One night, in a country swept up in a long and harrowing armed conflict, Liberian social worker Leymah Gbowee dreamt that she gathered women together to pray for peace. Her dream was realised in 2003 at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Monrovia, when women of all walks of life gathered there to demand peace, a peace that Liberia hadn't seen in years. In the months that followed, Gbowee's dream would gain momentum.

About 3,000 people gathered in Rumbek, South Sudan, to celebrate the official launch of an ambitious commercially integrated farming initiative (CIFI). The program will train and enable 3,000 women over a period of three years to grow and market a variety of crops on community land that was formerly unused. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony the deputy governor of Lake State, Awan Guol Riak donated a vehicle to the organization that will help the women to bring their crops to markets in town.

On the 17th of December we will be commemorating the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, a day when all of the globe, sex worker rights organisations will be staging actions and vigils to raise awareness about violence that is commonly committed against sex workers. To coincide with this event, the Open Society Institute releases a report which finds that sex workers in Southern Africa experience widespread human rights abuses.

At its meeting last month, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria Board adopted a new Gender Equality Strategy, the full title of which is "The Global Fund's Strategy for Ensuring Gender Equality in the Response to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

A report issued by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime offers good practices and lessons learned designed to assist States in enhancing existing legislation and developing new laws to address violence against women. Based on an expert group meeting held in Vienna, Austria, from 26 to 28 May 2008, the report - “Good practices in legislation on violence against women” - provides guidelines and a model framework for legislation on violence against women, including detailed recommendations, commentaries and examples of good practices.

Despite the obligation of the states to act with due diligence to prevent violence against women - violence against women and girls in many societies is met with governmental silence or apathy or lack of interest. The violence against women by agents of the state goes largely unreported and unscrutinized. Women continue to face violence at the hands of state agents.

While South Africa has made all the right moves towards reaching the Southern African Development Community (SADC) target of 50% of women in all areas of decision-making by 2015, it has still failed to achieve parity in any area of political decision-making. Though SADC leaders reaffirmed the 50% commitment this past August when they signed the regional Protocol on Gender and Development, progress remains slow.

With Sixteen Days of Activism now in full swing, organisations and governments are focusing significant attention on gender violence and the gender inequalities that play a large role in its prevalence in Africa. In assessing how far we have come over the last year, and what we need to do next, it is important to remember what is at the heart of making it all happen – money.

If you jump into a combi during the next couple of weeks, you may just be greeted with something a bit different from the usual fare of thumping Kwaito and house beats. Launched 4 December at Ekurhuleni Municipality, Tjoon’in is an audio CD designed specifically for playing in public transport as part of 16 Days of Activism, to raise awareness among taxi drivers and passengers about gender violence.

Following the unveiling of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development in August 2008, Rachel Kagoiya reviews the new responsibilities for governments across the region to ensure women occupy 50 percent of all government positions by 2015. The author also discusses women’s prospects under the SADC Free Trade Agreement, and argues that moves towards the freer cross-border movement of goods must be implemented in a way that is of genuine benefit to the region’s majority female traders.

With examples of the considerable risk of sexual violence faced by Somali women from a range of military organisations including the Somali Transitional Government, Ethiopian troops, and local militias, Nada Ali argues that much more needs to be done to ensure that those vulnerable within some of the African continent’s most conflict-torn areas receive adequate protection from abuse. The UN Security Council’s formation of an international commission of inquiry focussing on sexual violence, Ali argues, represents a key step if perpetrators are to begin to be effectively held to account.

If men want to join Sikhula Sonke, a women-led trade union for South African farm workers, they must sign a declaration saying that they will refrain from violence against women. Union members have also vowed to intervene within their communities whenever violence against women occurs.

Wendy Pekeur, Secretary-General of Sikhula Sonke, explains that these and other innovative strategies, which do not focus squarely on labour issues, but address major social needs of the members, are part of the success of the small but growing union. For many of Sikhula Sonke’s 4 000 members, a large part of them women seasonal workers or unemployed women, violence is often a part of life.

