FAWE-GAM organises training for students

Forum for African Women Educationalists The Gambia chapter (FAWE-GAM)  began a one-week training workshop held at St. Thereses Upper Basic School in Kairaba Avenue on December 14th, 2009.
Speaking at the occasion, Barry Wells, the United States ambassador to The Gambia, said education is a tool that once gotten can never be taken away. He revealed that in some countries, there are times the girls and women are not given much responsibilities, but now this has changed because girls and women have started raising their voices. He urged the children especially girls to learn how to speak for themselves.
Speaking on behalf of the school administration, Zono Jammeh welcomed FAWE-GAM to the school and also thanked them for choosing their school to hold such training. Emily Sarr, chairperson of FAWE-GAM, said Tuseme is a Swahili expression that is translated in Emglish as ‘let us speak out’. In this respect he noted the founders thought it fit to call an outreach programme that aimed at empowering girls to overcome their inhibitions and voice out their concerns in public.
She disclosed that it is a fact that the socialisation process in Africa is one that restraints the female voice and so the education of girls in the classroom is affected by their inhibitions and inability to speak out. “Researches had shown that one of the factors behind poor academic performance by girls was that girls were not sufficiently involved in discussions of problems affecting them and their proposed remedies,” she revealed.
In conclusion, Sarr said that the other consideration include the fact that Tuseme works well to enhance the human rights of girls and women, and that with courage and proper communication skills, girls and women are more likely to speak up about sexual harassment and other violations of their rights as well as seek redress. Addressing the students, Ousman Saidykhan, the facilitator, advised the children to participate so that they learn as much as possible.

Highlights of the 2nd public deceleration on FGM

Basse mini stadium in the Upper River Region was last Saturday stormed with people from all walks of life to participate in GAMCOTRAP organised 2nd public deceleration on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The circumcisers were drawn from three hundred and fifty one communities in the Upper and Central River Regions.

Sarjo Damba an ex-circumciser who was among the first group of circumcisers to dropped knife pledge that she and her colleagues will not practice FGM again having known its full effects on the girl child. She told the new comers that for her, she never regret dropping the knife and is hopeful that they won’t also regret.
Mrs.Wulay Damba who just dropped the knife reaffirmed their commitment to the pledge adding that over the years they have learnt a lot about FGM. "We are dropping the knife today for the benefit of our children," she said.

Ms. Inge Lise Ihlen from Norway said that her country doesn’t have the custom of FGM but is now grappling with its effects as a result of migrants including those from The Gambia.

Ms. Albert Valea representing her group from Spain also spoke of their relationship with GAMCORAP.

The historic occasion was chaired by a renowned women figure Mrs.Nyimasata Sanneh Bojang. Madam Bojang used the opportunity to commend the Gambian leader Sheikh Prof.Yahya Jammeh for creating an enabling environment for Gambian women to exercise their rights in all spheres of national development. She thanked GAMCOTRAP for being in the forefront in the crusade against FGM for the past two decades with respect, dialogue and sensitisation.
Dr.Morisanda Kuyateh of Inter-Africa Committee (IAC) told the gathering that Africa needs only one more Dr.Isatou Touray to completely eradicate FGM on the continent.

Speaking on behalf of the chiefs, the Head Chief of Basse Hammeh Minteh Krubally applauded GAMCOTRAP for their efforts and creating the much needed awareness among rural communities. He described the day as a very important event. He praised GAMCOTRAP for the way and manner they handle the subject. "Before people do not attend this type of meetings but if you see this huge crow here is because then there was lack of understanding but today because of GAMCOTRAP we are gathered here in our numbers" said the chief of the host district. Aja Binta Sidibeh of ADVAC delivered the vote of thanks and commended the women for voluntarily stopping the practice of FGM in their communities.
The event ended with presentation of certificates to the district chiefs in the area and ex-circumcisers accompanied with cultural display.
It could be recalled that in May last year, GAMCOTRAP organised the first ever-public declaration on FGM during which 18 circumcisers from 63 communities dropped the knife.
After relinquishing the practice, circumcisers took an oath that they would not practise the FGM in their life again.

Meanwhile, the oath taken by the ex-circumcisers read: "We the circumcisers of The Gambia representing our cluster villages in the Central and Upper River Regions of The Gambia hereby present today at the Basse Stadium solemnly declare to the world and in particular The Gambia that we have stopped the practice of female genital mutilation in our communities, we have over the years received information through the training and advocacy works of GAMCOTRAP on women's health and have equipped knowledge about the effects of FGM on the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and the rights of the child. Having been empowered with the right information, we hereby publicly declared that we shall never involve ourselves in the practice of FGM again; we take leadership and responsibility in protecting and promoting the best interest of the girl child."

