SASF trip to Malawi

By Brenda Zulu

I woke up at 04:30 in the morning to prepare for my 06:00 hours bus trip to Malawi. This was already enough pain for me since I had just arrived from another trip from the Copperbelt the previous day.

When I arrived at the Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) offices in town, I found few people had already arrived. By the time the hour was six many people had arrived.

A bus came and all of us quickly found seats and were ready to go. To most of our surprises we were told that we would leave in the next bus. The first bus left with those people who were in groups such as artists. For those of us who remained we waited for members from the NGOCC.

To our surprise we were no longer leaving with the hired bus but had to leave with public transport because the 10 people who were supposed to leave with us from NGOCC were suddenly asked to stay by their Chairperson. She was allegedly reported to have not liked the people who were chosen to attend the Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF).

Members of the Zambia Social Forum were amazed at the Chairpersons decision of not to like those who had been listed to participate in the social forum to be held in Malawi. Was the Chairperson in order?

Zambia Social Forum has never succeeded in creating partnerships especially when it comes to social forum activities. It tried to hold the it’s national social forum together with the Civil Society Day and because of elections date issues and logistics which the ZSF did not have all this was a failure. Now again this partnership in having a joint trip with NGOCC did not work for the Zambia Social Forum because the chairperson had pulled out at the eleventh hour.
Already a bus had left and it had carried one NGOCC representative. I wonder how this person will explain himself to the Chairperson.

As someone who had contributed to writing the proposal to enable some Zambians participate in the social forum I was surprised to hear that we had hired buses to travel to Malawi unlike using our original plan where we were to pay for seats on the Zambia Malawi bus.

Being ready at six we were only able to start off from Lusaka at around 11:45 hours as we got on a bus to Chipata hoping we would find transport at the Zambia/ Malawi border. As we reached Chipata we were told that we would get stranded if we took a risk to go to the boarder as it was already late for us to find transport.

So we waited for the Zambia/Malawi bus where some of our colleagues in our group had to stand till we reached Lilongwe. On arrival in Lilongwe we booked a mini bus which took us to where we had been booked at Chilambula lodge. Malawi Police patrols gave us an escort up the lodge and we reached safe and sound.

Inputs from the NGOCC former Chairperson and the Executive Director
19/12/2006
Dear all,

Thankyou for your contribution. I have added you inputs to the Blog check http://sasfnews2003.blogspot.com/

For transparency's sake i have copied this e-mail to the Zambia Social Forum mailing list because this subject matter was discussed in the SASF/MALAWI post meeting. Minutes should be there to show what transpired.


regards
Brenda Zulu
http://brendait.blogspot.com/

Engwase Mwale wrote:
Good morning Ms Muyoyeta,
The SASF story attributed to you makes very sad reading and in this time and era when information is readily available, it is indeed of concern that even journalists would fall in this predicament. All we can request is to meet with Brenda to put this issue in its right context, like you have already done, so that the truth is known by everyone.
These are issues of accountability and you are right to demand for retraction as we arrange to meet with Brenda.
Keep well for now.
EngwaseLucy Muyoyeta wrote:
Dear Brenda,

I am afraid you are wrong because there was nothing factual about what you wrote instead it was just malicious defamation of my character. I too know my rights and will accept nothing short of a full retraction of what you said because it is untrue. I have no interest in contributing to a travelogue that seems to serve little purpose except peddle untruths and sensationalise for nothing.

The facts as they stand is that with the full backing of NGOCC 's regulation I withdrew that trip for the following reasons.

1. NGOCCs regulations stipulate that new activities that are not part of the year's approved plans and budget require board approval before they are undertaken. Fact is that there was no board approval for this activity which was a new one and not part of prior approved activities.

2. There was a request for huge amounts of cash to be drawn for the people travelling. To stem abuse NGOCC procedures do not allow for huge amounts of cash to be drawn. You see unlike others, we apply due diligence and care in use of public funds.

3. Before anyone travels to represent NGOCC outside the country, the Executive Director and Chairperson working in consultation with each other must approve the people to travel using set criteria. In this case, I as chairperson was not consulted.

You will see from the above rather than the pettiness you attributed to me in your article, it was professionalism and due care for public resources that guided my actions in this case as in all my day to day dealings.

For your own information, this matter was brought before the just ended NGOCC General Assembly ( the Supreme Policy and Decision making body of NGOCC) and the Executive Director of NGOCC asked that I make no response for she takes full responsibility for the lapses that occurred.

So, I make no apologies for the action I took and request that you retract your article because the facts speak for themselves. I have copied this Email to the NGOCC Executive Director since she is mentioned.

Lucy Muyoyetabrenda zulu wrote:
Dear Lucy Muyoyeta,

As a Journalist i have a right to write in fact and substance and would just welcome your input to my travelogue to Malawi.

Since i am the one who manages content on the SASF News Blog, i will add your contribution on the blog and will avail you the website.

Regards
Brenda Zulu
http://brendait.blogspot.com/

http://sasfnews2003.blogspot.com/



wrote:
Dear Brenda,

The article as mentioned above, which you did for the Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF) News has just been brought to my attention.

I am shocked that the most basic tenets of journalism was ignored by you. You chose to publish very damaging allegations about the chairperson of NGOCC (who at the time was myself) without even bothering to check with me and hearing my side of the story.

I would be grateful to hear from you on this matter so that a retraction is made and the whole world (for indeed it is the whole world because the said article is on the Internet) can get to know what indeed transpired in this case.

