The air was filled with excitement at OR Tambo International Airport as women from across the continent streamed in to attend the African Women in Dialogue (AWiD) conference that took place in Johannesburg, Gauteng.
YUVA, represented by Soveeta Chengappa Naidu, participated in a 5-day forum held by Zanele Mbeki Development Trust in Johannesburg last week. Delegates from all walks of life entered the forum campus wide-eyed and filled with joy.
AWiD aims to address and eradicate challenged that women are facing within the African continent through dialogue. It was attended by 1200 delegates among which YUVA representative in collaboration with Genderlinks formed part of. Along with countries from the SADC, all the South African provinces were also represented.
A delegation of 27 participants formed part for the delegation of Mauritius.
DAY 1
The Music of AWiD
Women from all 15 SADC countries gathered the first inaugural AWiD conference at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg, South Africa under the theme of “Strengthening the continental African Women’s Movement with the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) towards a new and value-based eco-System.”
The Poetry of AWiD
A group of 9 to 15 years old girls from the Chief Albert Luthuli Primary School in Daveyton, Benoni, delivered a moving poetry performance about African history, African leaders and the continent’s liberation as well as chanting the struggle of heros of Africa names such as Madikizela Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Taytu Betula and many other African Women who have played significant roles in the liberation of Africa, and who have paved a way for platforms such as this play.
Delegated held back their tears as these young ones moved in song, praise and dance reminding us of how far Africa went and where they are heading to if they get united and follow their great leaders’ footsteps.
Speaking to one if the performers, 9 years old Meo Maboe who is in Grade 4, she says attending and performing at these events inspires her to follow in Mama Winnie Mandela’s footsteps and exposes her to Africa greatness. “I want to be a scientist when I finish school because there are not enough Black scientists in Africa,” said the eloquent 9-year-old.
These girls are part of an after-school programme called positive Vibrations, headed by Miss Lungile Maboe and Mr Zandisile Dyanti from Daveyton.
The programme currently has 32 learners, predominantly girls, who attend 6 days a week after school and during school holidays. Miss Maboe said the aim of this programmes is to teach the oral history of South Africa and Africa, the SA constitution, leadership and performing arts to the youth at a grassroots level.
“We are trying to introduce these girls to positive lifestyles and norms, and also to capacitate and grow them mentally and physically. This programme plays role in stimulating their minds and improving their grades,” said Miss Neo.
The biggest challenge that these girls face is funding, which is limiting their exposure to other relevant platforms such as this one. The aim of the programme is to grow it exponentially to reach more areas and more children in South Africa, delivering eco-environmental facilities that offer quality black education.
Welcoming address and Messages of support
Programme director, Lerato Mbele honoured the legacy of powerful women from African tradition and asked participants to channel their inner “Neferiti, Ashantewaa, Nehanda, Nandi,” (which meant faith), and many others, during the days of the conference.
Ms Nana Ngobese, Zanele Mbeki Development trust board and forum chair, specifically noted the presence of AWiD founder Mrs Zanele Mbeki. She explainedthat African Women in Dialogue shared its shortened form, AWID, with the much older organisation, the association of women in Development, which was not a problem, since they both do Women’s work.” “As we conclude African decade of women,” she wondered, “has enough been done to take a grassroots approach to gender equality and women empowerment?” as the African Decade of Women intended to do. And this was a moment of reflection!
She clarified that it would be good if a million women could attend AWiD next time, as women cannot speak on behalf of other women, and need to hear the voices of other women “directly from the ground”. She noted that women may speak English, and may be more modern, but complained that women were not inclusive in their approach. She cautioned women to build on what has been done and to focus on “implementation, implementation,” urging the participants: can we stop talking and do. It is not another talk shop. When we go back, a different species of Women will emerge. Please shake the continent, make it work for all of us…” she pleased with women to use their own skills and their god-given talent to shake the continent. “ If you could bring yourself here, you can move this continent.”
She emphasised that the theme if the conference “Strengthening the Continental African Women’s Movement within the fourth industrial Revolution (4IR) ends with the phrase “towards a new and valued based Eco-System”, observing that “there is nothing as empty as values of technology,” but “how do we make sure that Ubuntu does not get lost?”
