Women in Africa and Africa Diaspora (WAAD) Conference
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October 8-17, 2000
Antananarivo & Tamatave, Madagascar
Theme:
Facing the New Millennium: Gender in Africa and the African Di-
aspora -- Retrospection and Prospects
NOTE: This announcement and conference updates are available at
the conference website:
http://www.iupui.edu/~aaws/
(click on "Action Alert" or "WAAD Conference")
PREAMBLE
"Onye amaro ebe nmili si bido mabaya ama ama onye nyelu ya akwa
oji welu ficha aru" (Igbo proverb)/If you do not remember where
the rain started to beat you, you will not remember who gave
you the towel with which to dry your body.
The relationship between history/memory and progress evident in
the above Igbo proverb reflects the Janus-faced enterprise that
is evoked by the third international conference on Women in Af-
rica and African Diaspora (WAAD III), to be held in magnificent
Madagascar at the dawn of a new millennium (October 2000). In
the tradition of WAAD conferences, WAAD III focuses on issues
relating to women of African descent but more than before, the
meeting in Madagascar will draw attention to the urgency and
pertinence of a sense of history as participants engage simul-
taneously in stocktaking and mapping forward-looking strategies
for future engagements.
WAAD has its own history. The first conference (WAAD I), which
was held in 1992 in the rural Igbo town of Nsukka (Nigeria),
brought together over 700 men and women from all continents.
The sub-theme of WAAD I, "Bridges across Activism and the Acad-
emy," underscores the conference's primary goal of providing an
arena for the equal participation of researchers and grassroots
women, men, and organizations.
The second conference held in the American city of Indianapolis
in October 1998 gathered hundreds of participants from 35 coun-
tries and 48 national and international organizations to exam-
ine issues related to the health and human rights of women of
African descent. In her keynote address delivered at the Indi-
anapolis conference, Dr. Nawal El Saadawi focused on women's
struggles, strategies, and persistence. She endorsed her speech
with the message that women must talk more amongst themselves,
differences notwithstanding, in the quest for self-discovery
and in fashioning new strategies for empowerment and develop-
ment. This third conference to be held in the historic and
beautiful island of Madagascar will examine, in cross-
disciplinary terms, women in relation to history and develop-
ment.
As we draw close to the end of a variegated millennium charac-
terized by catalogues of global cataclysms, monumental disinte-
gration and destabilization in some parts and unparalleled har-
monization of disparate units in others enhanced by technologi-
cal milestones, certain crucial issues come to mind. Some peo-
ple are concerned that the attention given to women and gender
might erode the Africanness of women and men of Africa and the
African Diaspora, disfigure the culture and disregard the his-
tory of Africa. They are also apprehensive of global feminist
movements, middle-class and Euro-American concerns that might
undermine the struggle of women of African descent.
Some would like to de-emphasize sex-segregation and its con-
comitant battles and aim at a synthesis that cuts across gen-
der, colour, class and creed. Others argue that the grisly re-
ality of African problems makes urgent a full accounting of the
ramifications of gender, as a category, in harnessing the full
potential of all (men and women) needed to roll the wheel of
progress. What is/should be our stand on these issues?
As we enter a new age, what should be the African response to
non-African structures as they relate to women and gender, gen-
der synthesis, etc.? What constitutes the Africanness of the
woman? What is "woman" in Africa and the Diaspora? An examina-
tion of any of these issues and questions necessarily directs
an inward look into the African structure and history in order
to engage development. What kind of development? Whose develop-
ment?
Discussing the issue of development, K. Y. Amoako, the Execu-
tive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa asserts
that "Africa is experiencing a renaissance." What is the gender
implication of this renaissance? Can African women traverse the
millennial highway with their male counterparts? What tech-
niques, tools or skills are needed for this enterprise? Con-
structive analysis of governance, economic and legal reforms,
cultural norms as well as oral and written literatures, the me-
dia and information technology aimed at gender-friendly recon-
struction is the starting point of engagement for the WAAD III
gathering of individuals and organizations.
PARTICIPANTS: WAAD does not discriminate on the basis of gen-
der, class, race, religious affiliation, ethnicity, national
origin, etc. Researchers, students, activists and policy mak-
ers, members of the media, writers and artists as well as all
those who are interested in issues relating to women in Africa
and the African Diaspora are invited to participate in this
conference.
FORMAT: There will be keynote/plenary speeches, panel presenta-
tions, workshops, forums, town-meetings, art exhibitions,
photo/slide presentations, and film screening. Because the con-
ference is designed to encourage maximum participation from
students and grassroots men, women, and organizations, we will
create an environment conducive to a free flow of information
and exchanges.
LANGUAGE: English and French are the official languages of
WAAD. Proposals and papers in both languages will be accepted.
PAPERS: We expect papers which deal with the sources, nature,
strengths and weaknesses of gender as well as the forces and
structures that impact gender, those that have continued to
shape gender, and those that are expected to influence it in
the new millennium. Aspects of this broad field should be tack-
led as they relate to various fields and concerns such as arts,
culture, economy, education, politics, science, ethnicity and
diversity, war and peace, postcolonialism, globalization etc.