Thank you

Lucy Muyoyeta

PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS CONDEMNS THE CHURCH LEADERS

By Tionge Mphombo Kalua
People living with HIV/AIDS condemned the behavior of church leaders on satarday at Southern Africa Social Forum in Lilongwe that they like practising stigima and discrimination to people living with HIV/AIDS. This was discussed among many delegates from different countries including Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique among others.
The Board Chairperson for Livingstonia Synod Aids Program (LISAP) Mrs Lilian Dindi Kumwenda who chaired the Malawi Forum (Northern Chapter) said that most of faith leaders segregate people with HIV/AIDS.
She added that most leaders are full of fear to know about their status and they end up dying silently with the diesese.
She further accused the Christians and Moslem leaders that they deny the use of condoms among their members claiming that it promotes prostitution.
Commenting on the matter the delegates said that the cchurch should encourage its people to go for voluntary councelling and testing and that youths to use copndoms if they can not abstain.
The Church Deacon for Rumhi CCA (Livingstonia Synod Elikana Mhango denied that their denomination doesn’t segregate eole living with HIVAIDS and they don’t regard them as sinners because they don’t know how they were infected. She added that they don’t tell their youths to use condoms instead they encourage abstainance.
According to T.A Mkaya a Moslem leader from Mkaya 1 in Balaka denied the accusations that they don’t ractise stigma and deescriminaation in their beliefs arguing that eole with HIV AIDS are equal to any erson and they advise them to follow the health regulations. He further revealed that their member are encouraged to use condoms effectively as well as they havee to abstain.
Gladys Mokolo a Soth African delegate declined the fact that churches discriminate eole living with HIVAIDS .She added that the Roman Catholic Church doent advise youths to use condoms but to totally abtain.
Commenting on the matter Felia Rifa of Seventh Daay Adventist Church in Zimbabwe complained that their church ddescriminate the eole living with HIVAIDS in times of the Lord Suer where Christians wash each others feeets and members shun away from the victims. She claimed that most eeole do this because of ignorance on how the disease is transmitted. Rifa revealed that their church doent tell their members to use condoms.
On the HIV/AIDS treatment the delegates complained the Health Practitioners doesn’t treat the positive patients well. They urged the Government to consider the budget for ARVs for 2008 Grobal funding shall end so that people with HIV/AIDS should access the ARVs and live longer.
Asked to comment on the matterr Agatha Mbulo and Dorothy Ngonga of Zambia National Marketies Association (ZANAMA) said that the government should sympathise with the people living with HIV/AIDS and give them the necessary help they need.
Delegates accused the cultural practises like chokolo, mitala, kulowa kufa as the most ways contacting HIV/AIDS and urged that the practises should be abolished.

SASF to use traditional dances for sending out messages

By Daniel Manyowa

At the end of a three day Southern Africa social Forum (SASF) meeting held at Civo stadium Lilongwe Malawi from 13 to 15 the of October 15, 2006 the gathering agreed to use traditional dances as a tool to disseminate various information to the masses.
The delegates said beside the dances are entertaining which attracts a lot of people the same has been proved to be effective means of relaying information as most of the dances are conducted in local languages which the majority of the people are reached.
“Traditional dances are entertaining hence attracts a lot of people who inturn gets the messages as they are paying their attentions to the dancing,” narrated Rebecca Bwayala of the youth development and advancement organization (YEDEO)
The Malawian girl said her organization would eventually adopt the kind of dances from South Africa which are so unique and attracts a lot of the youth.
Communication is done both verbally and non verbal way but dancing combines both ways as singing goes along with shaking of ones bodies.
“ the use of traditional dances is very effective in my opinion in the sense that local languages are used and a lot more people can comphrehed the messges be it on aids or Poverty,” Swaziland based Muze Sithebe observed.
Sithebe a member of the Swazi labour movement said the traditional dances are vtal ways of communication as they relay past and current happenings.
Zambians also feel traditional dances are vital tools of passing on messages as the singing and dancing can also take awy worries especially to those affected and living with HIV/AIDS
“People are soothed and worries are taken from their minds as the watch and listen to tradtion dances , those suffering from Aids can greately benefit from traditional dances,” Harry Kaela of the Alliance for Zambia informal economy Association (AZIEA)
Kaele said the civil society should not ignore traditional dances as majority of Africans enjoy dancing and watching of music.
During the second day of the Lilongwe forum delegates from the members countries displayed various traditional dances that enhanced the spirit solidarity and Africanism.

CULTURE FIGHTS POVERTY

By Madalitso Kateta

Imbawula Trust, a Johannesburg based cultural association has said culture has a great role to play in the fight of Africa’s poverty.

Nqobile Lethebe, publicity officer for the Trust said in Lilongwe, Malawi that the African continent has been going through acute poverty as a result of the decline of moral values which has come as a result of the cultural social breakdowns in the continent.

Lethebe said that the African continent had great potential to develop if citizens were inspired by their cultural and social customs which he described as vital in the development of peoples mental and social stability.

He said his organisation has been organising cultural festivals which are aimed at improving people’s economic and social lives through culture.

He said the continent was the home of arts and its inhabitants should address social economic ills through the provocation of dialogue that inspires thoughts.

According to Lethebe, the Imbawula Trust has been very influential in the fight against South Africa’s major problems of unemployment, disease, HIV/Aids, poor education standards, poor housing and clime.

