CWLR Executive Member from Nigeria speeks of Afro-Asian Solidarity in ISF

The India Social Forum Experience
I have come to describe the India Social Forum (ISF) which was held between November 9-13, 2006 as one of the most attended events in recent times. I was particularly struck by the passion and ability to articulate the different issues exhibited by the speakers I listened to. Starting from the city dwellers to rural/tribal dwellers, there existed unprecedented understanding of what activism is and how it should be carried out.
I had the opportunity to attend two of the events organized by Sathi All for Partnerships. I have been to India a couple of times before, but for the first time I got a better understanding of the issues related to women’s rights to land and housing and thus was able to draw some similarities between the issues and what we experience in Nigeria. Over the years, I have been active in promoting and protecting women’s economic and social rights which has taken me through advocacy work for the protection of the right to adequate housing in urban areas in Nigeria. One of the most vicious tools for the violation of the right to adequate housing is the practice of forced eviction. In the last two decades, several large – scale forced evictions have been carried out by state governments in Nigeria. These eviction are usually implemented without recourse to the due process law of prior consultation and/or resettlement and compensation. Homelessness amongst urban slum dwellers increases with each eviction.

As I listened to Miloon Kothari , UN Special Rapportuer on Housing, I realized that India is also faced with incidents of large scale evictions. According to Mr Kothari, India is likely to host one of the world sports games next year, an event that is surely to attract evictions to create space for the field activities. As a result of the similarities in our circumstances and history (colonialism, impacts international economic decision, etc), the Afro Asia initiative is extremely relevant to the present needs and promises to provide the much need platform for people from the region to come together to seek solution to their challenges. Accordingly, an Afro –Asia event was hosted by the organizers of the ISF and thus provided an excellent opportunity for speakers to articulate, in plain terms, the issues that beset Africans and Asians in their effort to establish a development module that is suitable for the region. This initiative certainly provides a strong bases for an Africa Asia event at the upcoming World Social Forum scheduled to hold in Kenya – January 2007.
I attended the event and was really happy that I did. Below is a brief account of the major issues that were raised by the speakers. I also seize this opportunity to thank Action Aid for supporting my participation in the ISF in, particular the Afro-Asia meeting.




The meeting commenced at 10:00AM with introductory remarks from the facilitator who stated the importance of the forum since the next WSF will be convened in Africa/Kenya.. She invited the participant from South Africa to begin the discussions.

South Africa Delegate

Afro-Asia issues must first be examined by how people in the region relate with one another. Example, an African traveling to a neighboring African country is often subject to very cumbersome processes of obtaining visas and other immigration requirements. "While I am not advocating a porous system that does not protect nations' sovereignty, I think the system should be adjusted in such a way that allows people within Africa and Asia to experience one another in a more beneficial way.

In addition to the limitations we impose on ourselves, we also contend with neo-liberal economic policies that are unsuitable for development in the region. Rather, we should begin with the process of developing our own development methods and at our own pace and in line with our culture and traditions. Development should not be generally defined by the perceptions and culture of the global north. Countries in Asia and Africa should take the initiative in taking, economic, development, social decisions that are compatible with the region.

While considering all of these, gender issues should also be given the necessary attention. I do not have the answers to all the issue raised here, but through our discussion we may come up with solutions that will make a positive impact".

Vietnam Delegate:

In line with what the first speaker said, we should begin to appraise the activities of super –world powers as another form of colonization. Recently, the war on terrorism has become a strategy for imposing foreign governments in the global south. We must begin to see America's war on certain countries as such.

Delegate from Afghanistan

I propose that events like the India Social Forum should be organized in a manner that encourages participation from people from outside the country. I have never attended this kind of event and I only stumbled unto it on the net and decided to be here. People in Afghanistan don't know much about movements and activism and the consequences of the recent war require that we become involved in these issues. Prior to the war, we did not know anything about aids and we also had no information regarding NGO activities. We will like a situation where information on ISF and similar events are made available to us.

Delegate from Kenya Organizing Committee

Colonial masters established structures and governments that remain counter productive to global south countries. Idi Amin, for example was installed as the Uganda head of state by the British government. But everyone has forgotten that fact. One of our challenges is that we have retained racial structures that were established by the colonial masters. As such we continue to perpetrate colonialism amongst ourselves. While we seek to change the situation, we must also remember the north in the south and south in the north.

Facilitator

I just want to briefly respond to your comments on the north within the south. The north within the south does not work in support of the south. In fact they implement the global north agenda

Delegate from Nigeria, Joy Ngwakwe

I want examine how these structures and polices affect women in our society. Research and social work show that women are worse affected by poverty arising from international economic policies as well as other practices that affect the global south. Traditionally women are denied access to productive resources such as land and property. Although women carry-out the bulk of farm work, they are unable to own lands. I represent the Consult for Women and Land Rights (CWLR) which is an international network of individuals and organization concerned with promoting women's land, housing and resources. Prior to ISF and at ISF events we have advocated and lobbied the reform of polices and practices that influence women's status in these areas. We are currently advocating the introduction of a-women's resource rights agenda in urban development and master city plan in which women's issues will be given due consideration. Under this agenda, we propose gender-sensitive budget, resource rights centers, health clinics, etc. CWLR is organizing a workshop at the WSF in Kenya. The workshop will aim to promote three main issues; women and land rights, women in urban development and master city plan, Muslim women and land and property rights. I am using this opportunity to demand your support in these issues, to include a gender perspective in your different areas of operation. I am also inviting those of you that will be in Kenya for WSF to join the CWLR event