BY SIMON NDIVE KALLA
Economic Community of Central African State, ECCAS, Feminists hold first ever General Assembly for GenEgalite ECCAS for 2021 with plans to restrategise movement in 2022. The two days meeting which held in Limbe from Thursday November 18-19, 2021. Tagged “Re Thinking, Re Building and Re Designing the Feminist Movement” brought together feminists delegates across Equatorial Guinea, Far North, South West and North West.
According to the convener of GenEgalite ECCAS Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo Wondieh with General Assembly they have reenergized, rebuilt and restrategize themselves ahead of 2022 “we call on you the media to be our partners to continue to amplify our voices and to continue to raise the issues of women and amplify the critical needs of women so that the powers that be can take interest into it and ensure that women's right become a reality across these sub regions.” Zoneziwoh Mbondulo emphasised.
ECCAS which is the feminist movement established since 2019 and it exists in eleven countries across the world. ECOWAS and CEMAC countries.
“For the past eleven months we have been organizing virtually we could not meet physical as you all know because of the Covid-19 restrictions and this is the first time since after 2018 that this platform was established that we are holding our first general assembly.” Zoneziwoh Mbondulo explained.
Delegates reflected on some of the challenges faced over the past years, and proposed solutions on how they can strengthen the movements and a force within the CEMAC and ECCAS regions.
“We are the first feminist movement that is focused only on generation equality and some of the achievements we have had over the past couple of months has been meeting with female members of parliament.
“We have met with over 70 female members of parliament across the Cemac and Ecas region. We have met first lady of Equatorial Guinea, we have met three female ministers across these ECCAS countries notably Cameroon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea” Zoneziwoh Mbondulo stated.
With a membership of over 50, established in 2019 GenEgalite ECCAS is a volunteered organisation working towards Championing the the action coalition generation equality thematics which talks about addressing gender based violence, promoting feminist leadership, advancing feminist climate justice, economic justice, sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Enter award of Prizes
The prizes are clarified in six categories namely; Most engaged person in the group Ma Beatrice Ndefon, active aged person Mme Pauline Mbachi, most active country Cameroon, active facilitator Mank Unice, most active organisations Women for change and most funny member Lady Emma.
This movement is made up of individuals, organisations and adolescents who engage in meaningful cross border solidarity in the co creation and collaboration of ideas to enhance Generation Equality especially around the different thematic areas of the six action coalitions, Economic Justice and rights, Bodily Autonomy & SRHR, Climate Justice, Technology & Innovation, Feminist movements & leadership and Gender-based violence.
On her part Ndefon Beatrice member of GenEgalite ECCAS decried the lack of finance and financial support in Africa especially Cameroon. “One of the major problem we have is that we lack financial ability”
“You know the government of Africa and Cameroon in particular are very quick in rectifying international framework, but to set aside finance or budget to follow up women's work is lacking” Ndefon Beatrice lamented.
She added that young adolescents young girls who could join the movement for gender equality they are not enthusiastic, but she is optimistic that in the days ahead they will join the folk.
The AGM was to pave a way forward so that they can be very inclusive, it can be inter generational and we intend not to leave any woman behind. We have been to countries like Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Central Africa Republic and all these countries have given us different versions.
It is true that gender equality and patriarchy has been an issue in all of Africa, but then the French speaking Africa, the central Africa Republic and the Ecas region in particular have been lacking behind.
Cross section of GenEgalite ECCASmembers
So this platform, generation equality platform in the ECCAS region is new with a alot of problems, planning and cohorting every other country as they are envisaging, reaching out to countries like Sao Tome and principe, Angola, Burundi, Rwanda. These are countries that have not yet benefited from their capacity and expertise. “We will continue to work after this planning meeting because we have set rules and regulations, we have set goals to come during the 2022 which we are willing to achieve so we want to get all these countries on board reach out to many more women especially the grass root women.
GenEgalite ECCAS convener
Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo addressing members
”So we want to keep women together, we want to continue to reach as many women as possible but we dont have the finance or we lack finance, so that is one of the biggest problem and also we have girls we intend to bring in, so they can continue while we are fading out.” Ndefon Beatrice explained.
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