Dialogue 16: African ecofeminist alternatives to development for a just and resilient post-extractivist future

Dialogue 16: African ecofeminist alternatives to development for a just and resilient post-extractivist future

with Zo Randriamaro (Madagascar); Ange-David Baïmey (Ivory Coast) and Nonhle Mbuthuma (South Africa)

In this session, Zo Randriamaro from WoMin will first explain why African ecofeminist alternatives to development are critical to a just, decolonised and resilient post-extractivist future in Africa, and how they are building on African worldviews and political ideas such as Ubuntu and Pan-Africanism. Secondly, Nonhle Mbuthuma from the Amadiba Crisis Committee and Ange David from GRAIN will share their experiences with communities in bringing to life such alternatives in real-world application.

  • Date: Friday 22th January
  • Time: 12:30 (UTC/GMT)
  • Duration: 90 minutes

Download: [ Video ] (466Mb) | [ Audio ] (61Mb)

Transcription

Vasna 0:00

I organize around three speeches, and then also a discussion with the audience. And just before we get started, and just as a matter of protocol, we wanted to let you know that we will be recording the session, as well as live streaming it. So if anyone who's uncomfortable, you are very welcome to keep off your video and change your name, as well in the session, so I'm going to start recording now. And if there's no problems with that, before we start, I will very quickly give a short introduction to the Global TapestryThe weaving of networks of Alternatives of AlternativesAre activities and initiatives, concepts, worldviews, or action proposals by collectives, groups, organizations, communities, or social movements challenging and replacing the dominant system that perpetuates inequality, exploitation, and unsustainabiity. In the GTA we focus primarily on what we call "radical or transformative alternatives", which we define as initiatives that are attempting to break with the dominant system and take paths towards direct and radical forms of political and economic democracy, localised self-reliance, social justice and equity, cultural and knowledge diversity, and ecological resilience. Their locus is neither the State nor the capitalist economy. They are advancing in the process of dismantling most forms of hierarchies, assuming the principles of sufficiency, autonomy, non-violence, justice and equality, solidarity, and the caring of life and the Earth. They do this in an integral way, not limited to a single aspect of life. Although such initiatives may have some kind of link with capitalist markets and the State, they prioritize their autonomy to avoid significant dependency on them and tend to reduce, as much as possible, any relationship with them.. For some of you, this might be something that you know, from previous times.

So again, a reminder, please mute your microphones, I also wanted to let people know that we will be having this translated into French, and Spanish. So if you would prefer to listen in French, or Spanish, and you can go into the interpretation room. For those who are listening in English, you should also go into the interpretation room for English, when people talk in French. And you do that at the bottom of the screen, there's a little globe, and a button which says interpretation.

So… lips, I am sharing the wrong screen. And I want to just very quickly give you a short introduction to the global tapestry of alternatives, and to the work that we are doing here today. And let's see if I can get that working.

Unknown Speaker 1:51

I didn't Sorry, I couldn't hear you.

Vasna 1:56

So this is part of a series from the global tapestry of alternatives on dialogues and alternatives in the time of global crisis. As we know, we are facing multiple global crises on the ecological, the socio economic, political, cultural, and personal levels with different impacts on biodiversity, socio economic issues like inequality, as well as the mental health crisis that we face right now. On top of all of that, we have COVID-19. And that, of course, has many and substantial interlinked impacts on all of the other crises that we're trying to deal with. People are respond to it in several ways. And part of that is about resistance to capitalism, to statism to patriarchy. And so, in that, we look to these kind of resistance projects as part of the global tapestry of alternatives, but also the openings that come up in terms of other ways of being, knowing, working and dreaming. And that we must say that there is a richness to what is happening in the world. And today's webinar touches on that as well. So just to give you some of the examples, a boon to from Southern Africa, when we view ecofeminism, eco socialism, and other practices around the world, which we want to explore, and celebrate with you through these webinar series.

So the global tapestry of alternatives is a process. We are not a project and not an organization, but rather it is about creating spaces of collaboration, then an exchange. It's about trying to create solidarity and sharing between these different alternatives that happen, ultimately, with stimulating collective visions for adjust world.

And this is the website. If you haven't actually engaged with us in the past and would like to know more, please do visit the global tapestry of alternatives website. We will also be sharing a recording of the session on the website. And afterwards, we also are participating in the upcoming World Social Forum, which starts tomorrow. And if you're interested in knowing more on this, you can see activities at global tapestry of alternatives.org forward slash w. s. So coming to today and the webinar series that we have, and it is part of really facilitating this interaction and sharing between researchers, activists, scholars, mobilizes practitioners and people who just actually want to learn more about what's happening in the world. We've had 15 webinars to date. And as I said, you can find these on our website. And that brings us to where we are today, which is 16th of our webinars on African eco feminist alternatives. This is really important. And a topic that I think is very timely, with a lot of discussions about what's happening with climate change with trying to find the energy transition. And to bring it back to an African perspective in terms of what is needed in different contexts. What does it mean that we actually continue to have development, whilst at the same time ensuring that we're reducing our carbon emissions, and the need for that just resilient host extractivist future. And so we're very happy today to be presenting and sharing this webinar with you. How we will be organizing the day is we have three guest speakers who will be talking and during their presentations, I would like to invite you to first introduce yourselves by writing your names in the chat, but and also where you're from. But also, if you have comments and questions to the speaker, please do share it within within the chat, which will be open for everyone to see. And then after our speakers have had their time to present, we will then create an opportunity for me to take those questions forward and relay it to our speakers to answer. I also, before we start, I wanted to say a particular warm welcome to the students from tumaco in Colombia, who are at the University of Naranjo, and some of them are joining us at seven o'clock in the morning to participate in this webinar. So it's nice to have a lot of students here as well.

So we now move in to the really important stuff of the day. And it's my pleasure to invite our three speakers. We have Zo Randriamaro , who is from Madagascar, and she's a representative of WoMin. And then we have Ange-David Baïmey, who is from the Ivory Coast, and nonslip and Nonhle Mbuthuma, who is joining us from South Africa, my hometown, we're going to start with a short presentation from Zo, who will sort of contextualize the work that has been done, and what it means to think about an eco feminist alternatives. So I will hand over to you and also open your presentation now.

Zo Randriamaro 7:27

Thank you very much. Now, it is a pleasure and honor to be part of this important conversation. So let me start first by saying a few words about what warming is. One means mean was launched in October 2014. And it is an African eco feminist Alliance, which works alongside organizations of women, peasants and mining impacted communities, and in partnership with a sympathetic organization annotations to make visible and publicize the impact of extractives on patient and the working class woman to support women's organizing movement building and solidarity and to advance in alliance with numerous servers in African post extractivist ecologically just woman centered alternative to the dominant destructive model of development. So, I am sure everyone knows where we are coming from. And so, what do we mean when we are talking about ecofeminist alternatives to development in our work to promote such development alternatives, we start from the position, but such alternatives to the dominant development system must be constructed and articulated from below by rural and the working class African woman who are uniquely positioned to do so because they are directly affected by this extractivist development system.

