COMMUNIQUE (English/Anglais)
The Second International Conference on Women in Africa and the African Diaspora (WAAD), convened by Professor Obioma Nnaemeka, was held in Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indiana, USA (October 23-27, 1998).The conference with a focus on Health and Human Rights attracted over 400 participants from 37 countries and 45 national and international organizations. Participants included delegates from governmental and non-governmental organizations, grassroots women, scholars, activists, policy makers, researchers, students, and members of the local community and local institutions such as the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and universities and colleges in Indiana.
Session topics included—Reproductive Health Matters; Violence against Women; Gender Perspectives on Health Issues; African American Women and Health Policies in the US— Problems and Solutions; Health and Environmental Issues; Gender and Race Questions in the Body Politic; Health Policies and Research; Widowhood in Africa—Theoretical and Cultural Issues in Women’s Rights; Building Bridges of Power—Women at the Grassroots; Moving across Borders— Gender and Problems of Immigration; Female Circumcision as Site for Discourse on Human Rights; African Men on African Women— Perspectives on Gender Relations and Women’s Rights; Information, Language, and Technology: Issues in Women’s Health and Children’s Rights; Economic Pressures and the Rights of the Girl Child; Traditional Medicine and Healing; Armed Conflicts and Their Impact on Women and Children.
The activities included presentation of papers, workshops, film shows, poetry reading, dance, drama, exhibitions, formal and informal discussions.
THE CONFERENCE OBSERVES THAT:
Women’s health and human rights are threatened by
1. Ignorance, poverty, harmful traditional practices (e.g. widowhood and female circumcision), racism, neocolonialism, incarceration, religious servitude, imprisonment, and lack of coordinated action and solidarity amongst women.
2. Specifically, it is recognized that:
(i) Women are adversely affected by the trade exploitation and spoliation of Africa, the African Diaspora, and peoples of African descent.
(ii) Although HIV/AIDS/STDs pandemic threatens women worldwide, women of African descent are more vulnerable.
(iii) Health needs and human rights of girl-children and adolescent females have been neglected.
(iv) Women suffer violence and discrimination based on their sexual orientation.
(v) Socio-cultural factors inhibit the recognition of renowned female traditional medical practitioners.
THE CONFERENCE THEREFORE RESOLVES THAT THE FOLLOWING STEPS BE TAKEN TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN OF AFRICAN DESCENT:
1. Improve information, education, and communication strategies.
2. Encourage networking and building solidarity across borders in terms of research and action.
3. Increase gender sensitization and conscientization of men and women through multi-media approaches.
4. Adopt the policy of each-one-teach-one as strategy for reaching out to women.
5. Integrate traditional medical practices with orthodox western medicine.
6. Make an early start in comprehensive health and human rights education.
7. Institute law reforms; in particular, the harmonization of received laws with relevant and progressive customary laws in Africa.
8. Respect the rights of women of African descent regardless of their sexual orientation.
9. Commit on a global scale to the study and eradication of harmful traditional practices pertaining to widowhood, inheritance rights, maternal and child healthcare.
10. Make concerted efforts individually and collectively—governments, inter- governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, etc.—to protect women's rights in political, social, economic, and cultural contexts.
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