She highlighted that “a 10 years old are already building robots.” Women should be able to see the possibilities through the 4th Industrial Revolution. She also noted that Africans are the most gifted people, with 30% of the wealth if the world underneath their feet,” and they enjoy the most wonderful weather, so that there may be no better place than Africa the continent, but it will be through ubuntu bethu ( humanity), through understanding each other’s pain and burdens that one can move forward. “This movement is about all of us moving together at the same time. No Nation has ever been built on golden streets. All vultures and nation have suffered, and so we have” she noted.
In conclusion, she pleaded “let us not look for answers outside. Our grannies have the wisdom of their indigenous knowledge systems. What will I do personally, or collectively, with others, to take my people forward? We need to be a launch pad of the Youth minds. The Youth have energy, and are ready to take these things forward.”
Despite an electrical failure at that time Ms Nana continued “the greatest resource of any nation is their youth. We have to ensure that our youth is free to fly.”
Two videotaped messages of support were shared. The first was by Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive director of UN Women Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka observed that the timing of Awid meeting was important, as the world was at a crossroads, and since some of the solid development gains, to which Africa had been a participant, were in danger of being reversed.
Some solid gains included the work achieved through the Beijing Platform for Action (BPA), the Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs) and the African Agenda 2063, which all promised “to leave no woman and no girl behind,” including the girl “who is trapped in an early marriage.” The Task now was to find a bridge to take the women who have been left behind and take them to the 4th Industrial revolution”
Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka emphasized that some of the core industries in Africa, like Agriculture, have to leverage technologies, and yet the reality is that the digital divide is growing. A quarter of a billion fewer women than men are connected to the internet. It was therefore important that women create a valued-based eco-system to identify what can truly make a difference in the lives of Women.
It is important to abolish all laws and norms that discriminate against women, since Child Marriage and FGM have been supported by laws and norms, and sometimes, even when the laws have changed, the norms have struggled to change.
She shared the fact that there are only 10 genders equal cabinet in the world, (including Sweden, Honduras, Columbia, Spain and Canada) but that 3 of them are in Africa (Rwanda, Ethiopia and South Africa, at 49% of women representation).
The unequal representation of women in government is a form of discrimination which, were it to change, could change the lives of millions of women in the world. The unpaid work of women leaves them with motherhood as a form of penalty, because it takes away from women the possibility of entering the labour market. Making sure that care is remunerated therefore is a priority that will allow millions of women to enter the labour market, the economy of the world would immediately be changed to the tune of 12 trillion dollars.
To change the lives of women, however, she concluded, open would also need to change the extent to which violence against women has been normalized throughout the world.
By 2020, which will mark the 25th year since the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, “we hope that in Africa, in Asia, in South America, In Europe and in the Middle East, Significant changes will have recorded in addressing these issues, so that, by the end of 2030, when we reach the end of the implementation period of the SDGs, we would have reached substantial gender Equality.” Finally, Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka remarked that “this (AWiD) network is trying to reach exactly what I have discussed.”
The second taped video was from Ms Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of Oxfam, she congratulates the launch of AWiD led by Mama Zanele Mbeki.
She highlighted that this platform ought always to start by acknowledging our successes. However, she immediately remarked that although Africa might be the continent that showed the most rapid gains in political participation, the continent was beset by a crisis of inequality, as 7 out of ten most unequal countries in the world were to be found in Africa.”
She explained that the wealth in these countries often belong to a few rich men and foreign companies”, so that “growth has arrived without jobs for our children”. In addition to these bleak realities, the climate-related crises in the world exacerbated conditions for women. Even though “everything in Africa seems to be disrupted,” however, Ms Byanyima suggested that “there are some signs of hope” and remarked that women cannot wait for change, as all these negative results were the results of policy choices made by our leaders.
If the insights from the 4th Industrial revolution is used wisely, the technology could transform livelihood and income, and liberate women from the burden of unpaid care-work. Unfortunately, that is not the path we are on, as leaders are using technology to run away from everyone else, leaving their people behind, dodging the paying of their share of taxes, and threatening the competitiveness of others, instead of allocating budgets from technology towards quality health and good education for all.
In conclusion, she pointed out that the wellbeing of people will ultimately depend on the type of economy that is chosen, and that “to reap the benefits of the fourth industrial revolution, governments will need to use the right mix of equality and inclusivity.