Letters of support for a young rape survivor in Italy

Greetings friends,
In 2007, a 15-year old girl from the small town of Montalto, Italy, was raped by 8 teenagers at a party. They have been released and the entire county is now publicly blaming the girl, including the police and town authorities.
Here are some of the hateful words that were said against her:
A local man: "These are good boys, they have no need to rape girls, it's more her fault, she hooked up with someone else earlier that same day."
A 70-year-old man: "If I were 13 I would have gotten in line."
A policeman: "Why wait a month to report it?"
The Montalto rape case, on TV against the girl: "She had fun too."
Brawl during interviews with the town's inhabitants: “The girl? She should be hanged!”
The mother: “My daughter is severely depressed; she's not doing well…”
Today, she is going through a horrendous court experience. November 25th through December 10th mark the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence. On this occasion, let’s show her that she is not alone, that she has international support, and that people care about her, even if they don't know her.
Please send your messages of support and encouragement to Cynthia Martens at cemartens@gmail.com, who will forward them to the young survivor.
For more on this case, see the two articles below (in Italian):

http://roma.corriere.it/roma/notizie/cronaca/09_ottobre_21/viaggio_montalto_castro_capponi-1601901526310.shtml?fr=correlati
http://roma.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/09_ottobre_26/montalto_scontro_tv_maffioletti-1601919706859.shtml

In solidarity,

COMMIT ACT DEMAND: Freedom of choice for women

Introduction-MOREMI INITIATIVE

About Moremi

Founded in 2003, The Moremi Initiative for Women's Leadership in Africa strives to engage, inspire and equip young women and girls to become the next generation of leading politicians, activists, social entrepreneurs and change agents: Leaders who can transform and change institutions that legitimize and perpetuate discrimination against women. We firmly believe that the full and active participation of women in leadership is a pre-requisite for positive change and development in Africa, and addresses leadership imbalances. Moremi Initiative is headquartered in Ghana with offices in Nigeria and the United States- and works throughout Africa.

About MILEAD Fellows

I was honored to be nominated among 25 outstanding young African women leaders as 2009/2010 MILEAD Fellows. The MILEAD Fellows represent some of Africa’s most extra-ordinary young women leaders with the courage and commitment to lead/effect change in their communities. The Fellows, selected from a pool of more than 500 applicants represent 21 African countries and the Diaspora and include emerging young women leaders engaged in actively leading change on critical issues that range from women’s health and HIV/AIDS, economic justice, community development to political participation and environmental justice. They are between 19 to 25 years but have already demonstrated their commitment to serve and lead society at large. Together, they form a unique community which can dramatically affect the lives of future generations.

About 16 Day of Activism Against gender Violence

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence which is an international campaign originating from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University in 1991. Participants chose the dates, November 25, International Day against Violence against Women, and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a human rights violation. This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, December 1, World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.

The 16 Days Campaign has been used as an organizing strategy by individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women by:

• raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels

• strengthening local work around violence against women

• establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women

• providing a forum in which organizers can develop and share new and effective strategies

• demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organizing against violence against women

• creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women

The theme for this year’s campaign is: Commit ▪ Act ▪ Demand: We CAN End Violence against Women!

Therefore, we all have a role to play; we all have a responsibility to end gender-based violence together as women, girls, men, boys, and individuals of all generations, religions, occupations, sexual orientations, abilities, political persuasions, and socio-economic backgrounds. In my capacity as the first and only Gambian to be awarded the MILEAD Fellowship 2009/2010 which enables us, the fellows to cross-examine concepts of leadership in a broad African context, cultivate the skills and experiences women need to occupy and excel in leadership positions and gain knowledge on cutting-edge issues critical to African women and their communities. We are each empowered and supported to create change in our community. Each fellow is leading change on a critical issue of importance to her community, and I am doing my part here in my community.
My project on early and forced marriage: In my fight against violence against women, I am looking at one of the major courses of domestic violence in my community which is early forced & arranged marriage which today results in profound physical, psychological and emotional consequences for affected girls and most often cut off educational opportunity and chances of personal growth for them. It further results in premature pregnancy and childbearing and potential lifetime of domestic and sexual subservience over which these girls has no control. These phenomena is destroying the lives of too many girls and young women in our community and denying them opportunities and rights that they may never have back. It requires urgent and immediate action Therefore, my project is a small but an important step in this direction- to mobilize and sensitize parents, girls and the community on the negative implications of this practice, promote community dialogue and action on the issue.

