The GBV Prevention Network coordinated by Raising Voices, was established in 2003. It consists of over 1,000 members from across 19 countries working to address violence against women (VAW) in the Horn, East and Southern Africa (HESA). Membership comprises of both individuals and organizations engaged in violence against women (VAW) prevention and response work.
The Network’s movement building work is aimed at creating a vibrant feminist VAW prevention movement in the region with politicized individuals and organizations engaged in feminist work and creating positive transformations for ending violence against women and girls. To do this we are enhancing member organizations’ feminist analysis of VAW, fostering solidarity between and among members and increasing activism at individual and organization levels to prevent VAW.
The GBV Prevention Network is building critical consciousness and strengthening member’s feminist analysis through individual and organizational strategies. At organizational level, members undergo a feminist introspective process using a methodology developed by the Network called Get Moving!. This process deepens staff’s understanding of VAW from a feminist analysis and creates shifts in organizational culture to reflect feminist values mirroring the transformation organizations wish to create through their work.
At individual level, members are engaged in an online based relationship-building process called Sister to Sister adapted from Get Moving!. This process allows participating female members to connect, share experiences, unpack violence against women concepts and strengthen their individual and collective activism.
Individual members’ consciousness around feminism, power and social justice concepts and values are heightened through Member Rethink and Re energize (RnR) meetings in specific countries. The RnR meetings focus on deepening individuals’ connections to a feminist analysis beyond work with the purpose of sustaining passion for activism through centering politicization of self-care to re-ignite and reconnect activists.
The Network also takes on online activism to enhance solidarity and collaboration among activists online even when it’s not possible to have regular in person meetings. The online engagement on social media sustain feminist analysis conversation among activists – this we find contributes to movement building goals for the violence against women field in the HESA region.
How does the organization define African Feminisms?
African feminism recognizes that African women have a long legacy of resisting patriarchy and multiple oppressions. Feminism in the African context has always been about challenging practices, norms and attitudes that support women’s insubordination. For African women, this also means ensuring that women enjoy violence free lives, have access to resources (e.g. land), opportunities and are able to choose lives in which they can flourish and where their value and worth is upheld.
African cultures promote the same values and ideals as feminism – these are peace, safety, dignity and value of women which are also human rights principles. African feminism is therefore a call for deep meanings and bringing to life these values in ways that truly and equally serve the humanity of women and men in Africa.
Contact Information:
GBV Prevention Network
Plot 16 Tufnell Drive, Kamwokya
P. O Box 6770
Kampala, Uganda
+256 414 532 183 / +256 414 531 186
info@preventgbvafrica.org