And this is because they are at the frontline of the struggles again to a patriarchal and extractivist economic system that relies on relentless domination of nature, and continues to prevail at the expense of woman's rights, livelihoods and unpaid care labor.

So we share the views of many other sisters across the global south who believe that the alternatives actually live and breathe in these stories, and they redeem beliefs and practices of women in the global south. And when we want to deal with eco feminist alternatives to development, we need to start by decolonizing and reconstructing the way we have been thinking about development from an African eco feminist perspective.

Vasna 10:27

Zo, if you want me to change the slides, yes. Yes.

Zo Randriamaro 10:34

I think you need to change the slide. Yeah, again. Yes. Next, Next. Next. Okay…. Oh, no, no, you know, we have gone to too far. Can you? Yes.

So, when we talk about African ecofeminist development alternative, we need to start by decolonizing and reconstructing the way we have been thinking about development. And this implies that we need to rediscover past practices, but also worldviews and traditional ways of living, but have been eroded by colonization, Neo colonialism, and by the imposition of neoliberal paradigm.

Vasna 11:33

Sorry to trouble you again, can we can you also talk a bit slower as for the interpreters, thank you.

Zo Randriamaro 11:42

Sorry. And among such worldviews and such African philosophy is the concept of Ubuntu which we can translate by “I am, because we are”, it's an African philosophy, which rests on the belief in the universal bond of sharing, but connects to all humanity, that is, a person is a person through other people. And t means in, in the, in a language called Guney, it means the quality of being human“.

The philosophy holds that we owe our selfhood to others, and calls on us to mirror our humanity for and to each other. It sits contrary to the fantasies of the Western world, on individualism and individual human rights. And it is asking instead that we put the interests of the community ahead of the individual.

Ashish 13:10

So sorry to interrupt, but there's a chat message that the French interpretation is not going through.

Zo Randriamaro 13:19

So shall I stop for a while, just sort that out.

Vasna 13:25

Maybe let's just give it a moment to to see what's happening with French interpretation and make sure it's working.

Ashish 13:33

And others do the French dictation.

Unknown Speaker 13:39

She could be a backup if you wish for French.

Ashish 13:43

And we have two people already but for some reason it's not working.

Vasna 13:49

I hear… Yeah. In French, I could hear you

say okay, so it seems like some people are picking up the French interpretation. And it could be an issue with the system you have whether you actually have access to the

Ashish 14:08

thing is maintenant we means I suppose can hear now… is it means yes, now we can hear okay.

Vasna 14:18

Okay, so so we can continue and I will go back to your presentation.

Zo Randriamaro 14:24

Okay. Can you go… next slide, please. Click… Yes. Okay. That's where I was. No, please go back. Yes.

Ubuntu seats contrary to the emphasis

A Western word on individualism and individual human rights. And it is asking instead what we put the interests of the community ahead of the individual. And in recognizing the humanity of others, we activate behavior in both ways with respect tolerance, sharing, empathy and love. In other words, we embrace feminist values.

Some say that Ubuntu also consolidates the very human, natural and spiritual tripartite, which allows Africans to transpose the same moral obligations to nature. Ubuntu is also a response to a climate and ecological crisis, because it prescribes our duty to take care of nature, and to proceed to what French philosopher has called the humanization of the world… of the Earth, which doesn't mean the domination of the Earth by humans, but which implies that we cannot fully realize that will humanity we've had to consciousness about our responsibilities to protect Mother Earth, and to safeguard your natural heritage for future generations. Next slide, please.

From a political perspective, a major political pillar of African ecofeminist alternatives to development is “Panafricanism”, an ideology and political movement which has its origins in the struggles of the African people against enslavement and colonization.

Pan africanism aims to unify all Africans on the continent and in the diaspora, and to reclaim African peoples from colonization, Neo colonization and imperialism. So even as we know that the pan African institutions such as the pan African Parliament and the African Union, have failed to offer a truly transformative vision of the continent. And that states are pitted against one another for elusive for an investment loans and the continuing scramble for African natural resources.

The Pan africanism that we are talking about, is rooted in vibrant pan African civil society, activism and solidarity, which goes across the boundaries of the African nation states. Our Pan africanism draws on African philosophy, values, politics, practices, and these stories and these built from below by African citizens, and not on the ideas and interests of corporations, international financial institution, and the African political elites. Next slide, please.

The Pan africanism on which we are founding our movement is coming out of a new dreaming about the Africa we want, which shows on African philosophy, values, politics, and also on the solidarity of African woman across the continent to stop the Mega extractivist projects to condemn repression and violence and demand climate justice.

And this struggle this common struggle in solidarity by African woman must be our lodestar building our our movement and join from a long tradition of progressive Pan africanism.

This unified dialogue in imagining organizing, solidarity, and action of African woman across nations represents an important trend of living, breathing, Pan Africanist and eco feminist alternative to development. Thank you for listening to me.

Vasna 20:08

Wonderful, thank you very much. So for that introduction, and also giving us a vision for Africa that we all should commit to and work to support. And we now have the opportunity to hear from two other activists and people who are working in the field. And I would like to now give the floor to Ange-David Baïmey, who is from GRAIN, and based in the Ivory Coast. So Ange-David I hand over to you for a few words on the topic.

Ange-David Baïmey 20:43

Thanks you Vasna. And also, thank you Zo. So in fortunately, due to the internet network, I would like to keep my camera to allow us to have a good conversation. And maybe if it is need, I can put my camera, maybe first things I can apologize because I'm a Francophone, I'm not an English speaker. So maybe it can be sometimes difficult to understand what I said, but I'm open to you know, to discuss.

Vasna 21:19

And thanks you very much for doing this in English. Part of the reason is that we can also reach out to our Spanish speakers through interpretation. But please feel free if you need to switch to French, we'll figure it out and have someone type it in English in the chat.