Programme director Lerato Mbele repeated the tragic insight that we are therefore witnessing rising poverty and inequality on the back of the incredible wealth created by the technology that emerged front the 4th industrial revolution.
Dialogue that aims to pave the way for African Women
Dr Gertrude Mongella, Special advisor to the UNESCO Director-General, Founder Advocacy for Women in Africa (AWA) and former president of the Pan African Parliament, from Tanzania was amongst the five panellists engaging with women all over Africa to find solutions to all the issues women face in their everyday lives. Some of the issues included women empowerment, gender-based violence, feminism, child marriages, teenage pregnancies, and patriarchy “my dear sisters from all over Africa, I want to mention one important young lady, Zanele Mbeki, who has just turned 80 I just want to be brief, but to note that she has been an instrument of the African liberation for women.”
Ms Mongella continued, “What are we looking at? We have been working to just say, what do we want? Are we seeing Africa, economically, politically, socially, technologically, that women want?”
How were women keeping the African Women’s in movement in motion? Amongst other things she said that “ the three generational women, mother, daughter and grandmother, are the same thing and should share knowledge with each other in order to make a change.”
A Revolution has begun, there is no going back… said Dr Mongella
As a woman we must take initiative, consider how we are going to work together and come up with solutions of how women can be included in the industrial revolution, the history we have already created must be the based of our action to strengthen our movement.” Said Dr Mongella, we need to close the technological gap and need to redefine the new schools of thought on economy, politics, education, and management” she concluded by answering 2 questions which were asked by the general public being: what are the strategies to bridge the gap between women in rural areas and the 4th industrial revolution? And how women can stay relevant and aligned since the 4th Industrial revolution is in motion?
Emma Kaliya from Malawi on Strengthening the African Women’s Movement
Emma Kaliya one of the five panellists and chairperson of the SADC Protocol alliance spoke of the need to reassess the progress the women’s movement has made since the Beijing Protocol was signed 25 years ago.
“25years later after Beijing, 15 years after AU protocol, 10 years after the SADC protocol, so what?” challenged Ms Kaliya
In recognising the many gains in the women’s movement since inception – Ms Kaliya reiterated that some member states were further behind than others when it comes to advancing gender equality objectives. Women, especially young women, had a big role to play in ensuring that the fight continues to be fought vigorously.
Ms Kaliya, seasoned human rights and gender activist in Malawi, believes that the women’s movement can only be sustained by a steady flow of young women who will bring both energy and enthusiasm to advancing the cause.
“As a young woman, you must come and sit with me,” she said about how the next generation of women can learn about and contribute to the movement. “But you cannot think that by coming to me I will just open the door for you, no, you must make me uncomfortable, that is how you will get me out.”
She stressed the importance of educating women across SADC about various continental protocols, believing that this would be a crucial way of holding current leaders accountable.
Given the challenges women face across the continent, and with patriarchy being the biggest oppressive force holding back women’s advancement. Ms Kaliya stressed that persistence is key. Men often will not make space for women in boardrooms or political leadership and Ms Kaliya was unequivocal in her belief that women should take their place by any means necessary.
If we don’t get through the door, we will get through the down chimney,” she says.
Colleen Lowe Morna
Colleen Lowe Morna, CEO of Gender Links (SA) had important factors to include in the discussion, not only looking at industrial revolution but also looking at issues that women face in Africa daily. She noted that Zanele Mbeki is an example of a brand of transformational Feminist leadership that should be celebrated.
We are a region of conflict and struggle, she said and quoted Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka that we have entered a period of crossroads. This happens simply because we step one step forward and one step backwards and this is the reason why a young generation of women is so full of anger since they are not experiencing or seeing the fruits of their so-called freedom.”
The high levels of gender-based violence that we have in society includes young women being raped in higher educational facilities, which explains where their anger comes from.
“In women’s months, women in this country did not want to celebrate Women’s month anymore on the 09th August and agreed to do a TotalShutDown campaign, saying Angisafuni! I don’t want to celebrate this month anymore.”
The TotalShutDown movement brought the young women together to march the Union buildings in Pretoria, insisting to speak to no one but the President himself with regards to gender violence. Jobs and investment are other issues that cannot be separated, and they have to be addressed so that women’s needs can be holistically addressed.
