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We
are Young African women activists and feminists from various countries who
gathered in Accra, Ghana on 20-23 November 2010 for the Regional Consultation
and Training on Gender, Economic and Environmental Justice convened by
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) and Third World
Network-Africa.
Recognizing the challenges and uncertainties that the Africa region is facing
in the context of systemic global crises, we affirm the central role of women
in the resolution of these crises and the crucial need to address the gaps
and fragmentation in the institutional and policy responses from Governments
and global governance institutions. Taking into consideration the
ever-increasing pace of globalization and the disastrous impact of the
multiple crises of climate, finance, food, and energy, we urge governments
and all stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability of policies and
programs for addressing all the themes of the African Women’s Decade. As
young women activists, we call for the full ratification and implementation
of the Maputo Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, especially as
regards food sovereignty and climate justice, in order to make the African
Women’s Decade a meaningful reality.
AFRICAN WOMEN’S DECADE
We acknowledge the importance of the African Women’s Decade under the
theme of “Grassroots Approach to Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment”
launched in October 2010. We applaud the recognition of “Young Women’s
Movement” as a distinct theme within the African Women’s Decade. It is
imperative to ensure inclusiveness and to engage meaningfully with members of
civil society, especially women’s movements, from all walks of life. We call
for a fully integrated approach to identifying and addressing the priorities
of women across the continent. As young African women, we urge African states
to recognize the equal importance of all the themes set out by the African
Women’s Decade. Recalling the commitments made by African states under the
various international and regional instruments for women’s human rights and
gender equality, we challenge African states to adhere to all their
commitments. We also urge other social movements to join forces to hold
authorities accountable to their commitments and their responsibilities to
the peoples of Africa.
THE MAPUTO PROTOCOL
Alongside others across the continent, we celebrate five years since the
African Union Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on
the Rights of Women in Africa came into force following its ratification by
15 countries. The Maputo Protocol, as it is commonly referred to, articulates
women’s rights and offers significant potential for ensuring that these rights
are promoted, realized and protected. It is noteworthy that the Maputo
Protocol recognizes and includes rights that are not embodied in other
international instruments such as women’s rights to peace and the special
protection of elderly women.
We applaud the 29 countries that have ratified the Protocol so far and in so
doing acknowledged its importance as a framework for advancing the rights of
women within their states. We call on them to promptly domesticate its
provisions within their national laws and policies through parliamentary and
other processes, and further ensure its successful implementation. With the
same urgency we strongly call on the other African countries that have not
yet ratified this important document to do so. We are further calling for the
inclusion of sexual rights in the Maputo Protocol as well as in national
legislations.
CLIMATE CHANGE
We demand that solutions to climate change must be based on justice and
the full respect of human rights, especially women’s sexual and reproductive
rights. The principle of responsibility for causes and consequences of
climate change must lie with developed countries. Developed countries must
re-pay their climate debt by transferring environmentally-sound technologies
and financial resources required to enable African countries to shift to
low-carbon growth. Priority at the national level should be given to ensuring
that rural communities and the urban poor have access to renewable energy
sources.
Given the scale and damage of the climate crisis in Africa we demand adequate
allocation of resources for mitigation and adaptation to climate change
through a transparent and accountable fund under the United Nations.
We oppose market-based and false technological solutions to climate change,
and reaffirm the moratorium on geo-engineering agreed to by the 10th
Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya. As
young women activists and feminists we also resist attempts to legitimize the
Copenhagen Accord and demand that developed countries commit to legally
binding targets that result in significant reductions of carbon emissions.
FOOD SOVEREIGNTY,
WOMEN LIVELIHOODS AND ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS (EPAs)
Acknowledging the need for food sovereignty and protection of women’s
livelihoods in Africa, we the young women activists and feminists demand that
governments eliminate discriminatory policies and legislation in line with
regional and international commitments on women’s rights. Women’s rights to
land and property must be guaranteed. Laws, policies, procedures and
guidelines should be enacted and implemented to ensure that land reforms do
not deprive communities of common resources. Women’s roles in the
agricultural sector, especially the subsistence subsector for food production
must be recognized, valued and supported with adequate productive resources.
Moreover, bio fuel production should not be promoted at the expense of food
production. Food sovereignty, in particular the protection of traditional
knowledge and indigenous biological resources as well as the right to safe
and nutritious food must be guaranteed. The Precautionary Principle should be
respected in all agricultural technological innovations. Furthermore, we
demand a moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
We are deeply concerned that the EPAs that are currently being negotiated
pose a threat to women’s livelihoods across Africa in relation to gender,
economic and environmental justice. Young women activists and feminists will
be monitoring African governments and continuing to oppose the entering into
EPAs. We will hold African governments accountable for ensuring sustainable
development policies with women’s rights and gender equality at their core.
Dated: 10 December, 2010
This
statement has been endorsed by:
Hameda Deedat, Gender, water and trade activist, South Africa,
Part
of the TWN – Gender and Economic Reforms in Africa (GERA) network and AWOMI-
African Women’s Millennium Initiative
Olukorede Denton, Nigeria
Hibist Kassa,
Student
Worker Solidarity Society (SWSS), Accra-Ghana
Shau Mudekunye, South Africa
Ruth
Mumbi Meshack
Bunge la mwananchi social movement (People’s Parliament), Kenya
Christine Njeru, Gender Officer
Christian
Partners Development Agency (CDPA), Kenya
Joyce Nyame, Ghana
Anushka Virahsawmy, Mauritius
Gathoni Blessol Wambui
Queer
Rights Activist and Pan Africanist Fellow
Gay
Kenya / FAHAMU, Kenya
The statement is also supported by:
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN)
Josefa
‘Gigi’ Francisco, Global Coordinator,
Manila,
Phillipines
Third World Network-Africa (TWN-Af)
Yao Graham, Coordinator
Website: http://twnafrica.org
Accra,
Ghana
Feminist, gender
equality, social justice and human rights organisations: To
add your organisational support to this statement by African women activists
on gender, economic and climate justice, please send your name and work role,
full name of organisation, and contact details to email: noelene@dawnnet.org
Please also indicate if contact details can be published here on the web.
We welcome additional
support sign-ons until March 31, 2011. Additional signatures will be updated
online at www.dawnnet.org on a monthly basis.
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