Ange-David Baïmey 21:38

Okay, so I'm very glad and also GRAIN is very happy to contribute in that reflection, because since long will help to move with the support we are bringing for ecofeminism in Africa, we reach a good partner who is a woman and also thank you to you Vasna an your organization, the GTAGlobal Tapestry of Alternatives

in the issue of land and food system, it is a key … key, you know, key issue, because first of all, if you go in many countries today in Africa, due to the IMF project or the IMF plan, wide bank plan, and particularly for example, for World Bank, this concept on doing business with promote in Africa, and in many countries, in West Africa, particularly, you will find that a lot of policy in on land issue is based on market. So they want to privatize lands, they want to privatize food, and this kind of policy is a, you know, is promoting Africa is something who undermine our philosophy of UbuntuZ, you know, because I think Zo…

Ubuntu to in terms of how… I'm not someone, if you as a human being you are also not, you know, in the same face, you know, with me, and unfortunately, this concept will bring us to the idea of humanity remembering idea of collectively is now undermined by policy and neoliberal policy in in Africa, who is to promote individually, who is to promote self, you know, and, you know, consideration. So, all this issue is also bring in the issue consent length, length, and we face a lot of exclusion in terms of land property present for for women in rural area. And, unfortunately, we also face a time where our African government based on that neoliberal is policy pushed by, you know, capitalists, they bring and they come with new low new policy, new regulation, you know, to control and to control, you know, food system to control our life, because for example, now, in terms of COVID issue in our country, you will see more inequality because. it is ongoing question but for example, the issue concerning vaccination, how it will come not in the way that to a law or to help many citizens to have to, to, to, you know, to receive support, but to create more inequality in our society. So, from our perspective and fighting with, you know, groups like you promoting eco feminist promoting as just alternative, we face a time where the food system in terms of how we can you know farm how we can get get access to land, it is undermined by this kind of policy.

So, for us, we have for the post-extractive future for the past, extractive you know… time start to reorganize ourself with the key importance of that concept of Ubuntu, we will not get a good result for our people, if, for example, the issue concerning energy is not well understand and it's not well, you know, organized because we face a lot of big dams, for example, with construct in some area water, where the people are so poor, that they cannot afford that electricity who is produced and sometimes you can, you can listen from the politician that this dams or this coal plant is it is built for the community, it is built for the people but unfortunately, the cost to access to that service is something who is not affordable for this kind of thing we also face for example a lot of big plantation big parent plantation or big rubber plantation how the community the population, the woman are faced a lot of violence based on the fact that for for the owner of this big plantation like the multinational you can see Vilma, you can see Siat we can see Heravles farm, how they come in, in many countries in Africa, and grab the land and control the land, and even decide what kind of food community around them are able to do to get access. So all these kind of think, within today, we have to consolidate our energy, we have to consolidate our strengths, and promote Ubuntu, because it is the center of our development, it is the center of our future, if we want to move from from this period, of mining, period of extractivism, period …

costs a lot of damage in terms of livelihood to community and go in that place where we can easily share, we can easily meet your last hour energy and and get access to a good way, a good standard of living to our community. I think as civil society, it is our responsibility to start thinking andto do to go to that level of thing. And one of the key thing is we need to start thinking out to work collectively to destroy the patriarchy because for example, in community where women can't access to land, it is based on the fact that sometime, for example, for men, they have to perpetue that system, they have to control you know, the land and all our sisters always bringing always coming from that ownership of the land, so we need to destroy it. And this is one of the key things if we want to reach the post attractive future will be good place for our woman and our future generation. That is my first thought I would like to share and I'm open for the discussion. Thank you.

Vasna 29:15

Thank you, Ange-David. I think that was a really important intervention of situating sort of the actions that need to happen and are happening in Africa, within the global political economy because we have to fight on different levels. And it's partly local, but it's definitely the global as well. And I would also like to say that in the chat, you had a couple of comments, just noting that your English is brilliant. So I think you have nothing to worry about. And before we take comments and questions to understand it and so it's really my privilege to invite our third speaker Nonhle Mbuthuma, who is joining us from South Africa. Nonhle is one of the founders of the Amadiba Crisis Committee. And that is a group in the Eastern Cape in South Africa who have worked to actually fight against destructiveness mining in the region. So naturally, I hand it to you. It's lovely to have you here. Thank you.

Maybe just check that you are unmuted.

Nonhle Mbuthuma 30:33

Oh, yes. Thank you. Do you hear me now? Okay. Good afternoon. And thank you so much for inviting me here. A Yes, my name is Nonhle. A from South Africa in Eastern Cape in pondoland. A pondoland is one of the known area because of the beauty because of a so called Ubunu, when you talk about Ubuntu, we have a history, the way I live. What do we mean when we say Ubuntu… we do even have songs, a traditional songs that when you see the strange I don't chase a you must take care of a you must treat as your brother, that's how a we understand Ubuntu to end will end Ubuntu from a our, our our our traditional leaders because we are living in a society where it's under communal land. It's under the traditional it as the kings and the chiefs. A king falbo He's the one he was teaching about Ubuntu in pandolende. And one of the areas right now Ubuntu is disappeared, it's gone. When they see the other human being they see something they must think it's rubbish. But here in pondoland, it doesn't make black or white or red, your are a human being. And but unfortunately, a as we are still have that a Ubuntu a but we are facing with quite a tremendous pressure with so called development. Because when they see a communities are living like us, a in a place where we still sharing everything… sharing food, we're sharing, laughing, we're sharing everything. They said that we are not modernized. Now we are not being developed a now they want us to be developed, where they just impose a mining to say that mining will create jobs, they undermine a the existing livelihood that we have, like they don't take that.

A it's a development. And when we try to argue because we are not an expect a when it comes to those things, but when it comes to land, as people that we've grown up, they will live there for centuries. A we like professors because we know that once you lose, lose the land, you lose your identity.

But we never go to any university. But when it comes to land, a we know everything. That is why when they try to impose the mining in 22 kilometers stretch along the coast where our ancestors are laying up in graves and where we are farming. We do everything our lives. It's day by day just our own government See that? That life is nothing because they said a mining is going to a uplift the economy. That means the local economy is not so important. The important economic it's a national economy. Because right now, as we said, we don't want mining and we were not saying that. We dont want benefit. No, we said we don't want mining because we know that mining is a short term. And this mining they want to open here it's just only 22 years. And we asked ourselves after 20 years how are we going to survive? Because right now where I'm sitting a we we still have the seeds that it's been transferred to the generation after they did the generation. Now once the mining is taking place, that means all the seats a will be disappeared. And we know that A is quite a lot of damage that it will be irreversible as much us as women, we know that a, once you lose the land, a want to within a second is gone. It brought quite a lot of the things that you've never experienced before. And they like the crime, a drug abuse and all sorts of stuff. But at the moment, we still have a Ubuntu if my chicken, a go to my neighbor, the neighbor, just a go and bring my chicken. That's called a boon to and if my neighbor, see my child, just walking in, I'm not a is taking care of my own child and is feeding that child without even asking a “where is your mother”… because that's what we want to, you know, but when they push the mining, they just forget that we're going to lose Ubuntu to which is irreplaceable. But what they're saying they said that they will compensate us. But what we saying you cannot compensate Ubuntu in a way, not even a chance that you can compensate Ubuntu… once Ubuntu it's gone, it's gone, it cannot come back. And we said that we don't want mining, because mining is a short term, because we do have alternatives. When we live, we don't understand why our government is not understanding when we said that we do have alternative. Alternative where we live, it's agriculture, when we talk about agriculture, we are not talking about monoculture where one types of crop is going to take the whole area and then people will be relocated, we are talking about permanent agriculture, where we grow a verity of crops as we speak, because we we learned that a healthy mind in a healthy body right now, as we are facing with the COVID-19.

