FYI
Women's Voices Rise in Africa
While Global South Primates met in Cairo, African Anglican women gathered to form "a common vision, a common strategy, a common implementation"
In the "Haven of Peace"--Dar es Salaam--women leaders from the 12 Anglican provinces in Africa gathered to discuss such issues as empowerment and survival. Topics concerning women's role in the church, in elected offices, in curbing violence, adequate health care, education, HIV/AIDS, marital rape, poverty, leadership, new ways of studying Biblical texts and others were discussed.
The consultation took place from 24-28 October, opening with a joyful Eucharist The speaker was the Rt. Rev.Dr. Philip Baji, dean of the Anglican Church of Tanzania. He brought greetings on behalf of the Most Rev. Donald Mtetemela, who was attending the primate's gathering in Cairo. Bishop Baji noted that "Women, if empowered, can make a difference in the lives of those in need."
This was a meeting of the African region the of the International Anglican Women's Network (IAWN). Priscilla Julie is the region's link coordinator, as well as a key organizer of the meeting. Called the Empowering African Anglican Women (EAAW) the consultation was the brainchild of Jolly Babirukamu, a teacher and counselor from Uganda, and the IAWN representative to the Anglican Consultative Council.
The moderator of the meeting sessions and keynote speaker was the Anglican Observer to the United Nations, Archdeacon Taimalelagi Fagamalama Tuatagaloa-Matalavea, who brought greetings from Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council. Some of the donors present were Episcopal Relief and Development, represented by Jannette O'Neill and Janis Rosheuvel, and the director of the ECUSA Women's Ministries, the Rev. Margaret Rose, who gave a short history of IAWN. The women expressed heartfelt thanks to Phoebe Griswold, IAWN's patron, for her enthusiastic support. The Rt. Rev. Catherine Roskam, Suffragan of New York, sent greetings via Yvonne O'Neal,.reminding the women of the power they already have. She said that "as always for Christians, we must use our power for good. We must use it to remain in communion and to put before the councils of the church the issues that most effect women."
Archdeacon Tai urged the women to continue to make IAWN more effective in serving the needs of women within the context of three R's: relevant, radical and responsive. By the end of the consultation, the women resolved "to make the IAWN relevant to God's mission and ministry, radical in the way that Jesus taught us and responsive to the needs of those who suffer."
She also gave an overview of the activities her office has been pursuing on gender and women's issues as they relate to the mission statement of the ACCUN Office. Speaking of what empowered Anglican women can do, Archdeacon Tai quoted Archbishop Desmond Tutu ("Women have an extraordinary capacity for nurturing life."} and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan ("If you are going to reconcile at the national level, you need to bring in women. Their influence and voices are extremely important.") Archdeacon Tai challenged the women to look at what she calls the silent Rs--Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle, Rethink, Repent, Rejoice.
The African Anglican women in Dar es Salaam had a full agenda. They discussed the ACC-13 resolutions and how they related to the concerns of women, as well as their province's experience with the Beijing Platform for Action and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Throughout Africa, both church and state are taking the MDGs seriously and are working within the context of each country's realities. The NGOs in Tanzania restated the goals in positive terms, with the focus is on three areas: quality education, quality health services, and good governance and accountability.
The women told of the atrocities committed against innocent women and children in the Great Lakes region. Some of these acts are unbelievable, were it not for photographs depicting the horror. Women in this region have become instruments of peace, as they engage in peace building and conflict resolution. The Mother's Union has played a major role in peacekeeping efforts not only through prayers but by organizing seminars on peace and reconciliation.
Godfrey Lema, another speaker, called the women to action, believing that the solution to the AIDS pandemic and other ills in society will be brought about by women's ideas. He said women should challenge some of the old customs such as female genital circumcision, which is not only unnecessary and painful, but also increases the incidence of HIV/AIDS.
The Rev.Dr.Beverley Haddad of Southern Africa delivered a presentation on gender and HIV/ AIDS. She discussed the factors that cause women and girls to be more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and what the church can and should be doing. The women discussed their role in finding solutions, including establishing effective counseling centers; organizing seminars/ workshops on sexuality (these have proved quite effective in Burundi); teaching life skills to young people; stressing the ABCs (abstain, be faithful to your partner, use condoms). Rather than continuing with the debate on human sexuality, some felt that Africa has more pressing issues that require attention: HIV/AIDS, malaria, polygamy, and poverty.
Time and again the discussion led the women to discern the need for paralegal training for women. A field trip to the Women's Legal Aid Centre (WLAC) and the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) in Dar es Salaam made this even more apparent, as the women heard stories of the need for legal representation of vulnerable women. The legal practitioners in the delegation, Florence Akinkoye of Nigeria, Philippa Amable of West Africa and Priscilla Julie of the Indian Ocean, engaged the folks at WLAC and LHRC by asking questions, then drafting the resolutions that came out of the consultation.
The Rev. Joyce Kariuki of Kenya rocked the house in her call to leadership and the empowerment of women. She had already given a preview when she led devotion and talked about the success story of Nehemiah. To be successful, she said, we must have "a common vision, a common strategy, and a common implementation." citing the examples of Deborah and Abigail, in the books of Judges and Samuel as models of leadership. She concluded that "effective leadership is and will continue to be the end product of understanding the cause of human behavior, analyzing the critical factors in a situation, and knowing how to use the potential of individuals and groups to accomplish the mission.
The Tanzanian women were gracious with their hospitality, and each delegate made invaluable contributions, by leading discussions, asking insightful questions, offering solutions, leading worship services and bible study. Everyone deserves recognition, if only by naming:
In the consultation's five days of singing, worshipping, and learning, there grew up a special camaraderie among the women, and the bonds of affection they held for each other were strong. Everyone seemed transformed for the work of the greater glory of God. The women left Dar es Salaam determined to speed poverty eradication. They left committed to having women participate in change at provincial and diocesan levels. Some of the women had met before, as delegates to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in New York in 2004 and 2005. A good number of these women will be in New York next February for the 50th anniversary of UNCSW. All primates are being urged to send two delegates to this important upcoming gathering.