Gender

African feminism should not stereotype African women as ‘problems to be solved’, but should portray them as people who are capable of setting their own priorities and agenda. A distinctively African feminism will portray women as strong, innovative agents and decision-makers in their specific contexts. It should empower African women and work for them in ways that they want it to.

Powerful constructs of how to be ‘man’, ‘woman’, ‘gay/lesbian’ or ‘straight’ come with socially prescribed roles and expectations which provide us with ‘socially appropriate’ ways of feeling, thinking and doing. But these ‘conditions of gender’ are not fixed; they are shaped by history, culture and language. Civil society organisations have a role to contest the ideological normalisation of oppressive sexualities and genders

Speaking out against gender-based violence can help to set survivors free. Prior to the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, Gender Links, in partnership with other organisations, puts out a call to men and women affected by gender-based violence to share stories of how they suffered from this form of violence. “Gathering together in a workshop setting, survivors first tell each other their stories. They write their stories with the support of a team of editors, before the stories are finally sent to the mainstream media.

"I am a young man with a dream, a dream of a future, a prosperous future, where men, women, boys, and girls, young and old are equal and enjoy gender equitable lives; where men and women are regarded equally and not treated differently based on their faces and sex; where boy and girl children have equal opportunities, at home, at school and in public places. Yes, I am a real young man working for that future. And that future is now"