Women educationists shine at forum

By Rebecca Chimjeka

Local winners of the anti-aids club in Malawi, the Kafulu Primary School FAWEMA girls’ Club were proud to be part of the forum to perform.
The patron of the girls club Moses Phiri said the school came to the forum for the participants to appreciate on how the school is doing, learn from others sensitise the parents on how they can over come violence which a lot of children are facing.
He added that their club has engaged in the fight against the many violence the girls are facing as well as the fight the pandemic for the change of their approach claiming that the promotion of condom use had increase the rate of sexual promiscuity among the young girls.
The girls’ message was relayed through performances like press conference, drama, and a dance that carried messages concerning the violence against girls.
Commenting on the FAWEMA club performance, a Mozambique participant Gregory Ulule who is also executive member for Mozambique Education for All Movement said his country is also experiencing the same as a lot of girls are being abused mostly by their teachers.
She said there is a high dropping out rate in Mozambique because their rights are abused by teachers.
“Many children in Mozambique especially girls are dropping from school at an elementally level which he said he will make sure after the forum to engage a lot of girls and boys as well to copy from the Malawian counterparts on how the children in Mozambique can be able to overcome a lot of violence their facing in day to day life,said Gregory.
He added that Mozambique and girls are facing a lot of sexual harassment from their teachers whom he said they take advantage because they are no tough laws which can protect the girls.
He however disclosed that his organisation with the funding from UNICEF and Action Aid have embarked on a 2 year campaign with the objective to sensitise parents, government the civil society as well as teachers the need to have the girls educated and ask the government through the judicially to intact laws which will serve the girls from sexual harassment.
He therefore said the project will among other thing encourage the girls to report any violence they may encounter to the relevant organisations dealing with child rights and gender based violence.

SA WOMEN MUST MOVE FROM THE MARGIN TO THE CENTRE

BY GABRIEL MALIWA

If you draw a circle where would you put woman? On the periphery some where in the middle or perhaps in the centre.
A 3 day workshop of SASF which ended yesterday in Lilongwe has revealed that in the region women are living at the margin instead of being at the centre as same as men.
SASF says women in a region are still experiencing marginasalisation ranging from Economic, politics social, church and education.
It says women in a region are facing common problems in the area of gender based violence acts.Economically women in a region are not empowered as most economical issues are handled by men, women are at the margin as results most women are abused because they don’t have a say when it comes to the issues dealing with money as results men take advantage of abusing women in the region.
SASF also unfolded that in aregion women continue to suffer much compared with men as women are considered as un rational being which need men to think for them, men seems to forget that women too are rational being equal to men.
Number of participants from the region who were participanting shared experiences on how gender based violences have affected their women in the region.
Idaishe Chengu a Zimbabwean participant on her remarks said women is Zimbabwe are not taken in board when it comes to issues of decision process making only men are involved in this act as results most women are abused because most decision are favouring men leaving women at the margin.
Idaishe continue to say women are denied their rights of taking part in economical businesses as most lending money instution favours men and these resulted due to absence of knowledge in gender equality summed Idaishe.
Lakanda Mwalasikwanda a Zambian student says in zambia almost 70% working people are men as the country is too patriotick due to this most men are are abusing women and they are victims of poverty because they cannot afford to support themselves always they depend on men says Lakanda.
Pitsi Mokgehle a south African said the acts of gender based violences are still existing in a country and in a region.
He said the drive factor to this mal act is our culture in a region as our culture in a region does not give a room to women , based on the ground that our culture demand silence from women.
Pitsi said as our problem on gender based violence are the same in the region we hope that SAFS as it will present its millestone to the forth coming meeting in Kenya early next year the methodology on addressing the problem will bring change to our region Pitsi said.
Vanesa Mwase and Stella I ssa Malawians participants on their remaks says in Malawi gender based violences will not end if women will not be involved in policy making as most policies favour men and this has negative impact to the region leaving women at the margin instead of being at the centre of action, they said,
Tiara Lyton says women in aregion are taking as spectators of men and this will end if our leaders in region will change their attitude towards women as they are always regarding women as irrational being forgetting that all beings are equal by nature. Confessed Tiara.
SASF as preparation for the forth coming meeting which be held in Nairobi eary next year has prepared millestone which will help to address the gender based violences problems in a region and some of the millestone are to urge our leaders in the region to give a room to women to hold high postion in government set up as most top postion are taken by men leaving women at the margin, time has come whereby women should move from the margin to the centre.
It has also put millestone which will facilitate that education curriculum in aregion should have componet which enlighten negative impact on sideline women in development entities and mass campaign on promoting women in all sectors in a region.
SASF has vowed to implement and actualize millestone which have been agreed upon to bring change to our region as another southern A
frica is possible and the backbone of this change is to become one as a region and Africa.