In South Africa, where I live, it was the place where our government was using a propaganda to say that we are the poor of the poorest. But you can see if we are the poor of the poorest, why right now a we even receive one death of related with COVID-19. It's because of the healthy food that we are eating. Because we are eating the fresh food, we are eating the food that is coming from our own garden. Because this COVID-19 it just catches people so much because of the immune system is so weak, when your immune system is weak, it's very easy to be to be cast by this COVID-19. Now, they just tried by all means to push us away, we're going to be dependent from the state. And beside the agriculture. A is not only agriculture, that is alternative to mining where we live, and also a tourism and when we talk about tourism, we are talking about ecotourism, because also tourism can evict quite a lot of our communities. Now, we are talking about ecotourism, where we just use our, our our resources that we have, like a horse in riding and the training the local guides, using our village based accommodation where it's attracting, you know, it's a very attractive tourism that we're running right now. A globally tourists are coming on over just to experience our culture, our history, you know, that is the kind of tourism that we are talking about. Because we cannot talk about hotels, tourists coming from hotels, there are hotels everywhere. Why we think when we talk about tourism, we need to put hotels? No! let's let's do something that is different. That is why we said we don't want mining, but it was not an easy task to say no to mining, because we received quite a lot of threats. And this also involving the bribes. A there is also a the assassination, to fight to defend your land. You need to make sure that you are focusing you know what you want, and you're not going to be a saint, because there's so many advisors coming from outside and some even NGOs you know, they are coming with their own agendas. That is what our communities they must be very aware of what they want to achieve when they're starting their own a strike.

That's just what we are doing right now. And also, the government is trying by all means to use the police a to fight our communities, and the police and the police that they were supposed to protect the citizen. But you can see right now, and when it comes to mining a police and not protecting the citizens, but a protecting the private companies, because you can see when there is a public consultation, this is where you see quite a number of police. And it's obvious is intimidation to those poor communities. When you see number of police, you know, you don't even know what you can see. And as I'm saying that there's quite a lot of intimidation. And there is not even a justice that has been done from those people are already been assassinated. Even myself, I've quite received quite a lot of number of SMS is that intimidating me harassing me. But it doesn't mean that I can change my mind it because I'm scared of those SMS. But I know that those SMS is true, because I've already seen quite a lot of people die in here. But it doesn't change my mind that I will change to say that let me go for money because I know that one thing, money will be run out. But the land will never run out. As we are talking right. Right now. A we know that a minerals from the earth as that diminishing as that a getting a disappeared. Right now, our own government is going to the ocean, where they also confusing our communities to say that a this is called a ocean economy. And our communities when they think about ocean economy, they are thinking about fish, a crayfish mussels, no. It's not about fish and crayfish. It's about deep bottom down of our ocean where they come to thrill guests, they come to do all the things that is going to destroy our ecosystem. That is why I only says that, a if we want to protect our Mother Earth, because right now we are facing with global warming we are facing with the climate change. And not they don't even bother. What they bought at the moment is to recover the economy. If we we always talking about recover the economy, and who's going to benefit from this economy, if we are not looking the way we are doing to recover this economy if he's not damaging the Mother Earth? That is why I always says that. Yes, nature. It doesn't need us as human beings. But as a human being, we need nature for survival. We need we really need to take care of the data. Thank you. Let me stop right there. I'm open for questions.

Vasna 42:59

Thank you very much. Honestly, I think this is a case where you have truly spoken truth to power. And I think it's also a really important reminder to all of us that in some places in the world, like South Africa, you are not it is it is your your own physical body, which is part of the struggle, and that we all have to recognize the effort and work that all of these activists are putting in. We've had three very inspiring, and I think also thought provoking presentations. So what I'd like to do now is open up for a discussion. And we have a few questions in the chat already for our speakers. But I would also like to reiterate that please do put any comments or questions that you have to the speakers in the chat. And then I will go through them systematically, and take the questions as they come.

So the first question, which is to Zo is just about defining ecofeminism and there's a point me that there's different ways that people think about ecofeminism and how would you also tie into the kind of analysis that someone like Vandana Shiva does? So maybe if you want to say a few more words, so on eco feminism itself?

Zo Randriamaro 44:39

Yes, this is not my preferred exercise. Because, you know, there feminismsand there are socialisms. And, you know, defining all the reasons is is not my preferred exercise, but Anyway, um, I think basically, it's, I'm talking about what I understand from WoMin's definition of eco feminism, I think we are very much aligned with with we've the definition given by Vandana Shiva because that was part of a question I think, but basically, what is very important from my understanding of, of ecofeminism is very recognition that woman and nature are subjects to the same operation by the patriarchal extractivist development system. So, there is this shared experience of oppression, but there is also the recognition that we are we are dependent on nature as, as an only said very clearly and as, as is also made clear, in the, in the, in the philosophy of Ubuntu. We depend on nature for our survival. So, we cannot, we cannot pretend that we can dominate or exploit nature, we are connected, and we are interdependent with nature. I think that's my understanding of ecofeminism.

Vasna 47:10

Great, thank you. And I think that's, it's a very big question. Ange-David, would you like to add?

Ange-David Baïmey 47:18

Yes, yes, I think this perspective and maybe to try to also add in the political life concerning ecofemisnim and I think in the chatbox someone right that it is also issue concerning how the woman's in the in the center, you know, in the center of that and have kind of connectivity with … and my maybe they the other would like to put is the fact that we know for example, if you take the issue concerning climate change how with the fact that in rural community in rural area, we have lot of women face for example, the lack of water with all you know, the complication is bringing and in our patriarchy society if I would like to point out that sometime it is a woman who go for example, to fish water and this fact that patriarchy society, it makes a lot of, you know, you know, burden issue on the shoulders of the woman because they have to go find far to get access to water to have you know, to take care of the relative and even when, for example, you face in some community, where for example, the face drought or their face, erosion of their face calamity, most of the time, we lost for example, in Mozambique, we face Oregon, he died and a lot of women pass away because they are the one who taking care at home of the elders, you know, and when, for example, the this disaster is coming, the men are the first one to run away or to claim in the trees to save their life, letting the woman with the elders in the you know, in the in the house, and we face a lot of catastrophe with a lot of men pass away. So, the climate change issue and the climate calamity bring more and more pressure and woman and in the in the regarding, or analyzing ecofeminism … women More and more and more attention, you know. So it is bringing that relationship where it's also go on the throwing away of capitalism, the throwing away of, you know, neoliberalism policy, the throwing away of this patriarchy system to allow women to be more resilient in in that society. So eco feminism is also a political concept. It is not only the fact that we are related to nature, or we are related to Mother Earth, it is a political concept, who need to help us to put in the center of our decision making the issue concerning women and all the undermine bringing by the neoliberal system. That is what I would like to add. Thank you. Thank you.

