by Palmira Velasco
The motto “Rise for Freedom!” (Stand Up for Freedom) brought together around a hundred African women in the virtual meeting held at the opening of the 16 days of activism campaign against violence against women and girls. The meeting organized by One Billion Rising Africa (OBR) had the subtheme: “The struggle of African women at the crossroads of fascism and patriarchy in Africa”.
Eve Ensler, founder of V-Day and founder of OBR, better known and affectionately known as Mama-V, during the opening of the meeting said that in general, violence against women and girls is growing every day, all over the world.
“It is our turn to do our best for a better world where women will also participate and live in a better world.”
Lomcebo Dlamini, feminist and lawyer in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) pointed out cases of violence, oppression and killings of people that contradict African political regimes. He mentioned the militarization of most African countries that, instead of working to improve the economy and the well-being of the people, prefer to buy more sophisticated weapons to kill and silence everyone who goes against the policies, thus, killing women and children.
“These countries create artificial differences in societies and these are tools that politicians use to abuse the people. At the same time, they use the Media to advertise” said Lomcebo.
She also said that the concentration of power of leaders makes them benefit from goods and resources that should benefit the entire people. In most countries with mineral resources, women are subjected to gender-based violence and sexual abuse that create trauma. In his analysis he mentioned that in Africa, the largest number of parliamentary and political seats are held by women and this should mean something to the people. The use of culture and religion continues to support the idea that women are weak.
Faced with this situation, jurist Lomcebo Dlamini suggests that a sustainable campaign be carried out to continue building solidarity among feminist women. Another measure would be to continue to challenge patriarchy (norms and agendas), but with inter-generational engagement, that is, to guarantee the involvement of young women in this great struggle. Lucinda Ndlovukazi, coordinator of OBR in South Africa, began her approach by criticizing that there is no longer respect for women. A woman who is a mother and gave birth to men. But because of patriarchy, women are used to vote for men during election campaigns and then they are abused and blocked. Patriarchy starts with the brotherhood system in which power is shared between men and continues to use the same system because it has the resources to do so. To respond to this challenge, Lucinda says that women’s education is very important, as it must be the only weapon to fight against patriarchy. At one point, she spoke of the crisis in which Mozambique finds itself immersed, in this post-electoral moment. It points out the devastation of the Mozambican economy in the face of South Africa’s silence.
“I don’t understand how children of leaders buy mansions in South Africa and this country accepts this and doesn’t react”, regrets Lucinda Ndlovukazi.
Social media plays a fundamental role in teaching as well. It should be explained to women so they can better understand the concepts of fascism and patriarchy. Women must also be taught the methods of self-sustainability so that they are free and empowered. “We women are the majority of the population and we are powerful”, concluded Lucinda Ndlovukazi.
Meanwhile, Maureen Tresha, coordinator of OBR Zambia said that solidarity is the common cause that women have to know what patriarchy and fascism are and how they affect many women. Did you question whether the laws of African countries favor women? Maureen believes that some laws are good, but their implementation does not match reality.
“The advantage of OBR is that we can share it with our sisters in other countries and if our voice is unique, it will be easy for us to be heard by the world and by politicians at national, regional and international levels”, concludes Mareen Tresha.
In turn, Monique Wilson, General Director of the OBR, at the end of the meeting, appealed to social feminists, activists, emigrants, academics, social justice, human rights and others not to accept leaders and politicians violating human rights.
“Let us not accept the legalization and normalization of discrimination against women”, concluded Monique Wilson.
Domestic Violence in Mozambique
Mozambique is no exception. Cases of domestic violence are growing just like in other countries, but women in Mozambique, in particular, are now going through difficult times. Women and girls in the Province of Cabo Delgado suffer violence of different types and, at this moment, all women suffer violence in one form or another. Women, mothers and girls, in this time of post-electoral crisis, suffer double violence, namely domestic and political violence.
Women also lose their husbands and children anytime and anywhere when police shoot to kill. It’s dramatic when police enter neighborhoods and houses and shoot at defenseless people in the name of law and order, and women watch, unable to do anything. Recently, women from different organizations gathered and marched to protest the death of a woman who was deliberately run over by an armored military vehicle, in Maputo, on Avenida Eduardo Mondlane, where a group of protesters were demanding electoral justice.
The celebration and activities of the 16 days of activism against violence against women and girls in Mozambique are full of pain for Mozambican women.