SADC GOVERNMENTS URGED TO BE ON TRACK TOWARDS FULFIILING MDGS

By Fazilla Tembo, Ulemu Teputepu & Susan Mwape

Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF) participants have agreed that citizens and Civil Society Organizations should stand up and join hands to ensure their respective governments in SADC are on track towards the fulfilling of Millennium Development Goals.
During the social march that marked the end of 2006 SASF, carrying colorful banners and t-shirts of all colors and different messages. Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Malawi all walked from Civil Stadium to the City Hall about five kilometers.
According to a communiqué presented at the SASF on Sunday at Civil Stadium in Lilongwe, SADC countries should commit themselves to honor their commitments from then Abuja Declaration on Health and the Mug’s.
After the participants marched on the lasts day of the forum in solidarity speeches after the March country representatives called for an end to neo-liberalism and imperialism, participants observed a moment of silence of for all the late brothers and sisters that had died in the struggle against negative forces that had not been of their own making.
Participants of SASF expressed the need for government with free media and access to information, thy said that they were tired with dictatorship cover ups, they called for quick implementation of land within the forum saying, they should talk less and act more.
SADC governments must design policies and set aside adequate resources to achieve the goals, it said.
It said governments in the region should ensure that citizens particularly those in rural areas are consulted widely to ensure that national development policies on health reflect the needs and concerns.
“Governments should take the responsibility to educate, sensitize citizens on their health rights and that information should be disseminated in vernacular language,” reads the communiqué.
It further said they should prioritize access to treatment like having health facilities near the communities and essential drugs like Anti retroviral (ARV’s), malaria drugs, tuberculosis.
The communiqué added that governments should recognize that women are critical to fighting poverty and that no poverty eradication programme or initiative can succeed without centralizing women’s human rights and gender equality issues.
Current international policies rob women of livelihoods, health care and other economic rights.
On a broader level it said international and national policies are urged to consider poverty, privilege and discrimination as inter-related and therefore feminization of poverty is a reality that needs to be addressed by collective effort.
“We call upon governments to be more transparent, participatory and accountable in producing national policies and strategies,” it added.
SADC governments should ensure that whatever international obligations they commit are in line with promoting pro-poor development policies and in particular ensure that women’s livelihoods are not adversely affected, it observed.
On social level, they appealed to religious leaders to take greater responsibility in sensitizing communities on gender equity issues and protection of women’s human rights.
It further called upon governments to acknowledge the critical role youth play in decision-making processes and as such ensure that their voices are heard in national planning processes.
However participants endorsed the Global Call to Action against Poverty Campaign’s (GCAP) calls for trade justice, more and better aid and debt cancellation as a concrete ways for world leaders to eradicate poverty by 2015.
They noted that eradication of poverty cannot succeed without equality and justice for women and therefore recommended gender equality issues to be at the heart of addressing the inequalities of trade, debt and aid within the global policy framework.

“One voice to solve common problem”

By Patricia Kapulula

Southern Africa countries face common problems that call for a united voice in addressing them.

This was the feeling expressed by some delegates interviewed at the start of the three day Southern Africa Social Forum in Lilongwe Malawi arguing that a forum like this would help them (delegates) explore means of addressing the many problems haunting the region.

Agatha Ngonga of Zambia said she expects to learn more about gender, HIV/Aids, and human rights among other things.

“My expectation is to learn from other countries on how they address issues like HIV/Aids, human rights and gender among others and which I would later share with fellow Zambians when I go back home,” she said.

Morgan Jeranyama of Zimbabwe says there are many challenges that Southern Africa is facing and there is need to find strategies that would help in finding lasting solutions to the problems.

He said time has come for Africa to take action and speak with one voice.

“Time has come for Africa to speak with one voice in addressing issues as this will help us eradicate the common problems that we face,” he said adding, “a lot of talking has been done and this is the time to take action.”

Nelson Manjate of Mozambique said he expects to the forum to come up with recommendations that would address problems affecting Africa as this would empower participants to be able to share with colleagues back home what he has learnt from other countries.

Malawi Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) coordinator Peter Chinoko said the social forum should be in a position to come up with a common stand on social problems facing Africa in general, and Southern Africa in particular.

He said one of the big problems that Africa is facing is leadership.

“Leadership is a common problem that African countries face and this must be looked into if the continent is to come out of problems that come due to poor leadership,” said Chinoko.

Another challenge, according to Chinoko, is unemployment.

“Unemployment can be dealt if investors come as Southern Africa is enjoying peace,” he said.

UNEMPLOYMENT AND RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT.

By Paida Mpaso
Delegates to the third Southern Africa Social Forum in Lilongwe included the participation of the unemployed from the region.
A group of over 20 unemployed people from the Southern Africa region participated in this forum under the labour cluster was held at Civo Stadium in Malawi.
It was pathetic and at the same time exciting to sit and listen to what members from other countries were going through in their respective countries.
It was observed that there was a link between crime and unemployment ccitting an example of in South Africa. The increase of unemployment figures is fueling crime, poverty and prostitution which are resulting in the spread of HIV/AIDS.
According to Siphiwe Dada, a researcher and organizer for National Union of Metal Workers in South Africa, unemployment in South Africa was 40% and this is equivalent to the rise of crime, poverty just to mention a few.
“The rate of unemployment is rising. This affects the country and so many things go wrong and the rate of crime also increases,” said Dada.
In Malawi the story was not quite the same with over half the population being unemployed in a country with high rate or illiteracy and over 65% of the population residing in the rural sector.
It was noted that most Malawians, especially those who are not well read, do not understand their rights especially in working places and as long as they have a little something to support their families with, life goes on and it doesn’t matter how low and standards.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe’s Nyikadzino Madzonga, a member of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions said rights for workers are not recognized in the region.
“It would not work to even start fighting for them. A country with its unemployment rate gone as far as 80% still has high hopes for Zimbabwe.
Because of this workers have lost their rights and according to Mukaka Nkolokosa, who is working for Save Workers and Retirees Association in Zambia, the Zambian labour law of employment act gives rights like to employment and getting terminal benefits which are not being recognized by investors.
Enlightening the workers about their rights and establishment of workers controlled union was one way of combating these problems

SOUTHERN AFRICAN YOUTHS HANGING ON DEADLY FUN

By Madalitso Kateta

Youths in the southern African region are living under a deadly addiction to fun.It is an adction which according to youth advocates attending a three day Southern Africa Social Forum in the Malawian capital, Lilongwe have described as hanging on fun that has a negative impact to the youths health.

Interviews done at the Lilongwe gathering have revealed that youths in the region are in a situation which is leading them to early deaths to Aids as they have not understood the human rights concept that has been promoted since the inception of pluralistic politics in countries in the region.

Speaking in an interview, Kenedy Oulu, a VSO volunteer, working with Tutulane Youth Orgnisation at Chitipa in Malawi said that youths in the southern Africa region have taken fun to mean engaging in risky behaviors that can read them to death.

He said many youths in the region had become alcoholics, drug addicts and were also involved in risky sexual behaviors because they believed that was the way to have fun.

