fepa

02.12.2022

Ubuntu and development work

A developmental paradigm that focuses on factors that do not understand the concept of Ubuntu will fail even before it is able to leap from the papers it is written on. By Sfe Sebata

FEPA "Sfe makes a powerful argument that community values are the seedbed of development in Africa. Africans who are not alienated from these values will provide the best inputs how development initiatives can work. this is a short version of the longer online text, which provides many more examples from the social reality of the communities and the disconnect of development from that lifeworld. There is not a more Afro-centric culture that is more misunderstood than the concept of Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a Bantu word that means to be human. It is not a mere Sub Saharan Africa concept but the general ethos of being African. This concept says without you there is no me and without me there is no you. We are one and belong to each other -the greater community of humanity."

07.01.2022

Men engage: A debate is needed on ‚positive masculinities‘....

Men from Switzerland and Zimbabwe questioned existing "male myths" and male privileges

FEPA "This summer we had an intensive intercultural debate on how young men can contribute to gender justice. This was prompted by the numerous indications from fepa partner organisations that successful work for gender justice must also involve men. So, we said to ourselves: let's find out how we can tackle this. And so, as men from Switzerland and Zimbabwe, we questioned existing "male myths" and male privileges. We analysed how socialiasation entrenches patriarchal domination. We debated how to overcome binary role models and how to publicly address the taboo and discrimination of diverse gender identities. We saw that the conventional male roles also harm the men themselves and that it is precisely this insight that can motivate us to question gender roles. We discussed our findings with many women. This conversation must continue until equality and justice between all genders are the norm and fundamental."

MMS Bulletin #158

Juni 2021

A beautiful silence in danger

The experiences, gaps in provision and challenges faced by Deaf women in Zimbabwe

This paper focuses on Deaf women and girls, their experiences, challenges and the gaps in provision which they encounter when trying to access gender-based violence (GBV) services. The reluctance of a number of institutions to adopt Sign Language to communicate with Deaf women increases this group’s vulnerability to gender-based violence. Most Deaf women and girls cannot read written English and find the English language complex and difficult to understand. It is essential that institutions in Zimbabwe adopt Sign Language, especially since it has been ratified as an official language in the Zimbabwean constitution.