2009 marks the 10th anniversary of the United Nations’ formal recognition of November 25th as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. There are many other landmark dates and documents that are the direct result of ACTION that women’s rights activists and defenders have taken. The anti-violence against women movement provides one of the best illustrations of how local activism can translate into global action. Individuals, organizations, governments, etc. should take action on the commitments they have made to ending Violence against women. Each commitment – be it a personal pledge to speak out, a local or national law, an international convention or resolution, the Beijing Platform for Action – should be seen as a promise that has been made to women. NOW is the time to act on these promises. Every action, no matter how big or small, can make a difference!

At the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995; women’s organizations from around the world met with government representatives and collaboratively produced the Beijing Platform for Action – one of the most forward-thinking government negotiated documents on women’s rights to date. This ground-breaking document set forth a list of actions, which, if implemented, would significantly reduce incidences of violence against women. 2010 marks the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Conference on Women. Therefore, we must all demand implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, as well as other key documents, and demand state accountability for ending impunity, allocating adequate resources, and implementing good laws and national action plans to address Violence against Women. We also call on the UN to take bolder action on the UN Secretary-General’s “Unite to End Violence against Women” Campaign.

What each and every one can do to end violence against women:

• Don’t abuse your daughter, wife, mother, girlfriend or any female

• Speak out against violence against women when you see one

• Parents must desist from forcing their young and innocent daughters into marriages that they are not ready or prepared for.

• The media should help create awareness about this important issue.

• Those who want to be part of my campaign or wish to support my campaign can contact me on +220 6206600 or send an email to fcmalang@hotmail.co.uk

All I want is justice, not revenge

In Summary

* Nothing can compensate Ruth Njeri for the suffering she underwent during the post-election violence, but she hopes that ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo’s visit to Kenya last week will ensure that those behind the bloodshed are punished.

Even before International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo came to Kenya last week, displaced people had been pleading with the government to increase the promised compensation sum.

But for people like Ruth Njeri, monetary compensation is not enough. Njeri, who lives in Shalom City Mawingu, a camp for displaced people near Nyandarua, was raped and her husband brutally killed during the post-election violence. The painful memories haunt her as she worries about providing for her two young children.

“We want to see justice being done,” she says, “As far as we are concerned, the future of this country lies in Ocampo’s hands and we want him to know that thousands of people are looking to him for justice and also to ensure that this country does not have a similar experience such as the one that stole our loved ones and our livelihoods!”

Talk of the violence evokes gruesome memories for Njeri as politicians worry about the fate of those who masterminded the post-election violence.

“What happened cannot be wiped from my mind, and life has been hell for me,” says Njeri quietly. “When we gather in the camp to discuss the issue, our main hope is that Ocampo will not allow politicians to convince him to let them off. We want him to conduct investigations so that the individuals involved can be charged and tried at The Hague, not in Kenya, because we have no confidence in the government.”

Before all hell broke loose in January 2008, Ruth was living in Kericho with her husband and eight-month-old son, Douglas. Her husband owned a thriving shoe business and provided well for the family.

“That evening, my husband heard about the looting going on in town and decided to go and check whether his shop had also been broken into,” she recalls.

“I had prepared the evening meal and decided to do the laundry as I waited for him. When he came back, he was very shaken. He told me that the shop had been looted, but I told him that since it was happening all around, we should not worry too much because after things calmed down, we would work hard to regain what we had lost.”

Phone call

Njeri’s husband then went on to reveal that he had received a phone call from a friend in Londiani, where his parents lived.

“He said he had been told that both his parents had been killed and buried in a mass grave,” she says, “I could see that even as he spoke, he didn’t believe what he was saying. He also told me that he had seen hundreds of youths wearing white T-shirts and red shorts being brought to the town in a lorry. When the phone rang again, I answered it, and what he had told me was confirmed. We were advised to go into hiding as soon as possible to save our lives.”

Still in a daze, Njeri left her husband watching the evening news while holding their son and went outside to hang the washing. Out of nowhere, an arrow landed next to her foot and then she heard a strange sound. She looked up to see the low walls of the compound surrounded by painted faces.

“They were howling like dogs and were dressed in white T-shirts and red shorts,” she recalls. “I stood rooted to the ground with fear, knowing that these were the men my husband had referred to earlier. About seven of the men entered the compound and began kicking and pushing me into the house while the rest went away.”