“Youths in the southern Africa region have corrupted fun to mean that they can engage them selves in sexual, drug and alcoholic acts but all these things are deadly as they always read them to death. In Kenya there is a saying ukikikungwa zaidi, unateteza zaidi which r literary means the more you drink the more slip”, he said.

He said that there was need for youths to critically look at the way they get fun as the concept fun was two fold which at times meant having the dangerous and expensive things in life.

“The reality is sex, alcoholism and drugs have become an undeniable thing in the young community, but there is a need for the youths to have a sense of responsibility by abstaining and think of their future” he said.

He said youths should rise and fight for their lives as usually they become casualties of their bad habits.

Yohane Banda another participant at the gathering said that youth’s should follow the realities of life as alcoholism, drugs, and premarital sex had landed them into early deaths.

“Youths should know that the western culture is good but they should also be responsible for their lives as most of the fun which they are getting hangs them on the death line”, said Banda who is one of Zambia’s up coming muscians.

While agreeing with Banda’s assertion Angelina Wakhutamoyo a Malawian youth who claimed is very responsible in the HIV/Aids fight said that many youths in the Sub-Saharan region have fallen victims to the HIV/Aids pandemic because they are involved in un constructive fun.

She said young men and women had stared to engage themselves in premarital sex, drugs and alcohol because they believed that was the way to get fun.

“The most dangerous pandemic that affects our youths today is not HIV/Aids it self, but the deadly fun in which most youths have gone into”, she said.

SOUTH AFRICA HIV/Aids ADVOCATE CONDEMNS GOVERNMENTS

By Mercy Chaluma

Dudu Mabona, a South African HIV/Aids advocate attending the on going Southern Africa Social forum in Malawi’s capital Lilongwe has condemned governments in the region of over heavily relying on Non governmental organization in advocating for HIV/Aids programmes.

Mabona said in an interview that governments in the region were not doing much in the fight of the deadly pandemic and they had left much of the responsibility in the the orgnisations which she said were having more impact in the war on the pandemic.

The advocate gave an example of the South African experience where she said the government was failing to provide the life prolonging anti-retro-viral drugs to its HIV positive community.

“Our health minister has been encouraging people to use alternatives to ARVs like ginger, beet root and garlic which are not effective life prolonging drugs,” she said.
She highlighted the slow pace which governments are taking in making female condoms easily accessible saying this was making women to be highly vulnerable to the killer pandemic.

“Female condoms in the whole southern Africa are mostly distributed by non-governmental organizations,” he said

Concurring with Mabona, senior community HIV/AIDS facilitator at GOAL Malawi Ethel Chavula said that governments in the southern Africa region have not been promoting the female condom thereby making women more vulnerable to the disease.

She said provision of female condoms at government hospitals would have a greater impact in the HIV/Aids fight as women have little control in negotiating for safer sex putting them at men’s mercy in the process.

Currently governments in the region are only providing free male condoms.

SADC countries voice their tune on Human right issues

By Precious Sue Msosa

The southern Africa social Forum which opened it’s doors yesterday at civo stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi saw several countries from the region banging their heads on human rights and eventually telling their countryie’s stand.

Speaking in an interview, vice chairperson for the Zambian marketers Association Dorothy Mbulo said women in her country are not given much chance to compete in decision making positions despite several efforts from the civil society.

On dressing she said young ladies in her country dress in a very provocative way which has also led into high levels of HIV/ AIDS in their country.
She further said this is not in line with their rights as they claim because rights don’t mean people should be walking naked .

“Imagine our ladies putting on trousers which expose their bottoms ,does the rights says that? And what else can men do”, Questioned Mbulo
A represententive from Swaziland Bongnhlanhla Gama chairman for workers forum said in their country the rights are not being respected, so he hopes the converging of several countries will help in speaking against these malpractices especially on land eviction.
He disclosed that a chief who died four years ago has not yet been buried due to land disputes.

He added that local human rights organizations have tried to criticize this but nothing tangible has come to the lime light. And up to date the body of the chief is still in the mortuary.
So he hopes that this forum through human rights organizations will take up this issue with the authorities in Swaziland.

How ever Brian Mcgary from Zimbabwe coalition on debts and development{ZAMCODD} said the human rights abuses in their country is worse as is when trade unions speak about rights the government take it as a threat.
This , he added that has led into many trade union leaders imprisoned and tortured.

KUCHE KUCHE TAKE SASF BY STORM

By Susan Mwape
The Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF) participants were yesterday entertained over night by Zambian, Zimbabwean, South African and Malawian artists. The participants looked on and could not leave the dance floor because of the beautiful African music, dances and poems that the flowed endlessly in the room.
The floor was opened by dances from Malawi, the dancers shook their flexible waists until the audience could not help but stand up and assimilate the dances. This was followed by James Chamanyazi from Zambia who entertained the crowd and had them share the stage with him, those that couldn’t manage to get on stage were made to que up and he entertained them to a “fowardy fowardy” dance that he showed them, this took the crowd into a frenzy.
Then came hip hop artists From Zimbabwe and south Africa they were so brilliant they had the crowd singing along and even though hiphoop isn’t easily embraced by the older generations this time they couldn’t help but raise their hands in respect too.
As all this was not enough Mlaka Maliro of Malawi came on stage and this time he had almost the entire audience on their feet, the crowd danced as he dropped one track after another until he couldn’t take it now more, he had sang over fifteen songs but the audience still wasn’t ready to go home.
The audience having had been entertained that much said they were so happy and entertained because they also learnt about different social issues in the process of the entertainment which in turn became edutainment.
This exhibits that entertainment is another very good way of putting your message across for social activists.