Zo Randriamaro 50:58

And if I can add a last word to what Ange-David just said… in another webinar, I affirmed that the future must be ecofeminist. That's the only way. So yeah, I hope that helps.

Ange-David Baïmey 51:17

Yeah, that is that is true. That is true, you know.

Vasna 51:23

And thank you both for those inputs. And I think this is a deep and ongoing discussion. But I think also, the point that Ange-David we made about the care work, the unrecognized work that women are often doing, as a political issue is something really important. And we have quite a few questions in the chat already. So I'm going to just go through them and where it's, you know, please feel free to comment on it. And the next question is about a question to Zo. Again, thanking you for your presentation on Ubuntu and the importance of Pan africanism. You've briefly talked about African institutions that fail to support pan African ecofeminist alternatives. Can you speak of concrete pan African initiatives that have had a positive support? And what in your opinion? Oops, needs to be done on a pan African scale? Okay. Big question. Yeah.

Zo Randriamaro 52:38

No, it's, I'm happy. But people have been have been prompted to to ask such such questions. Even even if there are these are big questions. But anyway, um, you are asking me to give example of successful pan African initiatives? Is that what you what you mean? So there are myriads of them, but not in the institutionalized pan Africanist space, I mean, the processes which are, which are controlled and initiated by the pan African institutions. The positive initiatives, Pan African initiatives are raver found in the civil society space, were ending in the citizen. I mean, initiatives taken by the citizens themselves in solidarity, to tackle issues that are of critical importance for all African countries together. I mean, I cannot I cannot think of one specific example. But what my point is really… also that pan africanism is the process that we must build. It's not something that is very rare, and then if you look carefully, you will find and find it, it is something that has to be constructed from below, by citizens, African citizens themselves, and across the boundaries that have been, you know, the walls that have been put between different African nations through the competitions for for attracting foreign investment and I mean, Pan africanism will never happen through the common market. Even if the powers that be tell us so we you know with with the creation of, of silica where Africa free market? I mean, I don't think if we visually, you're not Pan africanism exists because some people have put their lives on the line, some people have died for Pan africanism do you think people will put their lives on the line for the common market? So, again, Pan africanism is something that we need to construct together based on shared values. And in order to reach a common goal that goes beyond economic interests.

Vasna 56:14

is to reminder to people to please keep their their microphones muted when they're not part of the speaking list. Thank you. So I want to move on to the next question. And this is to Nonhle that you have already talked about the ways that communities working together in harmony. And maybe if I can ask you to say a bit more about that, but how do we create this common ground for taking action? So maybe Nonhle, I can ask you to start and just say something about how you have organized with the Amadiba Crisis Committee, getting people together to take action and creating common ground?

Nonhle Mbuthuma 57:01

Um, yeah, it is a true. It's a It's a challenging, because a in order to, to make people to be on the common ground, a, you need to be, you need to inform people. You need to be closer to the people, you need to update people have what is going on in the world. A information knowledge is very important for our struggle. That's how we manage to defeat a the the lies, and the propaganda, because this development is a propaganda actually, of taking away our land from us in the name of development. But we defeat that propaganda to educate our people to tell them the truth, what's going on. And to do that, it's not an easy task, as we said that we have a right to say no. And also the right to say no, we also have the right to say yes, at the same time, those rights are working together. But our government is always thinking that a the right to say a the right to say yes, it's a right to be consulted. But that's right is not the right to be consulted. It's a right to choose it right to decide in which way you want to leave. A that is why right now, we just been forced, in way we didn't have an option to take our own government to court and not the mining companies. Because we know that mining companies are coming in South Africa, a given authorization by our own government, but who knows our regulations, who knows the laws is our own state, though that state is the one that is supposed to protect us. That is why here in Colombia, we take our own government to court to say that a we have a right to choose a will the right to decide. And in 2018 this is where we won a case that it was stated clear that I mean, the judgment says that before any mining application can be granted that community must give consent, which is which is a full prior and informed consent. And you know, the consent is something else to our government. They don't want to listen that is there. A to African countries, those laws but it Put under the table, a only putting em that mining companies, they just come and consult consultation. It doesn't mean anything because it's where somebody is coming to tell you that I'm here to do this, and you have no right to say anything. That is how they take an advantage. That is why we force our own government that this f pick a must be utilized by our own government. And right now, although the government of South Africa is appealing a judgment that no, if the community given a right to give consent, it will cause the chaos. That means there will be no mining in South Africa. That means they compromise us a in order to please the the corporatives that's what they are doing at the moment, because what is important is to please the private companies then to please their own citizens. This is the situation that amendment, but we're not going to give it up as they trying to appeal. We're going to fight this all the way to Constitutional Court, all the way to African court. And if we fail, they at the end, and the land, it belongs to the people. If people they understand that the law of the land is there, there will be no problem. But we gave more power to the state that the state is owning the land. No, the state is not owning the land, the status is looking to land after for the people. Thank you.

Vasna 1:01:37

Wonderful, thank you so much, Nonhle. And I think that's also really important. And there's also been a couple of follow up questions on that you've talked about, you know, the need to share information and and let people know what's going on. People have also asked in the chat, how also can people in the global north and elsewhere support the work that is being done at the local level? So maybe that's also something that we can come to a bit later on. And I want to move to a different question now. And someone who has raised the question of what does climate change mean, for the work that we're doing for communities and for Ubuntu itself, if any one of the three of you would like to make a reflection on that. So the effect of climate change, especially, and then also with the Ubuntu.

