Fatma Zohra Karadja
Algeria
A specific toolkit that is invaluable in enabling our work is the African Feminist Charter in Africa.
It is our responsibility to use it, disseminate it, adapt it and even make revisions as we start
implementing with renewed vigour to revitalise our efforts for women’s rights.
I live in Algeria. I am the Director of an organisation that supports abandoned
children and marginalised women. I am also the Chair of an organisation that
promotes the rights of women and children and provides psychological support
to mothers. I am currently the Vice President of ECOSOCC/AU (Economic and
Social Cultural Council of the African Union).
I boldly call myself a feminist because since being a student I have always
been committed to defend women’s rights. This has influenced and shaped my
professional choices and well as my community work.
Despite strides in education and extensive work to promote the status of women,
African women continue to be subjected to social injustice and patriarchal
systems that continue to inhibit women’s dignity, rights and development. The
main challenge for activists is to ensure the implementation of the various
conventions and instruments ratified by governments. To effectively push back
against efforts targeted at hampering women’s advancement, it is necessary for
feminists to create and nurture vibrant regional networks. However, we need
to think more creatively about how to ensure that these networks function well
and assist in propelling us forward towards or ultimate goals. We also need to
organise ourselves in such a way that on the one level we continue to ensure
that we advocate for new legislation where necessary, or implementation and
honouring of existing legislative instruments that promote our objectives and
goals. Finally, we need to develop new ways of thinking around how we
at community and societal level effectively curb gender-based violence and
discrimination.
To achieve this, we have many resources at our disposal. We have the
experiences of feminists across the continent who have seen many changes,
we have toolkits and guides, and we even have our own funding initiatives. A
specific toolkit that is invaluable in enabling our work is the African Feminist
Charter in Africa. It is our responsibility to use it, disseminate it, adapt it and
even make revisions as we start implementing with renewed vigour to revitalise
our efforts for women’s rights.
On a personal level, I have managed to assert my feminist identity in my family
as well as community. Moreover I have managed to bring up my two children,
a girl and a boy within the principles of equality. In the 70s I took a bold
step by creating a safe space to provide support for single mothers that were
ostracised by their communities. I am deeply inspired by equality and what it
represents. It does not have to remain an ideal – but can be a lived reality. I
also completely ascribe to freedom and choices. As a feminist movement our
goal is not to have all women be the same. Our fight has been to ensure that
women have the freedom to choose how they wish to live their lives and to be
respected for whatever choices they make.
VPS II
. 65