What comes next for African women in their collective fight for justice, equality, and liberation? That was the defining question at the recent African Feminism Forum hosted in Windhoek, where leading scholars, advocates, and cultural figures gathered to reflect on the movement’s history and map out its future strategies.
Organised as a strategic space for collective reflection, the forum brought together prominent voices from across the continent and the diaspora to interrogate current socio-political challenges and redefine what African women should organize towards next.
The Office of the 3rd First Lady of Namibia said the discussions featured former First Lady of Namibia Monica Geingos, Chief Executive and author of The Conversation Strategists, Nozipho Tshabalala, Nigerian-British feminist scholar and founding editor of Feminist Africa Professor Amina Mama, JEDIS Advisor at Greenpeace MENA and advocate for racial justice and women’s rights, Khaoula Ksiksi.
“Speakers reflected on the unfinished work of Pan-African Feminism and the need to move beyond declarations and towards meaningful action, with discussion on political will, women’s leadership, economic structures and preparing the next generation.”
Geingos challenged the distinction between proximity to power and power itself, while reflecting on how institutional access and social capital can be used to amplify movements. She also called for an ‘unromantic finance strategy’, pointing to care work, debt, taxation, financial inclusion, social protection, healthcare and pension reform. “For domestic capital and innovative financing, my organisation One Economy Foundation (ONE) has blended sources of financing which shows it is possible to build.” She explained that ONE works to create opportunities and support young people through programmes focused on sexual and reproductive health, mental health and youth empowerment.
The Office emphasised that the conversation also explored the continued relevance of the Maputo Protocol as a legally binding framework for African women to claim and advance their rights “Alongside the need for a Pan-African feminist agenda that looks both within Africa and towards the continent’s contribution to the wider world.”
Khaoula Ksiki offered a reminder of the human dimension of the struggle and asked the question, What is the point of the revolution if we can not dance?