“How do we go from #hashtags to Action?” asked Morna. She further reiterated a point made by Dr Gertrude Mongella about young people having energy and the older people having experience. “How do we put the energy and experience together to move this action plan forward, and to ensure that, by 2030, gender inequality has expired?”
In closing, Colleen brought up the hashtags that had been used to get the patriarchal forces to recognize how bad things were for women. Hashtags such as metoo and shedecides made women around a common cause.
Open Mike session DAY 1: Plenary discussing Q&A
With beautiful words such as accountability, unity, transformation, and power just to name a few the Q&A session was fiery where women from all walks of life, praising and seeking advice from the AWiD Panelists.
With the host country kick-starting question session, Mapopi Brandsel from South Africa asked, “How can the older generation develop a sense of endurance in guiding the younger generation regarding the decisions that they make in life?”
Answered by Gertrude Mongella – Tanzania
The older generation should make time for the younger generation in order to empathise with the situations and feelings they are going through. It would be wise to advise them on how to better their lives through drawing from our collective past experiences.
Thato Tau from Botswana asked “How can the gap and disassociation between the rural and urban women be addressed?
Answered by Colleen Lowe Morna – South Africa
Women should build on the Idea of positive transformation through a “push me, Pull you” approach, where we can organize workshops, build each other up and share different experiences in the urban and rural areas.
Furthermore, educate each other and find solutions to problems that face us collectively.
Day 1 session ended with a Breaking session of breaking barriers, connecting with self and others.
During this session, many women who were strangers some minutes ago got the chance to get to know each other in just 5 mins of grievance sharing. It developed trust, a connecting boon and healing of lightening one soul through this session.
DAY 2
The day kicked off with the breaking barriers, connecting with self and others session followed by a meditation session with the Brahma Kumaris before the start of a panel discussion on Moving towards a new value based eco-system and followed by and open mike session by Mike Boon from Vulindlela.
Moving toward a new value-based ecosystem for inclusive development
Professor Catherine Odora Hoppers, Miss Fatima Shadodien and doctor Mamphela Ramphele were amongst the panelists who rounded off day two at the AWiD conference. The theme of the day was moving towards a new value-based ecosystem for inclusive development. The “powerhouses” on the stage shared their various thoughts on the subject with the word Ubuntu coming up throughout the conversation.
Ubuntu can be defined as the practice of showing humanity to one another, and these are the exact values in which Mamphela Ramphele lives and leads by. During the discussion, Ramphele highlighted that one needs to be conscious of one’s self and know how one needs to shape the future that they want. She believes that values begin at home in her role as a parent and then once they have been solidified in her immediate environment then one can then spread out and teach the community. As the co-founder of ReimagineSA and a former political activist, Ramphele is a leader in every sector of her life, she says that “leaders have to start by leading themselves.” One can only succeed if others around you are succeeding.
Having been detained in 1976 and being banished to Tanzania from 1977. Ramphele had to endure the biggest turmoil’s during the apartheid regime. She says those struggles helped her establish a new way of being who she is during a time which not only discriminated against her for being black but also a woman. It was that very struggle which enabled her to lead with the values of Ubuntu. She says that one has to go back and look at the ways one was raised, the values which they were taught and that is how they will be able to lead with humility.
Going back to the theme of the day, Ramphele challenges everyone to ask fundamental questions and reimagine Africa as a world where we can all live together in harmony. She says, “we need to think about a new way of being in socio-economic relationships, and ubuntu is a great guide.” She goes on to say that relationships, and Ubuntu is a great guide.” She goes on to say that leaders need to use the platforms given to them, such as AWiD for re-imagining relationships as a family unit, community, country and continent. In this way, we can recreate an ecosystem where humans, nature and animals can co-exist peacefully.
The debrief session; a thesis of Mike Boon on the breakout sessions?
His methodology and techniques recognize that the individual and collective energy which people carry has to be right before starting on any session. At this year’s inaugural of AWiD Conference, Mike’s mission was to facilitate a session on breaking barriers: Connecting with self and others. The conference had a thousand women delegates in attendance and such a huge group of people had to be divided in 42 groups ti achieve the best possible outcome of the sessions. The sessions were part if a healing journey for the women. “At these breakaway sessions, the delegates declared their values first, established a constitution and then followed through an emptying session. “Emptying is the process of letting go of the pain or burden and creating an opportunity to share and be heard,” said Boon.
