Africans Rising is proud to take part in the global celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. Our movement is built upon a long legacy of the leadership and the intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual contributions of women who believe in the unity and liberation of African peoples across the globe. As such, throughout the month of March and especially on this day, we honour African women for their selfless and determined efforts to continue to advance the richness of Africa and the lived experiences of African people wherever they are.
Today we also reflect on the many ways we must continue to defend and promote the human rights and freedoms of women. We know that women are often responsible for domestic and unpaid care work, which leaves them at the margins of labour protections and economic mobility. We know that women and girls are particularly susceptible to violence in conflict zones, in their homes, among their families, and within society in general. We know that barriers to education, clean water, health care, and other public services, continue to affect women and girls at disproportionate rates. We call on African governments to reinforce their commitment and dedication to addressing the issues facing women. As a movement, we continue to engage our members in collective actions that address these ills, and create opportunities to bring dignity and justice to the lives of women.
Africans Rising is committed to using our platform and our movement to support women doing the hard work of pushing this movement forward, and bringing positive change to their communities. We will continue to promote the inclusion and empowerment of women in decision making and leadership spaces. We will continue to make feminist principles and practices integral to the work of our movement and to the work of our members’ movements as well. So, as we celebrate this International Women’s Day, we invite you to reflect on how you can do the same, and together we can continue to hold space and honour the countless women who are critical to our movement. Together, we can build the Africa We Want.
