More action demanded from women to champion Africa’s dev’t

Discussants at a dialogue on ‘Feminism and Pan-Africanism’ have demanded more action from the society in supporting women to take a centre stage in Africa’s development and growth.
According to the speakers, the story of the continent could not have been better told without women, citing their active involvement in the civic and political struggles for an inclusive, fair and prosperous societies.
Women should be inspired and given more recognition as they played diverse significant roles in realising the continent’s aspirations, Ms. Coumba Toure, a Pan-Africanist, argued.
She was of the opinion that advancing the cause of the continent to bring prosperity to the people was a shared responsibility – a task that called for unity of purpose, resilience and determination.
“We must unite as one people, shed the negative tendencies and take our destiny into our own hands,” Ms. Toure, Movement Coordinator for Africans Rising, a Pan-African movement, noted.
According to her, it was important that the people resolved to be more assertive in demanding good governance from the leaders, saying the continent was better placed in terms of natural and human resources to manage her own affairs.
She indicated that demonstrating the sublime qualities of self-belief and patriotism at all levels of the African societies should be considered non-negotiable, if the continent was to achieve sustainable growth.
The ‘Feminism and Pan-Africanism Dialogue’ was held at the Socialist Movement of Ghana, Dzorwulu, Accra, under the auspices of the Africans Rising, which is committed to peace, justice and dignity of the people.
It discussed women in the civic struggles on the continent, present and future role of women, and how central they really are to an inclusive, equitable and prosperous society.
Basically, the discussants critically looked at the long history of women and feminist movements in Africa, the questions of power and politics of transnational and transversal solidarity.
Professor Amina Mama, the first woman occupant of the Kwame Nkrumah Chair in African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, stressed the need for the society to critically look at the obnoxious stereotypes that tended to impede women’s active participation in the development processes of the continent.