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The Purple Bulb STRENGTHENING THE INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP OF AFRICAN WOMEN, FORMING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, TO TACKLE PATRIARCHY AND ATTAIN GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT FOR A JUST AND SECURE AFRICA

Dear Reader,

The curtains fell on 2019 – a year where we all continued to slay the patriarchy. In our different ways, hammering at block after block, to smash patriarchy and other systems of oppression that uphold the second-class treatment of women and marginalized peoples. Well done!

AMwA would not have strengthened the individual and collective leadership of African women to tackle patriarchy and attain gender equality and women’s empowerment had it not been for your unwavering support and commitment.

You are in time for our highlights from the last quarter of the year – fighting violence against women and girls and strengthening movements to advocate for change on issues of concern to African women, in 2020 and beyond. Catch up with us and be sure to stay connected to us via our social media pages to further engage with us!

Enjoy!

Amplifying the Actions of Young African Women in Their Fight against All Forms of Gender-Based Violence

Young people’s empowerment has for long formed a foundation of any social change or movement. The TuWezeshe fellowship is a growing movement against SGBV and as with all growing movements, must be strengthened. We convened fellows and enhanced their leadership and advocacy skills for them to be able to effect greater change in their lives and communities, in addition to the change they are already creating. Read more

Looking back at the African Women's Leadership Institute

Advancing Girls’ Rights in Tanzania: The AWLI Strengthened My Foundation – Lydia Wilbard

Having grown up in Bukoba rural district in Kagera region bordering Uganda, Lydia Wilbard is the current National Director at the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) in Tanzania. She is also a founding member of the Visionary Women Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (SACCOS) and a Vice Chairperson of the Tanzania Education Network – TenMet. Lydia attended the African Women’s Leadership Institute (AWLI) a decade ago in 2008. We caught up with her in a conversation about her leadership journey before, during and after 2008. Read more

Uganda Urged To Live Up To Its Commitment to End Violence against Women in the World of Work

On 21st June 2019, the International Labor Organisation (ILO) Convention 190 (C190) on Violence and Harassment was adopted in a historic moment that ushered in a fresh set of protections for workers and established global standards to end gender based violence and harassment in the world of work. Ahead of the 16 days of activism, a global campaign to end violence against women and girls, convened a forum to build collective actions to accelerate efforts to ratify and implement the ILO Convention in Uganda. Read more

Further, a number of interventions sought to address sexual violence cutting across various sectors, from the formal to informal economy, from young women at institutions of higher learning to differently abled women. We held conversations in safe spaces to provide survivors with an opportunity to heal but also develop mechanisms on how to hold various stakeholders accountable. Dig in!

Creating Safe Spaces to Break the Silence on Violence for Differently-Abled Women in Uganda

This Is How Young Women Are Coping With Sexual Harassment at Universities

#CSOToo: Women in the Civil Society Organisations in Uganda Call for Improved Solidarity with Survivors of Sexual Violence

Soulful Conversations to Strengthen Voice, Collaboration and Collective Engagement on Sexual Harassment in the Informal Economy

Making Sure HR Managers in Uganda Prioritize Sexual Harassment at Their Workplaces

Standing In Solidarity With Sisters Who Have Experienced Sexual Violence

In commemoration of the International Human Rights Day on December 10th, a day that also marks the end of the 16 Days of Activism, a global campaign which highlights the pervasiveness of violence against women and girls across the world, Akina Mama wa Afrika ran a full page spread in the Daily Monitor, one of the daily newspapers in Uganda in support of survivors of sexual violence with the message below. 327 women from all backgrounds took a stand against the vice resolving not to remain silent in the face of unchecked sexual violence against women and girls. Read more

Assessing Progress in Achievement of Women’s Rights and Gender Equality as the Beijing Platform for Action Turns 25

The commemoration of Beijing+25 in 2020 provides an opportunity to comprehensively assess the current gains and challenges in the implementation of the agenda as well as scale up progress to achieve all-round autonomy for half of the world’s population. It is an opportunity to look back on what has been achieved but also look forward to what needs to be done. We were part of processes to ensure that feminist perspectives are integrated in the review of the groundbreaking instrument. Read more

If You Make Abortion Illegal, It Will Happen Anyway –Akina Mama wa Afrika at the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25

We joined thousands of Feminists, women rights’ activists, government and private sector actors at the Nairobi Summit to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the ICPD - which set out to lift millions of women and girls, their families and communities from exclusion and marginalization, and enable nations to harness the demographic dividend to grow their economies. Read more

IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR THE RICH TO PROSPER AT THE EXPENSE OF THE POOR – CONFERENCE ON LIVING WAGE AND LIVING INCOME IN GLOBAL AGRI-FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS

As part of the Women@Work campaign, an initiative by Hivos pushing for decent work conditions for women engaged in global horticulture value chains through promotion of gender inclusive policies and practices, we participated at the “The Only Way is Up” conference on living wage and living income in Rotterdam, Netherlands to make a case for a living wage for women working in the horticulture sector. Read more

Where is the money? Why Illicit Financial Flows Are a Violation of Human Rights.

With reports estimating that almost USD416 billion is lost from public revenue across the world each year, we convened a stakeholder engagement on illicit financial flows focusing on how the legal and policy framework governing Uganda’s trade, investment, tax and extractives sectors is contributing to the loss of domestic revenue. Read more

Credits:

Created with an image by Red Dot - "Beautiful painted wall depicting famous feminist rebel characters - near to the Picasso Museum, La Rambla, Barcelona. Love the hand lettering style."