Women were sharing their stories and experiences as well as their dreams and visions in the aim of building each other and healing together. Gaotlhobongwe Modise from Botswana said, “This is a good platform for women to come together and make a change in Africa. Women here are sharing stories, exchanging plans and implementation strategies to go home with and bring about change in their communities.”
What happens after AWiD by Mike Boon?
The whole purpose of AWiD and these sessions is to connect heart to head, for the women to formulate their values, crystalise their visions and dreams and consequently leave the conference with a sense of having their burdens lighter than when they arrived. “Meeting other people who’ve been through what one has been through, helps people to heal, and realise that healing is possible,” said Mike Boon.
According to Boon, the opening of wounds is a process towards healing but opening up is entirely a choice. Each individual decides whether to open up and share or just sit and listen to other women and heal through that. These healing sessions open up possibilities to be heard and after the two days session are done, there’s an opportunity to channel the energy into the commissions that follow and for the guests to engage their hearts and minds and be truly invested in the whole rest of the conference.
DAY 3 kicked off with AWID “Driving Inclusivity: Empowering Women to participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) just after Opening was led by a morning devotion by Mauritius and Zambia
Professor Marwala addressed the audience about the fourth industrial revolution; what it is and how it can help Africa. The master class was about learning to apply new technologies.
An era where machines are going to perform duties that have been performed by humans. “we have no choice but to participate in the industrial revolution, Prof Marwala said. Some of the forces that are driving the industrial revolution are artificial intelligence, digital forces, 3-dimensional printing and advances in medical technology.
Artificial intelligence is the procedure of creating machines that think like Human beings. Soft computing is also part of artificial intelligence where machines are used for fraud detections.
Machine learning involves building a computer that has all the characteristics of how the human brain functions, using a network neuron that and that is referred to deep learning. Developing machines that work like humans could mean that we would send them to do jobs that are dangerous to humans.
Artificial intelligence is changing the world of work. In banking, for example, checking credit will not require a human, the information can be searched using computers, and this is referred to as information asymmetry. Artificial intelligence called interstate conflict (war predictions) will be used to detect wars in countries, with an accuracy of more than 95%, better accuracy than that of humans. Medication application of AI refers using artificial neuron networks to determine epilepsy, larynx, and pulmonary embolism and prioritize patients because doctors (humans) can make a misdiagnosis of a medical conditions, in using AI is also used for monitoring the conditions of structures that detect the conditions of structures; it can also be used to monitor dam levels using a camera that shows/predict dam levels.
With regards to population and ethics, it seems that the 4th industrial revolution is discriminating against women.
Professor Fiona Tregenna added to the discussion that “fourth industrial revolution is going to affect all of us whether we like it or not.” As African women we have to choose to we deal with the constant change in the 4IR in the process we have to be dynamically involved. She went to mention that the 4IR will touch our lives not only in the technological aspects but as we; other aspects such as: socially, politically, culturally.
One of the key issues that the 4IR will affect our lives is the employment aspect which Prof. Tregenna mentioned, whereby in South Africa employment rate is high as well as other African countries including Mauritius according to the forum. She went on to mention with the 4IR it’s still early to say how it will affect the employment aspects.
In closing Prof. Tregenna a professor of Economics at University of Johannesburg, who also holds the South African Research chair in industrial development went on to mention innovation is fundamental to the whole fourth industrial revolution, she went on to say “it’s also happening everyday across the country in different ways” and “I am very honored and delighted to be part of this gathering”.
An analysis of the projected transition during 4IR: for every job created, four jobs will be lost in the male job sector. For every job created five jobs will be lost in the female job sector. We are entering the 4th industrial revolution. How can we ensure that women from all walks of life are carried along?
Lilian Barnard from Microsoft South Africa said between 10% to 50% of jobs are exposed to technological disruption. As African women, it is a critical necessity to regularly upskill ourselves so that we may remain relevant; so that we may gain from technology instead suffering; so that we may excel in 4th Industrial Revolution. For the recipe of the movement is one that has seen is through centuries- Adapt or Die.
