Gender Festival 2003
3-6 September, TGNP Gender Resource Centre, Mabibo
This year’s Gender Festival celebrated TGNP's 10th Anniversary in gender activism with four days of invigorating debate, challenging discussions and plans for future activism. Under the theme of “Gender, Democracy and Development: An Alternative World is Possible,” attendees from around Tanzania, Africa and Europe discussed a variety of issues while marking the achievements of 10 years of gender activism.
The Gender Festival was opened with introductory remarks from TGNP's Chairperson, Dr. Fenella Mukangara and a key note address by the Honourable Member of Parliament, Winnie Byanyima of Uganda, titled “Alternative Visions, Alternative Strategies, Alternative Leadership, Challenges for the African Women’s Movement.”
Plenary sessions covered topics such as
Gender Impoverishment and Class Reproduction;
Sustainable Development; Globalization and Gender Activism;
and
An African Alternative in the search for an alternative world. Workshops consolidated
subtopics such as
Gender and Political Empowerment, Coalitions and Movement Building, Struggles
of Youths for Rights and Power; People, State and Resources.
Click here for a complete Festival schedule and list of available papers.
TGNP and FemAct
launched four books--two in
English (“Feminist Voices: An Alternative World is Possible” and “Against
Neo-Liberalism”) and two in
Kiswahili ("Globalisation and You” and “Resources, Gender and HIV/AIDS”).
Click here for abstracts, as well as ordering information.
Participants came from various African countries including Ghana,
Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Uganda and Kenya. At the international levels
participants came from as far as Switzerland, Italy and England. From Tanzania,
the festival attracted participants from all the 26 regions with each region
sending in at least 2 delegates. The delegates from Tanzania comprised of
Intermediary Gender Network
(IGNs) members.
Click here to see more photos.
More than just a conference, the Gender Festival lived up to its name once again with a mix of information and education, including several Ngoma performances, a campaign song and a very popular and successful Tanzania Night.
Besides the
panel and workshop discussions, participants
contributed to the festival
through exhibits
of crafts, clothing, herbs, other products and educational materials. Several organisations
were represented with tables and materials. Free HIV testing and
counselling was also available.