“Women are very dependent on men in the farmlands. Most women are employed as seasonal workers, and depend on substituting for male farm workers, whereas most men have a full-year employment. Women therefore often only access housing through a man. This is one reason why women tend to stay on in violent situations, because otherwise they will lose their housing.”

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has been caught up in conflict for more than a decade, with devastating effects on its civilian population especially women and children. Rebel militias led by General Laurent Nkunda and Congolese army troops are fighting for control of the mineral-rich Eastern Province. Proceeds from the sale of minerals are being used to fund the activities which prolong the conflict. Thousands women and children have been displaced from their homes as a result of the recurrent war in Congo.

As the war in Congo drags on, African women are grappling to find ways of stopping sexual violence in the war zone. The AWID international Conference held from 11th to 14th November 2008 provided an opportunity and space for women in the great lakes region to meet and find ways of address Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Congo. The discussion spearheaded by Eastern African sub Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) under the theme "The role of women in Peace process in the Great Lakes Region." The outcome of this meeting was the formation of a working group tasked with visiting the DRC. The aim of the visit will be to highlight the situation in the DRC with special emphasis on issues relating to abuse of women. The working group comprises Women's NGOs in the Great Lakes Regions namely: African women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), Urgent Action Fund, Women and Law in Development, EASSI and individuals committed fight SGBV in Congo.

As President- Elect Barrack Obama was announced the next President of the United States of America, African Women’s Development and Communications Network (FEMNET) was approaching the climax of celebrating its yearlong 20th anniversary. FEMNET was set up in 1988 by a group of women who had the conviction about the strength of numbers in any transformation or change process. We are very lucky to witness the historical moment of President – Elect Obama’s election victory. There was a lot of crying, jubilation, hugging among people from different communities here in Kenya after the world listened to his inaugural speech. This election is not only significant in the lives of Americans it is for all people in the world. We want to see things change for the better – to have a more peaceful world where the main providers of development aid and humanitarian assistance are not the main producers and distributors of military arms especially small arms that have caused a lot of havoc in all regions in Africa.

When the founders of the African Women’s Development and Communications Network (FEMNET) resolved to set up the network 20 years ago they had a dream. They wanted to see to it that every woman in Africa is able to live in dignity, enjoy life free of violence and deprivation and be equal partners in the development of our dear continent Africa and in directing its affairs. They were convinced that the more women from different parts of Africa remained in contact with one another, the more they would learn from each others’ experiences, provide support for one another and build a strong women’s movement for the development of Africa.

It is indeed commendable that our founder members took action and today we have a very strong, well respected and reputable Network of women organizations in Africa. This is a very good cause for celebration of 20 years achievements. The network has mobilized women at all levels to take action to transform their lives. It has raised issues affecting African women at regional and international levels and lobbied to ensure that these issues are part of the mainstream agenda. Where the issues required special attention FEMNET and its members have demanded for it. The Network has also played a critical role of documenting African women’s experiences and sharing them widely through seminars, dialogues and meetings, publication of reports, newsletters, journals, email and though its website.

As we start on the journey of the next 10 years FEMNET is fully aware that the terrain has changed fundamentally since its inception in 1998. There are more actors on the continent working at different levels and on various women’s rights issues. There are multiple women’s networks that are either issue –focused or working in particular sub- regions or countries on selected issues. There are many more women organizations with varying capacities and composition working at country level that may not necessary be strategically linked with other women groups within the same countries. National women’s network and umbrella bodies have taken on slightly different roles as more and more women are able to organize and lobby for their concerns through different configurations in country, across sub - regions and in some cases covering a considerable part of the continent. This is an indication of success that many more women are mobilized and involved in the change and development processes in Africa. Many have taken the stand to challenge the patriarchal systems that have kept women in subordinate positions for far too long and create spaces for women’s organizing and activism.

On the other hand there are many more actors to link up with who are not necessarily well coordinated. This is a big challenge as it requires investment of many woman-hours to just attend to the communications received on a daily basis. As the bigger actors become more sophisticated in their strategies there is a growing gap between the activists working at the grassroots level and those operating at the regional and international levels. Though the issues of concern remain the same the approaches of the grassroots activists and those operating more at the regional and international levels seem to be so different and divorced from each other.

