African Feminist Forum: 'I can't believe it is only Day 2'

Today has been day 2 of the African Feminist Forum and what an experience it has been. This is the very first time I have attended a conference organised solely by African women and where the speakers, moderators and participants have all been African women. I am used to attending conferences where you have the token black speaker so it has felt empowering, refreshing and sometimes awe inspiring to be surrounded by some famous, some infamous, some ordinary, but in total extraordinary women united in a belief and passion for African Feminism.

In these first two days highlights for me has included the opportunity to listen to Abena Busia speak on the subject of feminist knowledge production and recite inspirational poetry inspired by conversations with her Mother. I could listen to Abena for days on end, she has such a beautiful melodious voice...

Another highlight has been the great debate on 'Can Men be Feminists and involved in the African Feminist Movement?'. This is a crucial question which the women's movement keeps coming up against and it was great to look at this question from a fun and light hearted approach. We had people like Sarah Mukasa, Director of Programmes at AWDF for the motion and people like Solome Nakaweesi Kimbugwe firmly against the motion.Sarah came up with a great slogan for her argument which was 'women organising with feminist men' and the response from Solome's camp was 'Have you ever heard of inviting your oppressor to join you! In every sense of the word they have screwed us up'. Personally, I am firmly against the motion. Sarah, are you really for the motion or were you playing devil's advocate?

This is only Day 2 I have to repeat but we have had a book launch of Pregs Govender's book 'Love and Courage'. I have my autographed version which I am not giving up for love or money and I have also had the opportunity to interview Leymah Gbowee who led a movement of Liberian women who successfully agitated for peace in Liberia as well as interviewed Dr Musimbi Kanyoro,a long standing friend of AWDF and Director of the Population Programme at The David and Lucille Packard Foundation.

I am looking forward tomorrow to the 'Feminists on Trial' session and multi-generational dinner...details on a later blog.

Nana Sekyiamah
Programme Officer
Fundraising & Communications