April 21, 2005

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa/GENEVA, – "We don't get peace and then make unity. That's putting the cart before the horse!" Ms Yvonne Fitzpatrick-Moore, a long serving management executive and crusader for women's rights, made these remarks when she addressed over 100 women from across Africa, meeting near Johannesburg to deliberate on the role of women in peacemaking in the context of inter-faith cooperation.

Unity must precede peace if any society has to prosper, Fitzpatrick-Moore told delegates attending the three-day "Mothers and Daughters" pre-summit, which preceded the Second Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa (IFAPA) Summit that takes place April 21-25 at the Kopanong Hotel and Conference Center near Johannesburg. Seven faith traditions are represented in the meeting coordinated by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and hosted by the National Religious' Leaders Forum of South Africa (NRLFSA).

In her presentation focusing on women's empowerment in peace building, Fitzpatrick-Moore, lauded women for their commitment, endurance and enormous contribution to conflict resolution and peace building efforts all over the continent, yet they were the major victims of wars and violence. Responding to a question on how women could be empowered to fight practices that inhibit their advancement, she insisted, Africa's women must liberate their minds, and not carry along other people's prejudices. "The primary cause of wrong doing, especially that wrong doing that creates injustice, is blind imitation of the past," she remarked.

A member of the Baha'i community, Fitzpatrick-Moore denounced crimes and injustices against women as retrogressive, and regretted that many African governments and communities had not considered rape as a crime against humanity. Originally from the United States of America, and now a naturalised South African citizen, Fitzpatrick-Moore's contribution to nurturing and developing human resources is conducted through facilitating workshops and training sessions that deal with self-actualisation, race and ethnicity; gender; leadership and transformation. Among other tasks, she trains women's groups to make quilts that are donated to HIV/AIDS orphans.

Addressing the gathering, Ms Hajiya Bilkisu, president of the Federation of Muslim Women's Associations in Nigeria, called on governments, civil society groups and development partners to support women's initiatives in peace building and conflict management.

She noted that whenever violent conflicts escalated, women were always "exposed to a disproportionate share of its negative impact of war manifested in the dislocation of the family life and massive suffering."

"Governments and civil society organizations should develop the necessary modalities for enhancing women's role and responsibility in the early warning mechanisms for prevention of simmering conflicts," she said.

Some sections of the mass media, she argued, had promoted stereotypes through their negative portrayal of women, thereby putting serious constraint to gender equity. "Media practitioners need to be trained to be objective to [support] peace building by exposing the perpetrators of heinous crimes and promoting a positive portrayal of women," she said.

Women Challenged to Support Each Other

Ms Dandi Lou Amanan, a former social worker with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and founder of Vision and Action of African Women Against Wars in Ivory Coast, commended women for the great strides they had made in improving their status, but challenged them that "you are still your worst enemies."

"Grassroots women have been used by others who have no commitment to supporting the womenfolk. We have made significant progress but the real enemy of a woman is another woman," she said.

Ms Amanan, who is also an advisor to the West African Network for Peace-building noted there was urgent need to offer women training opportunities so they could become more effective in pursuing important endeavors in their communities.

The IFAPA initiative, she added, had succeeded in bringing women from diverse backgrounds together to share and explore areas of common interests. "Women sometimes fail to realize that they are influential and can change society, but if they are united and focused they can do it."

She also called on governments, institutions and leaders committed to empowering women to fund and support their initiatives. "If a woman is good, the society is good too," she added.

South African Government Hailed for Recognizing Gender Equality

Ms Shohren Rawhani, NRLFSA deputy chairperson, challenged religious leaders to provide opportunities for women to rise to positions of leadership. "There are still very few women religious leaders yet the concept of empowerment means a recognition of their role," she said.

Rawhani cited the South African government among others in the continent as having recognized gender equality and involved women in significant positions of leadership. The women's pre-summit itself was officially opened April 18 by the country's Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at that time also Acting President.

The NRLFSA representative recounted testimonies of women victims of discrimination, and pointed out that many potential women leaders in the continent were still inhibited by cultural and political prejudices.

Professor Fatima El Kebir from Algeria called for the creation of a network of African women to advance the causes of their respective societies. It was necessary to educate women on the virtues of tolerance, solidarity and co-operation, she said.

"We have to use women's powers creatively because we are 50 percent of the population and the mothers of the remaining 50 percent of the population," El Kebir concluded.

There were male observers in the "Mothers and Daughters" pre-summit. Quoting from Hindu scriptures, Mr Prabhudas Pattni, secretary general of the Hindu Council of Africa, urged African women to create a new hope and beginning where they are equal participants.

Pattni, who is also a member of the IFAPA Continuation Committee, said: "It is now time for our African women to create a new hope and beginning where their cries for justice, peace, inclusion, equality and security are heeded and acted upon."

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