Ange-David Baïmey 1:02:36

Maybe I can maybe start. And I think this issue concerning climate change is also related to maybe what Zu said a bit early in terms of local initiative, and one of the key leaders because … African institution, and you are thinking that it can be the way to materialize, Pan africanism or materialize, Ubuntu, you will be disappointed because this big, big institution is not all the time in accordance or in the same political line that the people so it is a locally city where you can find a concrete solution. For example, if you take Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso, for example, it was it was at his time when he was in the power to for example, work a lot to create space, so that women can be in the government in a lot of administration. So, at this time, it was already people fighting for more place fighting to change the mindset of the you know, the book in a bay at this time, it was art volta to come with you know, that kind of open space more space for women to to grow and to express their view Also, if you take for example, leader, Pan African leader like Amilcar Cabral, who was very involved in rural development in his country and sending climate change, we as a bit I describe, we face a situation where there are a lot of stress, maybe double or more on the woman in a rural community because, for example, if you go in some of the village in West Africa, and I think it is common in lots of village in Africa. This agriculture the small agriculture to feed the nation who feed community like grow some kind of vegetable, some kind of you know, tomato… this kind of thing, who is very important, it is, you know, under the leadership of women because … my you know, instead of doing, you know, to table who is very important, because it can help a lot the community, you will install villages that the women are the one, you know, doing that small chicken farm, you know, local chicken farm, who is very important to, to the feeding of the family, to the feeding of the men, and we have to work more to help that woman to have this autonomy. You know, today, for example, if you go in the debate concerning climate change, you will, you will, you will, you will, you will see that most of the debate, or most of the, you know, decision making is on the they the direction of the men, because they are the one maybe at the top of the administration, but they don't have this sensitivity concerning how to include gender specificity, eco feminism is the taking of the political decision, and that is something will undermine the woman, it's undermined, because with that sensitivity from women with that sensitivity from the fact that at the, all the time that they're thinking about climate change, for example, they are thinking about how to get access to water for the family, how to get access to seed to good seeds, to to seed, you know, who will not a low or who will not undermine the agriculture because you will need all the fertilizer all the chemical to grow the food that one taking care of the seed … in case of the small scale, you know, you know, agriculture, you know, you know activity. So, for me, when we talk about climate change, we need to analyze the fact that we are a double, you know, stress on the woman …. and we need to come up with concrete, you know, such a case to have them, I already spoke about the energy issue, how is community impacted by coal plant or big dams, the first threat or this first, you know, you know, undermine is on the shoulder of the woman because they are the one, you know, related to the community and have this sensitivity. So, that is a bit the feeling I would like to share.

Vasna 1:08:18

Thank you very much Ange-David. Zo, would you like to add?

Zo Randriamaro 1:08:22

Yes, let me start by thanking Ange, because that's exactly why we, we decided to invite him because we know he would, he would advocate for for women. So, thanks, thanks so much for the solidarity my brother, and I think the question of climate change and, and, more broadly, the question of the ecological crisis that we are facing, is is of critical importance. And that is why in warming we have decided to do more work around Ubuntu. Because I think I mentioned this in my presentation, there is Ubuntu for humanity, but there is also Ubuntu for the environment. And this has to do with, with climate, the climate and ecological crisis, more whenever we need to, we need Ubuntu, to be able to, to to move away from destructive practices, and and the policies that have taken us to the current state of a multi layer than together The interconnected crisis we know, we know that COVID-19 is directly linked to, to the ecological crisis. So yeah, Ubuntu is telling us is prescribing us, it is ordering us as a moral obligation to be more careful, and to discharge our responsibilities for the protection of the environment, and for the protection of Mother Earth, but is also a very important part of and that is why, as a WoMin, we have decided to put it at the center of our work around eco feminist development of alternatives.

Vasna 1:10:50

There's a question that follows up really well to that one. And it was from an audience member who wanted to understand how can other parts of the world Stern, learn how to live in harmony, you know, off Ubuntu so sort of giving some guidance elsewhere. And we know there are other practices and philosophies around the world that are similar, but if you can share some thoughts on that, any or all three of you.

Zo Randriamaro 1:11:21

I think I let my colleagues my colleagues share, especially since they are actually practicing what should be done or it is so

Vasna 1:11:36

Nonhle, maybe I can ask you to start

Ange-David Baïmey 1:11:40

Nonhle can start, Yeah, I have a couple ideas, but …

Vasna 1:11:48

Nonhle if you want to maybe, you know, you've described for us really well how the community lives through Ubuntu what would you give advice to other places in the world and how they could start practicing those ways of being,

Nonhle Mbuthuma 1:12:05

um, you know, to, to, to practice Ubuntu or to Ubuntu it's very simple, what I can see as many things are very difficult. And but that one is the most simplest one. A but the problem is that, although is simple, a the pressure is the is the capitalism, capitalism, hate Ubuntu , they don't want to see a boon to now the pressure that it's always a go straight to our people, it changed it breaks that chain Ubuntu easily because a our people have been promised earth in Heaven, a and then later they just realized that no, there was no earth and heaven that they will get it. But in order to live like that, you must appreciate what you have. You must appreciate where youlive and you must understand who you are, you must understand your background, you must understand your identity. The problem people they just lost Ubuntu because they lost their own identity once you don't know who you are, you don't recognize you don't appreciate who you are. It's very easy to Ubuntu just desappeared as I said that I'm proudly pondo myself. Pondo is one of the tribe here in South Africa is known of because of the apartheid era, a that it's if you call yourself a Pando people they said no, a Ponderosa and educated nobody want to associate a you know, those stigmas as well. It's part of a, a brainwash to our minds that we need to shift to do something that it will be no longer sitting with us. That is why I said Ubuntu is very important. Once Ubuntu is there, I promise you life is very simple. A because Ubuntu you setting you setting even laughing You know, when you see your neighbor, and you know everybody and when you sick. You know you said the sick you so you say the joy. You say everything when I mean everything. It's not only you say the good things, even the pain, the painful parts, you know when people they say oh, on that family, if somebody is not feeling well, people are just coming in See? How can they help? You know, that's what it's called Ubuntu . Thank you.

Vasna 1:15:01

Thank you very much Nonhle. Ange-David, you wanted to add a few points?

Ange-David Baïmey 1:15:07

Yeah, thank you to Nonhle, because one of the points she described is so very well, in accord, for example, when she said that, when, for example, a kid can go in the gnabry, you know, out, and then they can also take care of the kid as it is, you know, their own kid. That is a very, a very spiritual novel, you know, things to design Ubuntu because if, for example, these foreign company, continue coming in Africa, grabbing the land, you know, stealing the resource, take off our gold, our diamonds on all these resources to, to go back and develop their self without consideration of that local community, it comes with a lot of dissolves in the, you know, in the area, and that will undermine Ubuntu spirits that will undermine the community, because, for example, a lot of the child or a lot of the citizens will go to the town or to the city, because they are not anymore. A good situation of living in the village, for example, the village of Nole is now that get by foreign company, by people just want to grab or just want to come and do mining, without any consideration of the people to how they can use the land to feed themselves and also to feed the communities, you know, so kind of attitude like that will undermine Ubuntu , will destroy Ubuntu to so for the people who want to …. is to be, you know, engaged in the society, in engage in the world to support the small scale farmers to support the small scale vendors to support this small scale. You know, you know, fish, a fisherman, that is, under this kind of practice this kind of attitude, they also support Ubuntu, because it is a consideration of human beings in our society. That is the point I would like to add. Thank you.

