The Africans Rising Movement, Gambia Chapter was on Thursday, May 25th, 2016 launched at a ceremony held at the ActionAid – The Cambia conference hall along MDI in Kanifing.
The launching coincided with the Africa Day celebration throughout the continent.
Africans Rising is a Pan-African youth movement committed to expanding space for civic and political action; fighting for women’s rights and freedoms across society; fighting to ensure equity and dignity; demanding good governance by fighting corruption and impunity and demanding climate and environmental justice among others.
The process of the formation that started as the African Civil Society Center in October 2015, widened into the Africa Civil Society Initiative in May 2016.
On 23rd-24th August 2016, over two hundred and seventy two representatives from civil society, trade unions, women, young people, men, people living with disabilities, parliamentarian, media organizations and faith-based groups from across 40 African countries and the African Diaspora gathered at the MS Training Center for Development Cooperation (TCDC) in Arusha, Tanzania and committed to build a Pan-African movement that recognizes rights and freedoms of the people.
The movement is also determined to foster an Africa-wide solidarity and unity of purpose of the peoples of Africa to build the ‘future we want’, a right to peace, social inclusion and shared prosperity.
Speaking at the launching, Omar Badjie, executive director of ActionAid – The Gambia said Africans Rising was formed after rigorous and intense mobilization by different people, institutions and governments.
According to him, the formation of the movement is necessitated by the shrinking political spaces in the continent, citing the recent Gambia’s political impasse as a good example.
“Similar to the Gambia is what is happening in Uganda and Zimbabwe and many other countries. We then thought that we need to come together and work and fight such” he said.
Mr Badjie added that violation against women is also another genuine reason why the formation of the movement. He said in most or all African countries, women are denied taking part in decision making especially on matters that directly affect their lives.
“Corruption is another issue. Most African leaders do loot our monies and don’t keep it in Africa but outside the continent. Huge amount of money goes out of the continent at the expense of the poor people. This is hindering our progress. We think we need to rise as Africans and find a common solution. Inequality is also a major issue of concern to this movement” he said.
He then highlighted the major contribution by ActionAid towards the formation of this movement. He assured that the NGO will continue to collaborate and contribute in ensuring that tho movement goals are achieved.
Alimamo Barrow, head of Programmes and Policy at ActionAid – The Gambia (AAITG) gave an overview of Africans Rising Movement and its relation to the Gambian context.
He said Africans Rising is a growing and self- selecting collective of social movements, NGOs, peoples and popular social justice movements, intellectuals, artist, sports people, cultural activists and others across the continent and the Diaspora. He said people who have given input to the development of the movement agree that African unity reflected by greater social, political and economic integration is critical for Africa and its peoples, nations and nationalities – a united civil society should be the vanguard of such a movement for justice, peace and dignity.
“Africans and indeed civil society in Africa is under assault on many fronts. We are experiencing many restrictions on political space, the erosion of women’s rights, rampant corruption that aids illicit financial outflows, natural resources devastation and increasing threats to peace and security” he said.
According to him, we should be living in a peaceful, prosperous and health Africa buy instead, Africa becomes focused on mere survival. He said unity, political and economic freedom and prosperity is critical for Africa and its people to progress and thrive.
For his part, Alhagie Jarjue, Programme manager, National Youth Council recalled the calls made by various Pan-African leaders like Nelson Mandela, Nkwame Nkurumah whobhas ever been advocating for the continent to be united. He said Africa has ever been struggling to unite but to date cannot be possible.
He highlighted corruption and poverty as a major obstacle to Africa’s progress and urged the young people to fill the man power gap.
“Let’s work on the mindset of our young people. It is the responsibility of the government to provide jobs, education but unfortunately that has not been the case in the former regime. They should make relevance in our education system if we really need to fight poverty. There must also be a decent employment” he said.
He made it clear that the change has to begin in the young people who should sacrifice today to reap the benefits tomorrow without which the continent will never rise.
The launching ceremony ended with Isatou Jeng, NGBV and TGA reading the Kilimanjaro Declaration.