Once inside the house, they took the little boy from Njeri’s husband and flung him against the wall. They then attacked her husband. “They were prepared and well-armed,” recalls Njeri. “They had machetes, rungus, arrows and whips. I cried for mercy, then pleaded, but they would not listen. I ran to the bedroom and got them Sh40,000. I begged them to take the money and leave us but they just laughed.

"One of them snatched the money from me, smelt it and threw it in my face. He reached into his pockets and pulled out many Sh1,000 notes, ‘We don’t need your money, we have been paid well to do our job,’” he said.

“My husband cried out, telling me to look after our son — if we survived. I felt helpless as I watched them beat him ruthlessly,” recalls Njeri, tears welling up in her eyes. One of the men came and brandished a panga in her face before using it to slash her husband’s neck. “They laughed. One of them picked my son from the floor, held him by his feet and then dropped him head first.”

But they weren’t done yet. Next, the men dragged Ruth into the next room, kicking and slapping her. “One cut me slowly and deliberating above my knee while another, who was smoking, burnt my thighs with a cigarette butt several times,” she says, lifting her skirt to reveal the scars.

Njeri was barely conscious when they began raping her in turns. But she remembers that each one would finish with her then help himself to some of the food she had cooked. Her last memory of that night is of the men pouring hot water on her naked body before leaving her for dead.

Nearly three days later, Njeri regained consciousness in hospital but had no idea how she got there. After recovering a little, she joined the hundreds of displaced people at the local district officer’s compound, where she was reunited with her son, who had miraculously survived. Over the next few days, they were transported in lorries to the Nakuru Showground, where they would receive food and shelter.

“At the showground I met several women who had also lost everything,” she says. “But that didn’t make my loss any easier to bear. However, we all agreed that our politicians had turned the elections into a battle for power and used tribal tensions to disturb the peace in the country and the safety of the very people they claimed to speak for. It was the ultimate betrayal.”

Unknown to Njeri, the attack would continue to haunt her in other ways.

A couple of months after the incident, she reported to the health clinic within the camp that she has missed her period. She was tested, but the medical staff were evasive about the results although they continued counselling her.  After six months, Njeri wanted to terminate the pregnancy but was not allowed to.

“I wondered how I could have a child whose father I did not even know, and who would be a constant reminder of my humiliation,” she offers. “I tried to convince the authorities to let me have an abortion but they said it was too late. They told me not to hate the child because it was part of me, and that it was innocent.”

Due to the damage to her body after the gang-rape, Njeri couldn’t give birth normally. Apart from special counselling, she also received clothing, food and medical aid before the baby was delivered through a Caesarian section. “I couldn’t bring myself to look at the baby or hold her,” she recalls.

“Several of my companions and the nurses tried to convince me but I was angry, bitter and helpless. I wondered why this had to happen to me. I knew many other women who had been raped during the violence, but why was I so ill-fated as to fall pregnant with a rapist’s child?”

 “It is God’s will, breastfeed your child and your love for her will flow,” Njeri repeats the words of an old woman at the hospital who understood what she was going through. “On the third day I breastfed the baby, Miracle Wanjiru, for the first time, and the bond of love broke the regret of how she had been conceived.” Miracle is now an active 14-month-old baby.

Although the government is trying to resettle the displaced people, thousands like Njeri are still languishing in camps. Food and water are scarce, medical help is inadequate and diseases like cholera, typhoid, pneumonia and malnutrition continue to take their toll. Worst affected are young children and the elderly. Njeri and her children have been admitted to public wards at the local hospital several times for various infections.

“We know that some people have already been resettled on the plots promised by the government, but we wish they would speed things up and provide the compensation money quickly.”

Njeri has made no attempt to go back to Kericho because she feels there is nothing left to go back to. She works as a casual labourer on farms near the camp to pay for food for her family. Sometimes they sleep hungry because there is no food or no fuel to cook with. Their tent is leaking and when it rains, everything gets soaked. The nights are cold and several times her few belongings have been stolen by other desperate people.

Njeri finds herself swinging between depression and the will to rebuild her life.  “At times I look at our condition and wonder whether it will ever end, or what kind of punishment this is,” she cries. “Then I look at others who are worse off… for women who were raped and contracted Aids, it is a sure death sentence. Then I count my blessings and console myself that although I lost my husband and my property, I still have the son of the man I loved, and I consider Wanjiru a blessing and another reason for me to live.”