Vasna 1:17:36

Thank you very much, Ange-David. And I just want to also just raise that we had a little bit of a break in the Spanish translation. And we have to say a very big thank you to Ana Cecilia Dinserstein who's been doing it on her own throughout the session. So hopefully, it is working. Now we have yukine, who has also volunteered to help us to make that go through. And we have many, many more questions coming, but also not that much time left. So I hope it's okay with everyone if we keep going until about quarter past. So so but 15 minutes over the time. And but yeah, you're also obviously Welcome to leave as you need to. I hope our speakers can continue with us for a bit longer. And I'm going to ask the next question, which…

Ashish 1:18:31

Sorry to interrupt, but just make sure that the Spanish is working.

Vasna 1:18:34

Yeah. Can someone who's in the Spanish one and just confirm that it's working? I think Anna Cecilia is back and it's continuing to do a good job for us. Yeah, okay, good… So I move on to a slightly broader.

Ashish 1:18:59

you can use also in the room, I don't know whether she's able to.

Vasna 1:19:06

Okay, and maybe Ashish you can communicate with Iukini.

Ashish 1:19:15

Iukini can you can you speak? Yeah.

Shrishtee 1:19:17

She is in the room. So maybe she can be brought on because Ana…

Ashish 1:19:23

I think it's working you can you go ahead.

Vasna 1:19:27

So I will continue with the questions too. So Nonhle and Ange-David and this is a one about the education systems and whether the education systems across Africa are reinforcing the neoliberal worldview, or whether they are places where philosophies of Ubuntu are being taught and, and is related also to the fact of these discussions about decolonizing universities and schools that are happening in the UK. Obviously, we know that this has also been sparked by what has happened in South Africa with the roads must fall movement. But maybe if you could comment as speakers on the education systems that we have in Africa, whether they are reinforcing the neoliberal worldview, or whether there is space for philosophies of Ubuntu

Zo Randriamaro 1:20:30

Yes.

Ange-David Baïmey 1:20:32

Zo?. Okay. Okay, Zo,

Zo Randriamaro 1:20:34

Okay. Anyway, I will be very brief, because I'm not aware of significant initiatives to integrate Ubuntu into the African education system. I might be wrong. But I I'm sure. If if it were something like that, I would know about it. But so far, I have not heard. So in my view, it's not and it should be. It's part of the work, but but is ahead of us. If we want to come up with post-extractivist future. And furture generations who emprace this…

I think we have a switch of speakers. So can you continue again? And hopefully, yeah. Zo you are muted?

I was muted all the time.

Vasna 1:21:45

Although we could hear you at the beginning.

Zo Randriamaro 1:21:49

Okay, so I was saying that. I do not pretend that I know everything about the African education system, which is also not an homogeneous one. Each country has its own system, of course, the face,…but I'm hearing the interpretation. So yeah. I

Ashish 1:22:19

Iokine are you trying to speak Spanish? Because I removed Ana Cecilia from the room? Which is why her her voice will come in the main room. You can you know…. Iokine… Can you can you speak in Spanish? Let's? No. So we're requesting Ana to stop now if you can take over. Okay.

Vasna 1:22:53

So I think we will continue. And I mean, just in the interest of time. So I mean, I think your point is really important. There isn't a lot of it. One of the people in the chat has added that. In Kenya at the law school. They have been teaching, Ubuntu to philosophy there, which is good to hear. And then maybe Ange-David if you wanted to add as well.

Ange-David Baïmey 1:23:20

You hear me? I can maybe quickly? I agree. I agree with the fact that the education system we face in lots of countries in Africa and West Africa is not appropriate. If we want to fight against continental free trade, or, you know, all this neoliberal system, it is not appropriate, because you can easily find some country where they don't teach or they don't learn about slavery. They don't learn about the, you know, because it is part of our history, for example, in slavery, we have to talk it we have to discuss we have to, you know, to change, to exchange, you can go in some University, where, for example, they don't want to talk about imperialism, but we need to understand slavery, imperialist, neoliberal system, all these kind of things. So for me, we have as activists to try to think, what kind of educational system we need to bring to change the mindset for the future generation because it is not appropriate and it is a system education system who perpetrate you know, kind of attitude like the one we saw with George Floyd assassination. It is very key to think about the new educational system, who is related to our reality, who is in accord with our values. One of our values very important is Ubuntu how we can share among us, the seeds, how we can share, you know, this, maybe the chicken, how we can share the food. You know, that is very important for us, we need to change the mindset, we need to change the education because education is key. Without education, we can't have value for our children. It's not possible without new thinking, to, to move forward.

Vasna 1:25:36

Thank you. I'm not sure how much more time we have. But I think there's two important questions that I want to pick up on. The first one is, perhaps in the western discourse of a Ubuntu there's always this concern about it still being embedded with patriarchy. And so one of the questions is that both Ubuntu and patriarchy patriarchy are traditional, existing for a long time. Are they not contradictory? Or does a Ubuntu in some way incorporate patriarchy? How does that tension work out? And then there's a suggestion in that question that eco feminism is perhaps a modern movement to counter patriarchy and ecological devastation. So is the alternative about putting tradition and modality together? So just to reflect a bit on this question of patriarchy, and want to, as to traditions that exist.

Zo Randriamaro 1:26:49

Okay. I'm not pretending but I'm going to settle the issue here. But I'm just trying to, to, to throw some some some some ideas that might help in dealing with this tension. I think I have the same position about Ubuntu , as I have articulated for my vision of Pan africanism in terms of the process in construction. But needs to come from people themselves. And my my take about really living Ubuntu as an eco feminist is really about how would I say that… reinterpreting the way in which I express and I embrace, for values, values embedded in Ubuntu in a way, that is what is, but is a massive battery. And in a way, that is participatory liberation. And in a way that is still about solidarity, solidarity, but we vowed to be nation. I think again, we don't, we just don't take Ubuntu as something that you that you can, you know, cut and paste in your in your life and new ways of being. It is something that you need to reinterpret and to adapt to your own life. But that's how I see it.

Vasna 1:29:05

Maybe I could also follow up on another question that's related, but to Nonhle, about how a woman have been challenging, you know, the patriarchal and traditional systems and, you know, also how men have responded to this. So, naturally, if you would be willing to share your experience, especially with the Amadiba Crisis Committee.

