Pamoya Beta

The Africa Women's Regional Shadow Report on Beijing +15 was yesterday
launched at one of the pararell events at the ongoing 54th session of the
Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations Headquarters
in New York. The report was officially launched by Gertrude Mongella, the
President Pan-African Parliament.

“An African NGO Taskforce on Beijing +15 was set up to spearhead the
process of mobilizing women in Africa to organize and prepare for
participation in the regional processes leading up to the 2010 Global NGO
Forum and 54th CSW session on Beijing +15 Review in New York,” explained
Taskforce leader, Ms. Chigedze Chinyenyi.

The taskforce members included Homa Mungapen, Emilia Muchawa and Ida
Mokerietane (for South Africa Sub-region), Deborah Kaddu-Serwadda and Norah
Winyi Matovu (East Africa sub region), Aicha Tamboura, Bisi Olateru and
Adwowa Bame (West Africa sub-region), Rose-Claire Bitha and Eeza Julie
(Central Africa sub-region) and Imane Belghiti and Iamn Mandour in charge of
the North Africa sub-region.

The Executive Director African Women's Development Fund summarized the
report in four words, “celebration, despair, urgency and hope.”
“Celebration because the report highlights the achievements of the women's
movement over the years including ground breaking policy frameworks, demand
for accountability, raising women's voices, change in the political
landscape among other things,” she explained.

She noted that the report calls for urgency in demanding accountability for
promises made and ratification of remaining treaties
“I believe in the power of our movement and what we are able to achieve. I
have hope in the young generation who were not present in Beijing but know
that this document is about their future too,” she concluded.

In her speech, Getrude Mongella said this report was a big achievement for
the women's movement in Africa.
“The BPFA remains the document. Since Beijing +5, +10 and now +15, the
question is not whether it is the right document but the speed of
implementation. The problem made in Beijing was not to put a time frame or
sanctions on governments not implementing the commitments made. Commitments
for resources from our governments are not clearly defined,” Mongella noted.

She also encouraged older women to mentor young girls to take part in the
BPFA process and so handover the baton.
“My hope is when we come to Beijing +20, we must have more young women and
girls we have mentored and pass on the baton,” she concluded before she
officially launched the report.
The report was compiled by the African Women's Development and Communication
Network (FEMNET)on behalf of the Africa NGO Task Force on Beijing +15 and
regional and sub regional women's organizations and Networks in partnership
with The African Women's Development Fund (AWDF), UNIFEM, Women and Law in
Southern Sudan, WILDAF, African-Spanish Network for a better world and
Oxfam.
Icon has a few copies that can be accessed in the resource centre.

I will also tell you about the missing voice of the young people in the CSW
in New York.
Linking local women to the global agenda
‘Patriarchy defines leadership from the perspective of public office but not
a woman running 25 support groups in the village,” explained Nyaradzayi
Gumbodzvanda in session she presented about patriarchy during day one of the
Global NGO Forum in New York.

I have met many women in Uganda who are doing amazing work in their
villages, towns, sub-counties but still work in isolation with little or no
connection to like minded people whether in their town or country or even
globally.

But with technology fast advancing, how can a simple village woman take
advantage of this? How can she be connected to international processes,
influence policy and decision makers and connect with like minded people?

I attended a session on linking the local woman to the global agenda at the
ongoing CSW session in New York. For me what I learnt was life changing.
The answer remains in the use of the new media and art.
Not many mainstream newspapers may run a story written by a small group of
women in a village. The answer for such women to connect to the world
remains in the internet and new media.
Employ every medium if the mainstream newspaper won't pay attention to you.
Blog and use social media including Facebook and twitter to connect with the
world and put pressure on the decision makers.

Blogs and social media help you connect with people in places where you
don't have a physical presence.
But where technology fails, there still remains a long African way of
communication through art and drama.
“Art helps people create new space for a different conversation. Create
messages that are simple, impacting and makes people think again,” explained
the founder of sisstersong.org while discussing the winning strategy for
organizing and empowering women from local level to join the global agenda.

Cheers
Esther
In New York
--
Esther Nasikye
Communication and Advocacy Officer
Icon Women & Young People's Leadership Academy
Town House No 2, Rohi Courts, Kansanga - Gaba Road
P O Box 5388, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256-3120261190/414348780 (Office)
Mobile: +256-772 351885
www.iconwypla.org