Messages from women activists across Africa

Messages from women activists across Africa

Two years ago, news outlets ran a story about the climate movement’s bias against women activists from African countries. The Associated Press cuts out Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate from her photo with white activists at the climate conference. Conversations surrounding racism against activists ensued over the next few days, with more people coming forward to share their experiences.An apology was issued, and the newspaper claimed they had no ill will, but it was a broader recurring theme: environmental justice People most affected by climate change are often excluded.In response to this situation, Zhongshou said “You don’t just delete a photo. You erased a continent. “ The silence of African activists is particularly distressing because African countries are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Climate change exacerbates existing gender inequalities by increasing the risk of violence, endangering human security and hindering everyday peace-building.

Columbia University’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program has spent the past five years addressing these issues and raising the profile of grassroots women activists in Africa through fellowships, research, and workshops to support everyday women’s peacebuilding and climate work. This winter, the program marked the culmination of three months of vibrant virtual exchanges with a global workshop for women activists and academic practitioners in 13 countries. For the past three years, the WPS Fellowship has been supporting women peacebuilders in Africa by hosting fellowships to create collaborative spaces for sharing day-to-day peacebuilding strategies, promoting intracontinental networks of grassroots women peace activists, and advocating from their experiences lessons learned.

Women peacebuilders in the fellowship are involved in day-to-day peace work activities, from promoting sexual and reproductive health and financial literacy programs to resolving resource conflicts. Over the course of a few months this fall, activists began collating key messages they provide funders, policymakers and academics to support day-to-day peace efforts. They ask themselves and each other what gaps in knowledge and mythology exist that urgently need to be reshaped in policy, practice and funding. Through facilitated panel discussions and virtual exchanges, the women also reflected on their understanding of peace and security since they began working together as a multiscale, transnational network three years ago.

In their day-to-day work, these activists interact with funders and policymakers, providing resources to aid their mission and giving them first-hand insight into what is most urgently needed to change in peace and security. A key criticism is about who is included in key decisions and who is excluded. Women, youth, queer people and people with disabilities are often excluded from critical dialogue, leading to government bureaucracies that further hinder ineffective policies. Grassroots women activists play an integral role in maintaining peace and security at all levels of government because they have a deep understanding of the needs of their communities and are able to replicate programs that influence policy making across the country.

For example, the Hope for the Poor Association (HOFNA) in Cameroon empowers a network of community leaders who are addressing gender-based violence and poverty in their communities through training and capacity building. One of the members led an initiative to meet the needs of the elderly and widows in conflict-affected communities. “The daily peace work in these communities takes into account diversity, difference and different perspectives, values, beliefs and cultures, as these are the elements that make peace work in the community sustainable,” said HOFNA member Crystal Bay

Funding agencies need to engage in dialogue with groups such as HOFNA that will allow them to allocate resources appropriately and create an enabling environment for future projects. These women have a broad vision of peace and security, not limited to the absence of war, but also “access to land, education, health care, infrastructure, equality, equity and social justice,” says Margaret Seziafa, a member of the Women’s Group “International Alliance for Peace and Freedom in Ghana.

Omima Alfadil has a small discussion with a group of young women about daily peace and current challenges in Sultan Sennar. Image credit: Omima Alfadil

Yet another core message the group emphasized is that inclusion is necessary not only for those sitting at the decision table, but also for who can tell the stories that influence those decisions. Several women spoke about the importance of being able to share their own stories, many of whom echoed the experience that Western storytellers often extract “overly emotional or biased narratives” and repeat general points without leaving room for personal experiences. . Over the course of the WPS program, many fellows shared their inspiration for starting writing and documented their experiences. At the workshop, several women spoke about the books and creative projects they were working on — inspired by scholarship and the need to have a voice in the public sphere.”Let people tell them their [own] story. Get information from victims and winners. War is more than guns and explosives. It exists behind doors, in churches and schools. Don’t direct the story, record it. “

Months of virtual exchanges and final workshops rejuvenate the trainees. The information shared in the virtual exchange is being captured in a co-authored collective paper on transforming the field of women, peace and security, and what they have learned over the years as a collective network. They recognize that the contributions of African women activists have played an important role in overthrowing oppressive governments, implementing COVID-19 protocols, and serving communities at local and national levels. However, they continue to remain silent on multiple fronts, from environmental justice to peacebuilding. Fellows reiterated the importance of funders, policymakers and academics creating spaces for co-working and cross-learning of everyday peace and justice strategies.

Betty Sharon of the Kenya Women in Development Partnership shared the following message to young women investing in peace and security: “Raise your voice. The stronger we are, the louder our voices will be, and then we will be heard in every corner of the world.” This message applies to activists like Nakate who are determined to be heard for the good of their communities.