Indymedia.org link

http://southafrica.indymedia.org/news/2006/10/11405.php

MCTU , HIVAIDS AND LABOUR

By Fazilla Tembo

Malawi is one the countries in southern Africa which has been hardly hit by HIVAIDS pandemic. It is estimated that almost 1 million people out the total of 12 million are living with the virus and one hundred and seventy thousand are in need of the treatment.
The scourge has not spared the workers in the various workplaces, be it in private or public sector they have been affected in either way.
Malawi Congress of Trade Union (MCTU Vice resident Luther Mambala explained that a number of workers have lost their relatives, friends, children, wives and husbands due to the disease.
Not only the workers being negatively affected by the disease, government too has lost manpower hence development has also been affected, he said.
In order to mitigate the problem both in private or public sector, a number of interventions have been put in place like ensuring that every workplace has HIVAIDS policy to assist in mitigation.
Mambala said with the support from National Aids Commission they have embarked on a campaign with all affiliates to have the policy in place so that issues like discrimination, treatment, care and support are done within the work place.
This is a headway for the Union interms of mitigation, we are going to share this with our friends from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia and South Africa at this meeting of Southern Africa Social Forum so that they should have knowledge on what MCTU is doing on HIVAIDS, he observed.
He added that the Union is in the process of having a legislation on HIVAIDS and workers to be included in the laws of Malawi.
The legislation would protect people who are positive from all sorts of discrimination and stigmatization, he said.
Workers who live positive life have been experiencing torture, sometimes sacked off from their workplace by their employers a situation which he said is against their act.
Mambala further said research is in progress in various ministries and private sector to see how many workers are positive so that support, care and treatment should be given.
He said proposals have been made to NAC to have consellors and testing equipment to be put in different places, this will be good for our employees to know their status.

SADC make VCT for HIV/AIDS available in rural areas

Mathews Liyani

Governments in the whole Southern African Developing Community (SADC) region should make Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV/AIDS available in all rural areas.
Speaking after the discussion on “Traditional leaders and Good Governance,” which was being led by Women for Change (WfC) from Zambia, WfC Acting Executive Director, Lameck Simwanza said most rural areas in the SADC region had no VCT centres and other basic facilities.
“When you talk about HIV/AIDS, it’s a health issue, which is a basic right. All human beings are entitled to this right and there is need for governments to respect it by providing facilities such as VCT centres close to people,” he said.
Simwanza further urged the people that attended the Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF) to continue advocating for pro-poor policies.
He said there was need for the SADC countries to come up with their own policies aimed at empowering every human being in the region.
Simwanza also reminded governments in the region that the role of NGOs was not to provide services but to supplement on what government was doing.
“It is governments' role to provide basic things among others. So they shouldn’t transfer the burden to NGOs, they should take responsibility,” he said.
He said there was need for people to unite and demand for their basic rights.
Meanwhile, traditional leaders from Zambia have urged governments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to intensify the HIV/AIDS sensitisation among the youths.
Chief Nzamane from Eastern Province of Zambia said that a lot of youths were denied access to HIV/AIDS information, which was their right. “Apart from just giving them information, we should come up with new strategies that can be effective in the fight of HIV/AIDS,” he said.
Chief Mushili said there was need for behavioural change if we have to combat HIV/AIDS.He said a lot of people had information on HIV/AIDS but fail to change their behaviour. He suggested that the messages on HIV/AIDS should now concentrate on behaviour change.
Speaking on the involvement of traditional leaders in governance, Chief Nalubamba said there was need to let the chiefs participate actively in politics, as they were politicians by nature of them being chiefs. Chief Nalubamba was referring to the Zambian situation, where chiefs are prohibited from participating in active politics.
He said there was also need for the chiefs and governments to work together in developing communities. He said governments in the SADC region would not develop, especially in rural areas, if chiefs were left out as they were close to the people.

CULTURE FIGHTS POVERTY

By Madalitso Kateta

Imbawula Trust, a Johannesburg based cultural association has said culture has a great role to play in the fight of Africa’s poverty.
Nqobile Lethebe, publicity officer for the Trust said in Lilongwe, Malawi that the African continent has been going through acute poverty as a result of the decline of moral values which has come as a result of the cultural social breakdowns in the continent.
Lethebe said that the African continent had great potential to develop if citizens were inspired by their cultural and social customs which he described as vital in the development of peoples mental and social stability.
He said his organisation has been organising cultural festivals which are aimed at improving people’s economic and social lives through culture.
He said the continent was the home of arts and its inhabitants should address social economic ills through the provocation of dialogue that inspires thoughts.
According to Lethebe, the Imbawula Trust has been very influential in the fight against South Africa’s major problems of unemployment, disease, HIV/Aids, poor education standards, poor housing and clime.

Poor people in Malawi are struggling for sustainable livelihood

By Zex Chikwiya
Poor people in rural and urban Malawi are struggling to sustain their livelihoods according to a study by Center for Social Concern, a faith-based organization in the country.
The study on ‘Coping Mechanisms of the Poor’ presented at the on-going Southern Africa Social Forum in Lilongwe, has revealed the widening gap between the cost of basic needs and their incomes, a thing that is forcing them to adopt strategies that are anti-developmental in nature.
The study focused on sectors of health, food security, housing, energy sources and water supply.
Chrissie Kafundu, research officer for Center for Social Concern said during the proceedings that poor people are adopting strategies of realignment and familiarization of resources at household level in order to maintain the existing livelihood levels and standards.
She said people have resorted to sinking their own wells and drinking unsafe water in urban and rural areas due to high costs of accessing piped.
The study indicates that high costs for water bills have restricted access to only a small population.
She added that most average people who survive on less than US$ 1 per day cannot afford adequate health services offered by private hospitals hence are crowded in public hospitals which have insufficient drugs to cater for them.
On coping mechanisms-responses to declining food availability and entitlements in abnormal times, she cited dietary changes, rationing system, decreasing number of people fed as some of the strategies used by different households during times of hardship.
The study presentation also revealed socio-economic, ecological and moral impacts the adjustments and coping strategies have on people’s daily lives. She attributed massive deforestation, poor productivity, increase in HIV/AIDS, massive crime rates as having roots in them and need for urgent address to them.
SASF particpants applauded the research presentation but called situation ‘shocking’ saying that it was a reflection of the entire region and demanded for joint efforts to address the problems.
Mkhululi Zulu of Landless People Movement described the situation as a sub-regional crisis citing scavenging cases in Zambia and South Africa as some coping strategies for the poor in the region.
However, the debate at the SASF recommended that the governments in the region should consider the social security aspect like subsidizing water and electricity including providing grants as in the case in South African.