For example, the entry of women into the political arena (or
any other arena) could be debated in terms of its historical
antecedents and the postcolonial setting of socio-economic im-
peratives and contemporary global geopolitics. Although we ex-
pect cross-disciplinary approaches, the papers would be grouped
under the following headings (NOTE: The sections are not mutu-
ally exclusive. Therefore, issues in the areas are expected to
intersect across disciplines. Other topic suggestions are wel-
come provided they relate to the theme of the conference):
THEORY: Papers should address concepts, theoretical questions,
and issues such as womanism, feminism, gender, biologism, sex
and sexualities, masculinities, female underdevelopment, patri-
archy, gender education, structural inequality, motherhood, em-
powerment, power systems, polygamy, matriarchy, gender attitude
etc. Is gender significant in the social, political and eco-
nomic agenda of African states? What is the panacea for change-
-gender rhetoric, symbolic action, tokens, policies, what? In
the light of the multiple relegation of women due to race, gen-
der, class and caste, should we declare that any pro-poor and
anti-poverty program would benefit women provided they are pro-
gender as well? What should be the policy of governments to-
wards programs? Should they be targeted to women exclusively or
to the broad-based population?
CONFLICTS/PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS & THE LAW: How do issues such as
women's rights, human rights, and legislation relate to rape,
femicide, and other forms of violence against women as well as
to African traditional institutions and practices such as cir-
cumcision, marriage, family, widowhood rites and ceremonies?
What is the status of women in traditional, statutory, reli-
gious (Islamic, Christian etc.) and international laws? What
are the consequences of wars/social conflicts on women - not
only as victims of wars but also as makers of peace?
HEALTH AND SERVICES: We expect papers to address issues in tra-
ditional and modern health delivery, evaluate policies, health
care and sanitation services, cultural practices related to
women's health, child and maternal care, rethink issues in
children's socialization, aging, emotional and mental health,
and propose strategies for tackling endemic diseases such as
malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. For example, are there Af-
rican, grassroots, cultural alternatives to the prevailing
safe-sex prescription for controlling incurable sexual dis-
eases? How effective/relevant are they in the new global vil-
lage?
ARTS AND HUMANITIES: Construction, deconstruction and recon-
struction of images and myths (of women and gender) which in-
hibit progress are major issues in the discipline. Papers
should address African/African Diaspora gender construction,
reconstruction, influences and projection in the work of story-
tellers, writers, poets, artists, dramatists, performers, musi-
cians, film-makers, information technicians, and media experts.
What is and should be the place of women in professions in the
arts (film, theatre, plastic and fine arts etc.) publishing,
information technology, and communication - as makers, receiv-
ers, postcolonial/postmodern subjects in the new millennium?
EDUCATION: The nature and value of existing educa-
tion/educational systems will be investigated. Is the colo-
nial/western-oriented education adequate in preparing Africans
to question gender realities and women's education, tackle the
massive globalization and aggressive world capital, and trans-
form rather than conform to such realities? What are the pros-
pects of non-institutionalized education--radio, video, the
television and tele-centers? Is there a place or need for femi-
nist/womanist/gender conscientization in the educational set-
up?
POLITICAL ECONOMY: Insidious gap between Africa and African Di-
aspora as well as widening gulf between African and Caucasian
worlds are of serious concern - women and governance, democra-
tization, militarization, activism, constitutional changes,
war, peace and security, African women and global economy,
prospects of small holdings and free market in the reign of
capitalism, pre-industrial, industrial and post-industrial ex-
perience and complexes, indigenisation, privatization, non gov-
ernmental organizations (NGOs), political and economic emanci-
pation, urban/rural, African/Diaspora, north/south, role/work
are possible areas of investigation.
RELIGION: What is the status of women in the old and new relig-
ions, sects and cults? What is its impact on the new world or-
der, diversity and feminist/womanist ideology/theology? What is
the role/use of religion in women's lives/predicament and what
are its prospects for women's development and empowerment?
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Traditional and modern science, the
role of women in science and the use of science for women and
gender categorizations are important areas of concern. For ex-
ample, the implications of male-centered and women-hostile
equipment are topical issues.
CULTURE: Papers should use the broad perspective of culture to
engage any aspect of the above categories in their inter-
connectedness. For example, traditional role-sharing can inter-
sect with marital stress which is a health issue and poverty
which is an economic issue.
NETWORKING: The regionalization of WAAD operations will allow
the different regions (through the country representatives and
regional co-ordinators) to bring to the table agendas which re-
flect regional realities and specificity. The conference will
provide a fertile ground for networking as participants search
for solutions to these issues in their uniqueness and similari-
ties.
Obioma Nnaemeka
Convenor
Third WAAD Conference
Women's Studies Program
Cavanaugh Hall Room 001C
Indiana University, 425
University Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Tel: +1-317-278-2038, +1-317-274-7611 or +1-317-274-0062
Fax: +1-317-274-2347
mailto:nnaemeka@iupui.edu
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