 Njeri is eager to receive her parcel of land and compensation money because it will help her rebuild her life. She also needs money to seek treatment for her back and pelvis, which were injured when she was assaulted. Her son also suffered an injury in his private parts that needs to be corrected surgically.

Suffering

“Nothing can wipe out our suffering and no amount of money can compensate what we have lost, that is why we want justice, not vengeance,” asserts Njeri, wiping away her tears. “We want the perpetrators of these heinous crimes brought to justice, and the only way that can be done is through the ICC. We don’t want the politicians linked to these crimes to get off scot-free. We have seen criminals in high places walk away free when tried locally.

We cannot allow them to continue living in luxury while thousands of innocent wananchi continue to live in squalid camps.  These people have to answer to us and to the world for the crimes they committed. Aren’t we all human beings at the end of the day?

If Kenya is to be saved from the crimes of these power-hungry politicians who can go to any length for personal gain, the government has to set a precedent and allow the ICC to do its work to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again here, or anywhere else,” she says passionately.

Eight Africa Regional Conference on Women (Beijing + 15 Review)

Over 28 African ministers in charge of gender affairs and high level participants from over 43 African countries  gather in Banjul, The Gambia, to attend the 8th African Regional Conference on Women (Beijing+15) as from , 16 to 20 November, according to a press release issued by the Economic Commission for Africa. They will be joined by a wide cross section of various key stakeholders including regional and international organizations and representatives of the civil society.

The Conference will take stock of progress achieved in Africa since the Beijing Summit on Women fifteen years ago, and identify pending challenges for the implementation of the 12 critical areas of the Beijing Platform for Action. Its threefold objective is therefore to:
- Review the evaluation report that ECA has prepared based on the inputs received from member States;
- Identify key actions that Africa needs to focus on in the next five years, in time for the second decade review of the Beijing Plus 15 Agenda; and
- Define Africa’s input into the global review of the BPFA, due to take place at the Commission on the Status of Women in New York in March 2010.
This regional conference on women is convening in the wake of the recent Regional Conference of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) +15 held in Addis Ababa in early October 2009. This latter assessed progress achieved in the implementation of The Programme of Action of the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD 1995); and reiterated the imperative need to accelerate action towards achieving gender equality and effectively empowering women and promoting their human rights in Africa.The Banjul Conference  kick start with the statutory meeting of the ECA’s Committee on Women and Development, which is followed by the Ministerial meeting.

One of the major highlights of this African Regional Conference on Women is  the launch by ECA of its African Women’s Report 2009 (AWR), which is its flagship publication on gender issues in Africa. The AWR2009 is unique in its purpose as it focuses on the use of an Africa specific tool that was recently developed by ECA, the African Gender and Development Index (AG DI)). This tool aims to enhance the ability of African countries to monitor and report on their performance in the implementation of global and regional commitments and instruments on the advancement of women.

35 Women Acquitted And Discharged

Female Lawyers Association Lives Up To Expectation
We were marveled by the scenario on TV when youths and women were paraded by security personnel as if they had committed serious crimes. When we came to gather that the security forces were engaged in what amounts to a moral cleansing exercise by arresting people standing about in the Tourism Development Area and subjecting them to questioning and releasing only those who gave satisfactory answers, Foroyaa emphasised that each sovereign person has a right to freedom of movement.

We also pointed out that curfew must be declared in a disturbed area before certain procedures are put in place to manage a crisis. We insisted that during normal times the most that a security personnel could do is to ask a person for an Identity Card. Other than that any subjection of a person to any form of interrogation amounts to harassment and abuse of authority. Hence, Foroyaa was concerned when 35 women appeared in court charged under the rogue and vagabond provision, a law which has been deleted from the statute books of many democratic states because of its tendency to prosecute only the poor for their poverty rather than for doing anything which harms another or the public interest. This is why Foroyaa challenged the Female Lawyers Association in the Gambia (FLAG) and (FLARE) to take charge in defending the rights of such women.
The Female Lawyers Association of the Gambia did assume their role. Their president, Janet Sallah Njie, did argue against their conviction. Ultimately, the magistrate agreed with her arguments. They were therefore acquitted and discharged. Human Rights need defenders. Those who expose their violations and come to the defence of victims in courts are called human rights defenders. No modern society could combat abuse of authority and impunity without the active participation of Human Rights defenders. The poor can never get justice before courts unless some lawyers are willing to put money aside and defend victims because of their love for justice and their determination to ensure that it prevails.
Congratulation FLAG! This is the way forward