High duty forcing small cross border trader to smuggle

By Mutuna Chanda
A lady cross border trader has said the high duties that countries in the southern African region impose have forced her to either smuggle her merchandize or bribe customs officers just to earn a living.
“The high import duties that governments in the region are imposing on trade are making us bribe customs officers and smuggle goods into neighboring countries”, complains Zimbabwean cross border trader Dzokai Ndaradzi.
Ndaradzi who crosses into Zambia, South Africa and occasionally Botswana says though the systems vary from country to country they are all uniform in high tariff structures which do not cater for poor and small scale traders.
She says, for example, on the Zambian border which she has to cross twice a week from Karoi if she has to go through with two cases of two liters mazoe she distributes the drinks among people on the bus to escape paying duty.
If she has to pay the duty she is charged ZMK 6,000 per bottle which is equivalent to the price at which she initially buys the drinks in her home country, Zimbabwe.
When it comes to her paying duty, she bribes the customs officers for her not to be charged for all the goods she takes into Zambia just to realize a profit.
Ndaradzi does all this to survive. She fends for a family of four; her unemployed husband and three children, two of whom go to school.
When crossing into South Africa Ndaradzi carries art products to Cape Town. Her border encounters are also the same - of bribing customs officers.
“Though South Africa has a better standard in customs procedure the charges are too high for poor traders like me” she said.
“So what happens when crossing into South Africa is if they charge me a certain amount of money for the art products I tell them that I can’t afford and I negotiate for a reduction but I give the customs officer ten rands”, she added.
She bemoaned that governments in the region pretend that the poor traders and the uneducated do not exist.
“Governments pretend as though the poor and uneducated do not live among them, they design the tariff structures for big businesses and yet they apply to even small scale traders”, she complained.
“I want to pay the duty but it should be reasonable for me to make a profit”, she added.
In the case of the mazoe trade from Zimbabwe into Zambia she said if the duties were reduced to between ZMK 1,500 and ZMK 2,000 per two litres of mazoe she would happily pay it because then she would make a profit just to survive.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING ON THE RISE-CFSC

By Precious Sue Msosa
A Malawian human rights organization has disclosed that human trafficking has drastically increased following high demand of prostitutes in European countries.
Radek Malonwski, project officer for Centre for Social Concern disclosed this at the on going southern Africa social forum in Lilongwe Malawi.
He said the recent estimates indicate that four million people are being traficked from Africa to Europe annually on pretext that they would find them jobs by the foreigners, describing the figure as worse than the times of slavery.
“Foreigners entice the local masses that they would find them good jobs and higher learning education but only to be found stranded at eleventh hour and be told to be bar attendants,” he said.
Malonwski added that victims can’t even report to police as there are warned that they would just end up in prison as they entered the country illegally.
He warned the locals in each African country not to fall prey to these foreigners who promise the moon.
Tobias Jere, also from the same organization revealed that fourteen people from Dowa were recently rescued at western Malawi’s Mchinji boarder en route to Zambia by the traffickers.
He said the victims confessed that they were only given one meal per day.
Radik said that the British authorities are currently in the country to train the Malawi police how to identify and track down the traffickers.

Malawi formulate national legislation to reject GM maize!

