Lesley Ann Foster
South Africa
I am inspired by the wisdom, strength, courage and power of my daughter, who as a young adult
is making her way through life in a truly amazing way.
I live in East London, South Africa. My work is across 26 African countries
because I am president of Amanitare Sexual Rights Network. I am also on the
board of IWRAW AP and our work is across 122 countries. I work on issues
of gender equality and social justice, with specific focus on violence against
women, HIV/AIDS and sexual reproductive health and rights. My personal
vision is to work towards a world where all women are free and enjoy all their
human rights.
I call myself a feminist I will not accept inequality and I recognise that our
society is a patriarchal one in which power, control and privilege are vested
in men. This leads to women suffering many forms of discrimination and
oppression within their families, communities and society as a whole. Women
are full human beings with the ability to determine their own destinies and are
entitled to the freedom to control their own bodies, their lives and determine
the place they want to occupy in life. Women are full human beings and should
be accorded the respect and dignity that comes with being human.
African women across the continent face the challenge of patriarchy which is
embedded in every system within African society. It dominates our economic,
social, cultural, religious, and traditional systems and serves mainly to oppress
women. Our challenge comes from the fact that patriarchy, colonization and
our political systems (e.g. apartheid) has robbed us of a true sense of our
power as women. Too many women suffer from a lack of self esteem from low
self worth and a lack of confidence.
Our starting point needs to be to re-establish a strong sense of identity and
power among women. Then, it is important that we transfer knowledge and
skills to younger people through inter-generational forums and to document our
history and share this across the continent. We should also establish a feminist
body with a political focus that works to develop young feminists and provide
an ongoing feminist critique and analysis of events on the continent. A constant
flow of information (using the range of ICTs) to women is needed to build the
movement. I have worked to free myself from oppression at a personal level by
seeking to free myself from the notion that I needed a partner in order to be a
complete human being.
I have resisted relationships in which I am expected to be subservient to a man
or where I have to give up my dreams and aspirations in order to be accepted.
At a professional level I work to build women’s knowledge and understanding
of themselves and of their potential to be change agents in their own lives
and in that of other women. I have dedicated my life to supporting women in
their journeys of transformation and liberation. I am inspired by the wisdom,
strength, courage and power of my daughter, who as a young adult is making
her way through life in a truly amazing way.
I am inspired by my two grandsons whose innocence, creativity and intelligence
excite me. I am inspired by the strength and courage I observe in women
every day.
VPS II
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