Public Agenda (Accra)
Ama Kudom-Agyemang
25 August 2008
Despite instances of gender discrimination against women that is often manifested in the form of sexual abuses and the general ignorance about women's rights and privileges, women in some African countries such as Ghana are blessed. Education is feasible, gaining employment and enjoying the benefits that come with certain positions is guaranteed, and life is generally good.
A Ghanaian woman can actually plan her life and live accordingly with an assurance of no major disruptions, except for those instances when nature decides to afflict us now and then, but then that is common to all human.
In war torn countries, women do not enjoy such privileges. Life is so uncertain that one does not know if "you will wake up with a roof over your head the next morning or find your family intact." This is the lot of women in Africa countries like Uganda, Eritrea, Kenya and Sudan. For most of these women, the basic necessities of life that is food, clothing and shelter have become luxurious that they can barely afford.
Think for instance how life must be for women in the Teso region of Uganda which has for decades borne the brunt of the conflict between the government and the Lord's Resistance Army. Here, rape and domestic violence have now become accepted as the normal way of life.
In Eritrea, illiteracy and ignorance is seriously affecting the women who form the main work force in the textile factories and breweries. And in spite of the fact that the country has a Labour Code available, these workers do not know what their rights are. They do not enjoy annual leave days or benefits such as medical aid, while their maternity leave is just two months. Their contracts of employment are merely verbal and not based on any proper documented appointment.
In the case of Kenya, the recent political crisis has taken a tribal dimension. This has escalated in ethnic hatred, and resulted in many internally displaced people. Now women from different tribal groupings can no longer co-exist and this is making life very difficult for them.
Whiles in The Sudan, the continued escalation of hostilities in the Darfur region have made life totally unbearable for women. And the sheer size of the area makes interventions rather difficult, if not impossible.
These instances raised about the lot of women in different African countries indicate the levels and dimensions of gender related problems that they are experiencing. Over the years, various initiatives have been undertaken all geared at empowering women and enhancing their livelihoods.
Most of the activities have focused on empowering women economically and politically. Consequently, women are becoming more politically awakened and are asserting their rights in that area. Economically and socially, women especially in rural and peri-urban areas continue to receive assistance in kind and in cash, through which they are engaging in viable ventures. These initiatives have worked in countries where there is relative peace and socio-political stability.
But for women in war torn African countries the situation is entirely different and difficult as stated earlier. Forced into a chaotic condition created by men, the women become disoriented and dysfunctional. They find themselves in situations where they can barely see their way through life, let alone identify and seize opportunities.
In 1997, the Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) was established by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) as its women's wing to promote the active involvement of women in the peace movement.
WPP has since worked to increase the capacity of women through active nonviolence to promote a culture of peace throughout the world. This has been mainly through organizing Gender and Non Violence trainings and other activities for women from different parts of the world. These women go back to replicate the skills gained in their home countries. These activities were usually coordinated from the International Secretariat in The Netherlands.
In June 2007 the WPP Africa Desk was established in Ghana to decentralize its activities and to reach out to more people particularly in Africa. The Desk is currently hosted by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
In an interview, the IFOR/WPP Africa Regional Coordinator, Euphemia Akos Dzathor explained that the WPP Africa Desk coordinates the Network of African Women Peacemakers engaged in gender sensitive active non violent initiatives to transform societies for peace.
She said by its motto "African Women Redefining Peace", the Desk seeks to showcase Africa as a beacon for peaceful coexistence adding that "its main goal is to empower African women to pursue sustainable peace as a way of life."
Touching on the empowerment process, Madam Dzathor explained that this is done through initiating activities that provide women with skills to increase social mobilization, resolve conflicts peacefully, and develop "people power," which is the capacity of marginalized sections of society to demand an effective change.
The Desk also facilitates alliance building, networking and advocacy among women peacemakers. It also offers financial and moral support and guidance for grassroots women-led CSOs to promote active non-violence in communities where they operate. In addition, the Desk collaborates with other stakeholders and its counterpart in Asia for exchange of information and sharing of best practices.
According to Madam Dzathor, during the one year of its existence, WPP Africa Desk has managed to build partnerships with 32 women from grassroots organizations in eight countries in the Greater Horn of Africa and Central Africa where there is dire need for the empowerment of women due to the conflict situation in these countries.
The countries are Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon. The focus has been on mid-level women in grassroots civil society organizations, which have the capacity to spread the knowledge and skills learned in WPP trainings to the grassroots, and to policymakers.
Ms. Jane Apino, is a Ugandan beneficiary of the WPP Gender and Active Nonviolence Training of Trainers held for the women from the Greater Horn of Africa in November 2007. With a seed funding from the WPP Africa Desk, she is working with 37 women from five districts within the Teso region in Uganda to stop domestic violence perpetrated by the crisis there.
In Eritrea, the Desk is supporting Ms. Almaz to work with factory workers in Asmara. The main goal of her intervention is to raise awareness of both men and women workers on the rights of women in the workplace, and awareness on discrimination based on gender including gender violence faced by women in the workplace so they can work to promote rights of women workers.
In Kenya, Lucy Ndungu, Holpha Kirera, Margaret Mburu and Sophie Ngugi represent the face of WPP. These ladies are championing the course of displaced women during the recent political crisis. The focus of their intervention is on relationship building through the use of active nonviolence techniques. Their aim is to bring together women from different sides of the conflict in communities to discuss ways to reduce tension and find a common ground to working together.
The escalating conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan has slowed down activities but the WPP Africa Desk is waiting for the least opportunity to provide representatives with seed funds to resume the implementation of projects.
The Desk was formally launched on Thursday the 21st of August 2008. The ceremony brought together eminent and leading women's rights activists in Africa. It was an occasion for the Desk to announce its presence in Ghana and in the words of Madam Dzathor "the Desk has decided tell 'her story' and increase the visibility of the work of African Women Peacemakers."
In a statement she noted that "supporting African women to arise and be involved in peace building initiatives will in the long term reduce considerably the incidence of violent conflicts on the continent."
The Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama delivered the key note address. She recounted Ghana's contribution to the global peace building initiatives such as the development of the National Plan of Action to implement the UN Security Council Resolution 1345, which advocates the recognition of women as peace builders.
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