Solidarity for African Women's Rights (SOAWR), OXFAM and the Women's Legal Centre invite you to attend a public conversation on ‘The politicization of gender-based violence in Africa: Has the personal become too political?’ Speakers include Dr Desiree Lewis, Senior Lecturer, Women and Gender Studies, University of Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa; Hannah Foster, Executive Director, African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies (ACDHRS, Banjul, The Gambia; and Faith Kasiva, Coalition on Violence against women, (COVAW), Nairobi, Kenya. The event will take place on 24 May, 2006 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm at Burgess Park Hotel, in Pretoria.

At least 5 African countries are currently involved in legislative processes that seek to introduce new sexual offences bills- Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda. In all instances, there has a been varying degree of resistance to passing the legislation while in others,
the legislative reforms have been accompanied by high profile rape cases which have brought gender-based violence into the center of political debate. Is there political will in Africa to end gender-based violence? What are the social, cultural, and political obstacles that hold back the achievement of freedom from gender-based violence? Are women's rights becoming pawns in more mainstream political struggles? Taking advantage of women meeting in Pretoria this week from 15 African countries, some of which are looking at sexual offences legislation alongside South Africa, this exciting conversation will generate comparative insights and experiences with emerging trends and legislation across Africa.

For more information contact:

Sibongile Ndashe
Eve Odete

[email][email protected]
[email][email protected]

+27 21 4211380
+254 20 2820159

http://www.wlce.co.za