From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Alliances for Africa, (AFF) an international feminist led non-governmental, human rights, peace and sustainable development organization, championing and defending the feminist principles and values in Nigeria and beyond has called for equal Inclusion of women in governance.
The group which held its first in person convention after COVID-19 under the umbrella of African Women Development Fund ( AWDF) in Abuja during the weekend, stressed that Africa can only be better if more women are included in decisions making.
They lamented that in most West African countries, women are regarded as second class citizens.” To have a free and happy society, everyone, irrespective of gender must be allowed to participate in governance. We can’t have our voices heard if we don’t have enough women at the decision making table.
Abena Benewaa from Ghana, reading the statement signed by Lilian Ibeh, said that the two-day sub-regional meeting was aimed at addressing the collective shrinking of civic space within the West African sub regions.
She said” The convening, themed” feminism as practice: movement building and rise of fundamentalisms” elicited strategic discussions and interactions, while invoking intense commitments geared towards re-energizing the feminist movement in West Africa.
” The two day sub-regional convening that took place on the 29 to 30th October was organized under the aegis of the African Women Development Fund ( AWDF) and African Feminist Fund (AFF). In attendance were feminist social movements from Gambia, Ghana,Liberia, Sierra Leone and the house Nigeria.
Benewaa added that the conference was a deliberate call for feminist sisters to converge and analyze previous,as well as contemporary trends in the movement which include; economic, justice, feminist leardershyand power, climate, intersectionality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, understanding the African feminist charter,and bridging the intergenerational gap.
Prof. Akosua Darkwah , said it is important for a reorganisation and restrategizing of the movement to make for effective and impactful sub-regional movement, adding that there is for better understanding of feminism history before embracing it.