Africa Snapshot

By 1999, 16 of the 53 African nations were embroiled in armed conflicts that ranged from regional disputes to internal civil and tribal wars. The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has involved seven neighboring nations. This war has caused the death of an estimated 40,000 people. Despite several peace initiatives, conflicts continue over basic resources such as water, access and control over minerals and differing political agendas. In Angola an estimated 500,000 people have been killed and 3 million people displaced since 1989. Various factions are fighting over resources such as diamonds and offshore oil. Eritrea's 30-year war of independence from Ethiopia resulted in over 2 million deaths. In an April 1993 internationally monitored referendum, civilians voted overwhelmingly for peace and independence. A minor border dispute in May 1998 still challenges the fragile peace agreement. The people of Sierra Leone have endured severe and grotesque human rights violations since 1991 when civil war broke out. More than 50,000 people have been killed to date, and over one million people displaced.

Since 1995, the Global Fund for Women has provided over $340,000 in direct support to women's groups in these five countries.

Semente Para o Desenvolvimento de Angola (Luanda, Angola)

Held as a political prisoner during the prolonged civil war in Angola, Florbela Malaquais, Director of Semente Para o Desenvolvimento de Angola (Seeds for the Development of Angola), has had first-hand experience with the human rights violations endured by women in areas of conflict.

She reports: "As a dissenting voice against these crimes, I was held as a political prisoner, persecuted and tortured... Once I escaped to the capital, I compiled a long list of women who remained in danger and sought the attention of the international community. All of those women turned up murdered."

The group uses a weekly radio program, Equal Voices, to explore avenues for peace and reconciliation. With a $12,000 grant from the Global Fund in 2001, the group is producing community theater in four national languages aimed at educating the large population of displaced and illiterate women about international human rights laws, and how to use them to demand increased security.

Women for Women
(Freetown, Sierra Leone)

Women for Women was founded in 1996 to bring justice to female survivors of war and genocide in Sierra Leone. The group created a forum for grassroots women to play a role in designing the mandate and composition of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which was established to address human rights violations incurred during the war. With a Global Fund grant of $5,000 in 2000, Women for Women complements the activities of the Commission by organizing workshops and seminars on peace building and conflict resolution techniques for women in displaced persons' camps. The group also offers counseling services to young girls who suffered rape, forced amputation and other forms of torture during the armed conflict.

Sevota (Kigali, Rwanda)

Based in the commune of Taba, 39 kilometers outside Kigali, Sevota reaches out to 1,700 widows, orphans, foster parents, and female survivors of violence and genocide. Survivors of the Rwandan genocide of 1994 founded Sevota to reduce the isolation of women and to encourage participation in the reconstruction of the country. Amidst formidable challenges, women struggle to rebuild social relationships and the infrastructure of daily life. A Global Fund grant of $10,000 in 2001 supports commune activities that include human rights education, legal and health counseling, rehabilitation and detraumatization services, and a new in-patient wellness center.

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