Nonhle Mbuthuma 1:29:31

Um, yeah, yes, yes. Yes. A challenging a patriarchy. A patriarchy is like something that it's like a case of because right now, a, even if we said that, we, we are we are equal in terms of the law. But when it comes to a dude tangible things, or to lead or to leadership, we are so unequal. And is still that a I don't know, in other countries, but in South Africa, you can see that people they don't, they don't want to admit that the women can lead. A that is the most challenge right now, if they see the leadership from the woman, you've been named, you've been called all sorts of stuff. Um, but I still go back where I come from. How we've been taught about a patriarchy, a many as I'm coming from the traditional society, wher many tribes, they don't recognize that the woman can lead. But in mice in my tribe, where I come from, I don't know, how did they learn this? And I still need to do a research, because we have so many female chiefs in our tribe in pondoland. But in other tribes, a, you never find one. A that is why you can see it's only one sided. But we are still saying that we are we are equal, we are 50/50. A to challenge that. Also, education is very important, because what do we learn from school? Is it relevant to where we live? I don't think so. The kind of education it doesn't speak to us, is speak to somebody else. If we challenge that people, our kids at school, they learn what it speak to us, it will help us a lot. I make an example of myself. When I was at school, I was planning to study history, but I was been forced to study economics, because they said that you need to be an accountant… do I want to be an accountant?, because when I look at my home village, there is no banks, there is nothing, there is gardens, you see. But I want to learn history where I can talk about where we come from why we ended up a protecting the land, but the education system is so being colonized. Even the education system, if the education it did speak to us, we are going to have a problem because the kids that are coming from universities, they can't fit to our communities, because the kind of education they get from university, it's not there in our communities, we having a clash with the with the universities, because they just see the land that when you study, you need to get a job, but not to utilize the resources that is surrounding you. Thank you.

Vasna 1:33:06

Thank you very much Nonhle. And it is now five minutes. And I think we will take the very last question before we close the session. And it is a question that several people have asked about how can feminist global solidarity support people's self determination and right to say no. And a lot of people have asked how do we support and be good accomplices and allies in the struggle. So if there's any final thoughts that the three of you would like to make to this audience, but also for all of us to think about in terms of global solidarity?

Ange-David Baïmey 1:33:50

From my side, I think global solidarity is key in our way, you know, to keep the land to keep the resources to to, to stay, you know, in elfi with our community, our family, and maybe this we have to perpetrate this solidarity thinking relationship with our allies is very key, it is important and we have to, to find a way, you know, to do it, because you know, Mootoo is not something granted, you know, we have to it is a perpetual fight, we have to every day, every day, look, take care of our mother have take care of our community. So that is the place where we can we can move forward. So the solidarity is a key. And I think it has to do with our humanity. Thank you.

Zo Randriamaro 1:35:00

I think I, I cannot agree more, we found but we we need solidarity, which is also a sexual value of within lubuntu. But I have a very specific recommendation for, for allies from the global north, I think you should stop trying to build that capacity, I mean, come into the global south to build the capacity of women's organization and civil civil society organizations fair. But what you should do more instead is to lobby your own government and your own corporations. So that we leave us alone. I mean, by leaving us alone, I mean, so bad we stop, you know, the, the Neo imperialist kind of policies and also the extractivist development project that they are supporting, in our, in our region of the world. So, yeah, please do that. And let us know, be our own government.

Vasna 1:36:34

Nonhle Is there any final words that you would like to add?

Nonhle Mbuthuma 1:36:42

Um, yeah. Hey, what do you want to see a less remember one thing, a, we ate food, not minerals. If we remember that, we eat food. Food is our priority. And that's how we're going to protect land. If we think we eat money, we are laying ourselves. This is the kind of education that we need to teach our own kids, that the food that is sitting in the shelf is coming from the left. Thank you.

Vasna 1:37:21

This has been a incredibly rich and for an inspiring discussion. As a South African who's currently sitting in Copenhagen, I have to say how much how proud I feel, but also how much I longed to actually be there more. And it's really to say thank you to our three speakers. But also, just to remind the audience, many of you know that last year, in October, we lost one of the mothers of the struggle in South Africa, Fikile Ntshangase was last killed because of the work she was doing. So this is a very real fight that woman and all the activist groups are taking up. And so I think it is important for us to think about the the the struggle that is happening, but also to hold on to the vision that our three speakers have taught us and shared with us today. So to say a very big thank you to Zo for helping set this up and put things together and WoMin, to Ange-David and Nonhle for being part of this conversation with us. And to all of the participants who have joined us today. I would like to ask those people who are still here, if you could put on your cameras just for a moment so we can at least see people and have a moment to say thank you and goodbye to everyone.

Ashish 1:38:50

Thanks to all the translators. Oh, thanks

Zo Randriamaro 1:38:52

Thanks for having us.

Vasna 1:38:54

Yes, and huge thank you to the translators Ana Cecilia for trying to do that, john for doing it. Natalie and Lokimi also for joining in.

Bye.

Zo Randriamaro 1:39:12

Bye, thanks. Bye bye.

Thank you. Bye.

About the presenters

Zo Randriamaro

Zo Randriamaro is a longtime (25 years) feminist researcher and human rights activist from Madagascar. She is a sociologist by training and has worked as an expert on the gender dimensions of macroeconomic, trade, investment and global governance issues for international development organisations, including the major United Nations agencies. Her deep commitment to women’s rights along with economic, social and ecological justice has motivated her to join WoMin in March 2020 with a view to achieve the goal of her lifetime as a professional and activist to contribute to a just transition towards ecofeminist development alternatives in Africa, in solidarity with other sisters and allies.

Ange-David Baïmey

Ange-David Baïmey joined GRAIN in 2014. A passionate advocate for social and environmental justice in rural areas, Ange-David supports GRAIN’s partners in Africa. He worked for several years with local organisations and social movements in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and other West African countries on issues ranging from climate justice to biodiversity loss. His main focus at GRAIN is on land grabbing and climate-related issues. Ange-David has a background in environmental sociology and knowledge management.

Nonhle Mbuthuma

Nonhle Mbuthuma is a WHRD who fights for land and environmental rights in South Africa's Eastern Cape. In 2007 Nonhle founded the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) to unite community members in five villages of the Amadiba Tribal Authority region to work together in opposition to destructive mining projects. She is now the most visible leader of the campaign against the Australian corporation Mineral Commodities Mineral Ltd (MRC). A crucial link between the indigenous community and the ACC’s legal team, Nonhle also engages the community in farming and food security workshops and has launched such projects in local schools.