In this Special issue of Pambazuka you will find a story on a dialogue FEMNET held during the AWID Conference in Cape Town, South Africa from the 14th – 17th of November 2008. The women activists operating at the grassroots levels strongly expressed their concerns about the disconnection between women’s grassroots activism and the advocacy work at regional and international levels. They recommended that strategies must be devised specifically by FEMNET to minimize this gap.

Another story in this Special issue shares about the ceremony at which the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development flagged off the three buses that are involved in the 2008 Men Travelling Conference (MTC). This is an annual event organized by FEMNET in partnership with the Men for Gender Equality Now (MEGEN – Kenya) as part of the 16 days of activism against gender – based violence (GBV). The members of MEGEN (majority are men) go out in different parts of the country to mobilize people to say No to GBV. They use drama, music, printed materials and informal discussion fora to share the message of the MTC.

The flagging off ceremony was held a Mathare North Social Centre. Mathare is a densely populated community. The three hours we spent with the members of this community made it very clear that as women feminists and activists we urgently need to get back to the basics if we are to build a critical mass of people to support the change we want to see in our societies and communities during our lifetime. Theorizing and intellectualism is good and necessary for reaching out to our governments and other intellectuals. However we need more foot soldiers, visionary leaders, more Mother Theresas who are willing and committed to spend less time in board rooms and more quality time in the field, with the people.

We have to inspire people to take action in order to realize their dream of having better services, access to clean and safe water sources, proper drainage and sanitation systems, clean and safer environments, better roads and planning of our cities and townships, more women leaders, better health facilities and services, communities free of violence.

Declarations and resolutions adopted in five star hotels have not resulted in the change we desire to see. The hit-and-run strategies that many organizations are engaged in will not and cannot bring about transformation of our continent and the improved status of women in Africa. It is time to change gear and get back to the basics.

It is on this premise that FEMNET for the next 10 years will lead by example to enable activists to get back to basics. We shall continue to advocate and facilitate communication on issues that are of concern to women specifically for purposes of inspiring action. We shall commit more time and resources to bridge the gap between the board room work and activism and women’s grassroots organizing. This will be done by strengthening our network in the region and collaborating with other networks and regional organizations working on the promotion of women’s rights in Africa. We shall provide platforms for activists operating at different levels in the region to engage more often. We shall mobilize resources to support the documentation of the experiences of women’s grassroots organizing to ensure that these experiences inform our lobbying and advocacy work at the regional and international levels.

* Norah Matovu is the Executive Director of FEMNET.

* Please send comments to or comment online at http://www.pambazuka.org/

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Women in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, north-eastern Somalia, are calling for greater representation in the region's parliament in the upcoming elections to reflect their role in society. Asha Gelle, the Puntland Minister of Women and Family Affairs, told IRIN on 3 December that women were demanding "to be represented at the table where decisions are made. This time around we want to make sure that our rights and interests are represented."

As the world commemorates World Aids Day whose theme is Leadership and Unity to stop HIV, Aids and TB, gay rights groups in the country have said that the gay community is still marginalized in terms of HIV and AIDS programming in the country. Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, OUT LGBT Sexual Health Fieldworker, said that government does not recognise LGBTI people as high risk in their programming.

The South Africa Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (SA GLAAD) and other gay rights groups will stage a protest outside South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC)’s head office on Thursday 4 December. SAHRC has come under fire recently following its alleged silence on the controversial column written by Sunday Sun’s John Qwelane, published in July this year.

Growing concerns about the new Burundian Penal Code have surfaced with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community in that country opposing the fact that it criminalises homosexuality. The penal code, which was voted in by the National Assembly on 22 November 2008 abolishes death penalty, makes torture, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity punishable under Burundian law.

As desperate Zimbabweans continue to fight a daily battle to survive, a group of young refugee women have taken their struggle against the Robert Mugabe regime to the streets of South Africa. The group of up to fifty women at a time has been picketing outside South Africa’s Union Buildings in Pretoria since last week, in protest against the ongoing violence and abuse of women by Zimbabwe’s state agents.