We dedicate the forthcoming blog post series to the late Winnie Mandela (1936 – 2018) who was a fierce fighter who suffered more than most humans endure. The story of the anti-apartheid struggle cannot be written without her in centre stage.
Sadly, we are not surprised that with each new sex abuse scandal that surfaces (is surfaced), new stories emerge that confirm that the entertainment, civil service, UN peacekeeping, and yes, even the humanitarian sector, is not unique or immune. Today’s “In the News” piece by Courtney Columbus, originally published in the National Public Radio, gives a snapshot of the drama that is continuing to unfold and shake the humanitarian sector. Find the full piece here.
The variables that contribute to confounding and hiding what is now referred to as an epidemic are many: the language of abuse as well as protection (for example, what does “safeguarding” really mean?), power hierarchies (poor/rich; super/failing institutions; male privilege etc.); weak or non-existent disciplinary actions; convoluted communication and reporting mechanisms.
A full blown #MeToo movement in Africa has been slow in the making. There are probably several reasons for this, not the least that sexual mores and sexual pairing don’t exactly follow the western path and activists don’t want to lose the sexual abuse war in translation or accusations of mimicking (white) women (feminists). However, open discussions such as the one recently hosted by IRIN News and The Graduate Institute on Oxfam and humanitarian sex scandals are important for the continent and are beginning to gain momentum. In Ghana, there have been conversations prompted by HR associations, Old Boys’/Girls’ associations; feminist groups and of course the media.
For the next two weeks, we will be focusing on this growing #MeToo movement in Africa in posts from our partners in Ghana and Senegal.
On Thursday, we reprint a petition put forth by Professor Penda Ba and 36 other notable Senegalese who highlight that #MeToo, #BalanceTonPorc, #MoiAussi and #DomaSiif (as of March 12th, 2018) are not empty hashtags. These hashtags convey a willingness to finally liberate and remove inhibition from women’s voices. In order to work towards this, the petition outlines steps that should be taken including creating spaces that are safe to speak in, organized by and for Senegalese women; involving psychosocial health groups to develop shelter and accommodation resources, appropriate therapeutic resources accessible to victims of rape and sexual abuse that incorporate a feminist, intersectional and decolonizing approach; and developing concerted initiatives to build self-esteem in women who are victims of sexual violence, so they can gradually regain control of their lives and futures.
Next week, stay tuned for posts from our colleagues in Ghana who will discuss the feminist group, Pepper Dem Ministries (PDM), who are currently making headlines in Ghana. The posts help us understand the group in the context of a broader history of feminism and women activism in Africa.
As always, we welcome your thoughts, comments, and contributions either in the comments section below or on email at cihablog [at] gmail [dot] com.