier le Comité de la Chambre des affaires des femmes pour travailler très fort pour assurer l’adoption rapide et la signature du projet de loi. Erelu Fayemi dit, “Ma joie ne connaît pas de limite aujourd’hui. Il ya exactement un an, soit le 25 Novembre 2010, je dirigeais une délégation de femmes afin de payer un certain nombre de visites de plaidoyer à Son Excellence le Gouverneur. “Nous sommes aussi allés à la Chambre de l’Assemblée et du pouvoir judiciaire. Et ces visites de plaidoyer étaient pour commémorer la Journée internationale de la violence à l’égard des femmes “. Au cours de ces visites, elle a dit que l’équipe a demandé aux intervenants de donner des garanties qu’il y aurait une tolérance zéro pour toutes les formes de violence contre les femmes et les filles, ainsi que pour une législation pour protéger les femmes et les filles contre la violence. Erelu Fayemi a déclaré que le groupe de pression a également préconisé la fourniture de ressources financières, ressources matérielles et techniques pour promouvoir l’autonomisation des femmes et l’égalité des sexes à travers le state.Elle a sollicité l’appui des individus et des groupes concernés pour assurer la pertinence de la nouvelle loi dans la vie des citoyens ordinaires, qu’elle cherche à protéger.
S’adressant à l’assemblée, le gouverneur a noté qu’au moins une femme sur cinq avaient été agressées physiquement ou sexuellement à un moment ou l’autre, ce qu’il a dit était une réalité universelle dans chaque société. Il a dit qu’il est devenu opportun de mettre une législation appropriée en place pour combattre la violence contre les femmes, compte tenu de son effet dévastateur sur le bien-être et le développement des femmes. Le gouverneur a déclaré, “Des mises en garde devraient être mises en place pour des sanctions sévères contre les auteurs, la protection des victimes et l’amélioration de la sensibilisation du public sur le danger du silence continue en raison de l’influence culturelle et la honte. «Je tiens à préciser ici que le gouvernement de l’État continuera à protéger les droits de l’homme et de garantir la justice, cela suit son cours contre ceux qui commettent des crimes plutôt que de balayer sous le tapis. «J’enjoins tous les segments de la société, y compris le secteur privé organisé, les organisations confessionnelles et d’autres acteurs non étatiques à participer davantage à endiguer la tendance hideuse de la violence et les abus contre les femmes et les filles.”[/tp]
H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi honoured with the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award
H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi honoured with the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award
Her Excellency Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria and President of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) has been presented with the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the field of philanthropy. The presentation was made at the Synergos University for a Night event held at the Times Centre in New York, USA, on 5th April 2011. The event also honoured Peter and Jenniffer Buffet, Co-Chairs of the NoVo Foundation.
The David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award is in recognition of the leadership, commitment and dynamism that H.E Bisi Adeleye Fayemi has demonstrated in over two decades of working to create a better world for women and girls in Africa. That work includes her co-founding and leadership of the African Women’s Development Fund, the establishment of the African Women’s Leadership Institute and numerous contributions to women’s rights in Africa and globally.
Helen LaKelly Hunt, (philanthropist, founder of the Sister Fund and co-Chair of Women Moving Millions), Peggy Dulany (Founder and Chair of Synergos), and David Rockefeller Sr. jointly presented the award to H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, who was described as “bold, inspirational and savvy”.
Accepting the award, H.E. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi said, “Women’s narratives of oppression, suffering and exploitation can be changed to stories of triumph, success, dignity and respect if we are able to provide women with the spaces and tools they need so they can make the kind of choices that set them on the road to freedom.”
