International Forum for Indigenous Women: Creative session at AWID

Transformative Learning and Leadership: Feminist Voices from the Ground, AWID 11th Forum, Cape Town, 14-17 November 2008


The session on Saturday 15th November was organised by the International Indigenous Women's Network and facilitated by Katrin Wilde of the Channel Foundation. The pannelist included, Tania Pariona, Annetta Bok (from Cape Town), Jennifer Tauli Corpuz and myself. Women from different countries split into small groups to discuss the experiences and also a rather lovely poem about the journey to Utopia. In my group we had a lady from Afghanistan, working from UNIFEM, a cool Roma activist from Macedonia and a woman from Angola, as well as other women that helped make the discussions lively and interesting. All brought their own stories and takes on the movements and struggles they have been involved in, with both personal and professional perspectives.

It has been great to meet so many amazingly committed and hard working women. And also to learn that I might just be a feminist.

I have listened to Shirin Ebadi speak about the experience of Iranian women and human rights defenders.

Today I also attended a session by the Centre for Global Women's Leadership, which discussed Violence against Women-The Big Ask. It has been an inspiring time, with over 2200 women gathered. It is the last day of the conference tomorrow, and I can't wait to see what happens during the plenary, which it is always puts the day and feminism in perspective.