It is shown that a Microsoft literacy skill is still the number 1 skill needed for a person to obtain any formal employment be it in Africa or the world. Microsoft offers empowerment to over 100 000 women in east Asia and Africa while collaborating with NGOs where they give lessons on basic Microsoft usage in the hope of carrying everyone along in the 4th Industrial revolution.
It is believed that the less proactive a country, company or individual is; the more likely they will out on the benefits technology has to offer. It is therefore not optional but instead expected to be a tech literate.
What are women meant to take away from these discussions about the 4IR and digital and technology migration?
According to professor Armstrong who is one of the foremost ICT industry leaders in South Africa. He heads up with the Wits Business School (WBS) and is the Telkom chair in Digital Business established in 2016, it is essential that women get involved in policy-making decisions. Most importantly, women should appropriate a seat at the table to have insight into these laws and become part of the conversations.
If we control out the effect of income, employment and education disparities, then women will be as comfortable with technology as men.
Hashtags that have helped women in Africa
The Social media is another platform where we are engaged daily. Trends such as below have been a moved to mobilise for change.
#feesMustFall; #JusticeForLiz #Shedecides; #NotInMyName; #MeToo; #TheTotalShutDown; #bringBackOurGirls; #SanitaryPads
The heightened use of social media platforms in Africa has undoubtedly given rise to an increase in activism. This new form of expression has seen protest campaigns gain massive international support through hashtags. The above are the popular hashtags which compelled action.
Entrepreneurship – Exhibition and Small Entrepreneurs Experience in SA
Maria Dalia Chachuaio from Mazambique spoke about her journey to entrepreneur. She tells us about her life experiences that so may women out in the world are facing in their lives. This sad life experience she faced is being infertile until today. She might have not been married legally but technically she lived with a man for 18years who she and her family referred as her husband, and who later in their journey of being together decided to chade her out of their home sue to the fact that she was not able to bare any children for him.
Moving back home, she gave herself time and allowed her creativity to break through to start her current business of making her wallets, shoes, bags and decorative bottles. Fortunately, her skills in sewing that she did at school at the age of 12 came in handy, because she uses leftover material from other products she uses. Reusing material saves her money and that’s how she gets to make more profit.
One day she saw a one-day olde baby dumped somewhere ans she took her in. Today the baby is 6 yrs old and an integral part of Chachuaio’s life. In 2014, Chachuaio got invited by gender links to share experiences about her life and work and expressed that “my daughter is the reason why I am motivated to make my business grow bigger” said Chachuaio. Sha said that her vision is to get more capital to open her own shop. She has the advantage that she easily gets material to put things together and make something out of them, for example, she makes:
- Brown decorated bottles that she designs with peanut sacks
- Jewellry box made with coconut shell and glue to attach the zip
- Shoes/Sandals – She buys ordinary flip flops then she uses material for a different decoration and a tyre under to make the shoe stronger and durable
Maria is not only creative but has a strategy of how to work around with money and leverage other resources within her reach. She is a strong and resilient woman who wears many hats as an entrepreneur, mother and sister who does not allow bad life experiences to put her down.
During the Entrepreneurship commission, may have voices out their problems they are facing instead of sharing best practices unlike Team Mauritius did, nearly all those attended this commission, some were entrepreneurs and some aspiring entrepreneurs. The lack of patience due to scarce of capital exist as it is very difficult to begin something without capital. Facilitators and panelist explain that at AWiD we are listening and taking notes on the good practices and how entrepreneurship may help developing Africa. Team Mauritius (we were only three attending) share the best practices and the help we benefit from our government in promoting and supporting SMEs, which eventually the panelist announce that Africa have something alike while audience said they are not aware.
DAY 4
A Reflection was made on previous day commissions report followed by Country based caucuses where team Mauritius along with other social workers in the different field with Problems & Action plan where a continuous work will be done for AWiD in Mauritius, before proceeding to the half day excursion and the networking dinner.
DAY 5 – The Closing Ceremony
Mama Zanele Mbeki message was that “our key expectations were to create a platform for mutual sharing and learning in order for each one of us to go and take constructive action in our own lives and spaces back home. We have mutually established that the people of greatest concern to us all are the poorest rural areas. Now we need to get the agenda of peace, development and equality to the rural and urban women of Africa of every race, tribe and language.
I am AWiD, You are AWiD and We are here.
Article by Soveeta Chengapa Naidu
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