By Brenda Zulu
Malawi must formulate a national legislation to reject Genetic Modification (GM) maize, until it undertakes a scientific assessment of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) on human health and biodiversity.
Presenting the food aid analysis and its effects at the Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF), Edson Musopole from Action Aid said the decision with regard to the acceptance of GM commodities as part of food aid transactions rests with recipient’s country.
Musopole noted that alternative source of non GM food are usually available in local or non GM maize neighbouring countries.
He said Malawi had more and more become dependent on food aid which also comes in form of GM maize.
Musopole said the Malawian Government needs to develop policies to provide donors with a code of conduct which helps to free food aid from its negative image of being tool for rich countries to get rid of their surplus production.
He observed that food distribution by different humanitarian agencies, NGOs, and donors needs to be well coordinated by the Government to ensure that such programmes are geared towards the on going term fight against hunger.
He noted that the land distribution under the new land policy should be encouraged to improve to land and land utilization.
He explained that food aid has been a relief to people who have had experienced drought and hunger problems. He however noted that food aid has played a significant role in the past in periods of acute food shortages it has managed to save lives.
It was observed that at national level, food aid has added to food grain availability and helped to reduce the food gap beaten food grain consumption needs and supply from domestic production.
The controversy surrounding food aid was that it was expensive and not an effective tool for combating chronic food insecurity where by the recipients of food aid becomes dependent on it.
It noted that access to food aid was a basic human right as when people are starving donors feel obliged to assist. Critics argued that donors took advantage of the hunger situation to get rid of their surplus grain.
He outlined the factors contributing to household food insecurity as access to land utilisation, access to credit, unavailability and weak Agricultural extension and technology transfer and the dependence on rain fed agriculture.
He noted that food aid had different perceptions on it was as some sections of people said it was a method of disposing of food surpluses production in industrialised countries as this was one of the policy tool for promoting economic development in recipient countries.
Food aid has a negative effect in that it has led to the neglect of agriculture. The availability of cheap or free food aid can lead to policymakers to neglect agriculture especially under inadequate public investment in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension.
Food aid has an effect on local production as it has the ability to distort the domestic food economy. Food aid deliveries increase the food supply, thereby depressing prices received by local producers.
Food aid also creates a dependency syndrome where by communities who receive food aid for a lengthy period of time they grow accustomed to it for instance Ethiopia is a recipient food aid from 1984. Distortion of the local labour markets like provision of food for work programmes has distorted local labour markets, if the timing is poor.
Musopole argued that there was need to redefine the role of food aid in Malawi on local and regional procument. This is because there are significant disadvantages when food aid is supplied in kind. Need to support local procurements, provided there are surpluses in some parts of the country, support regional procument from the neighbouring countries.
He said there was also need to for cash transfers rather than in kind transfers saying it were noted that as long as local or triangular procurements was possible, the disincentive effects of food aid on domestic production can be avoided by proving cash rather than food in kind.
There was also need for relief aid to structural support as food aid needs to be embedded in programs that go beyond relief aid.
There was also need to look at the problem of contamination as there was a serious threat of the GM maize being planted and cross pollinating with varieties.
Milling was not seen as a viable option because it reduces the shelf life of maize increases handling costs and the risk of infestation etc.
The Malawian Government needs to develop policies to provide donors with a code of conduct which helps to free food aid from its negative image of being tool for rich countries to get rid of their surplus production.
Biotechnology is any technical application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or their derivatives to make or modify products or process. GM allows the transfer of genetic material between unrelated organisms that allow under normal conditions never able to breed. GMO are organisms whose genetic material has been arterially changed to enable them to perform functions that they would not naturally do.

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MOCAMBIQUE COMUNGANDO OS DESAFIOS REGIONAIS NO SASF
Por Nelson Manjate

Este evento ocorre na sua terceira edicao, num ambiente caracteristico da sociedade civil. Malawi, data de cerca dez ou vinte anos de ditadura que torturou as mentes e exacerbou a pobreza deste pais.
Foi com muita esectativa que se debateu os assuntos a volta do solidariedade, ao menos ha um vontade na sociedade civil regional em comungar estes desafios desde as questoes ligadas a governacao, estatal, tradicional ate e questao que tca todos nos a doenca do seculo HIV SIDA.
No entanto os mocambicanos reresentantes no SASF, engaijaram se com muito estilo e boa integracao nos assuntos que lhes diziam respeito, e encaixaram bem em termos de solidariedade alem fronteiras, e ainda mais comungam a ideia de no ano que vem o SASF ser em Mocambique. Porque nao se ficarmos limitados nos corredores das nossas casas nao seremos capazes de exteriorizar os nossos assuntos e partilharmos os desafios com os outros da SADC.
No que toca aos mocambicanos comecemos a construir a ideia de uniao para levarmos o secretariado do SASF que esta nas maos do MEJN, uma rede de justice economica malawiana, para o secretariado do forum social mocambicano. Mas para isso temos que convencermos a SASF regional de que somos capazes, da mesma forma que fomos capazes de organizar o nosso forum. Acrescendo ainda dizendo que participar nestes eventos e uma vantagem uma vez que consegue-se medir as possibilidades e ganhar forca em desfiar ao menos conhecendo a base e o ambiente, na minha versao humulide.
Ha licoes a ter sempre em conta as falhas nao sejam vistos negativamente, se queremos organizar o evento que vem, mas sim estrategias a documentar e a enfatizar no concorrencia.
Ja foi uma vantagem a coerencia em sempre dizer a intensao, e mais a aparicao na arte frontal do jornal produzido e o discurso introdutorio e em linhas grande nas edicoes inicias foi marcante e temos um carrinho especial da MEJN em todos sentidos.
A delegacao mocambicana nao ta a fazer turismo ms ta ja engaijada neste movimento. Ainda temos desafios que talvez a regiao veja como limitante. Isto tem a ver com problemas de lingua portuguesa o que vai limitar a comunicacao no entanto ha necessidade de convence-los de que e sim importante mas nao supera o resto que forneceremos.

FORUM SOCIAL MOCAMBICANO FAZ LOBBY PARA ACOLHER O IV SASF – 2007

Por: Taibo Haje
O III Forum Social da Africa Austral que esta a decorer em Malawi – Lilongwe de 13 a 15 de Outubro de 2006 sub o lema “Povos Solidarios contra a Pobreza e Opressao” esta sendo marcado por uma forte presenca de Mocambique e de varios outros paises da regiao. Representados pelo Forum Social Mocambicano, as organizacoes mocambicanas apresentaram varios temas relacionados com as diversas Campanhas de Advocacia que estao a decorrer no ambito do Ambiente e Floresta bem como o Movimento Social em Mocambique. Estes debates tiveram uma grande participacao de diversas organizacoes dos paises da regiao dando lugar a uma maior interatividade e articulacao das situacaoes similares que ocorrem nos paises da regiao.
A delegacao Mocambicana, composta por organizacoes baseadas na provincia da Zambezia e alguns elementos do secretariado do FSMoc estiveram tambem envolvidos em accoes de lobby com vista a hospedar o proximo SASF.
O III Forum Social da Africa Austral esta sendo marcado por grandes debates em torno da problematica do acesso ao tratamento, a divida externa dos paises da regiao, a situacao do Zimbabwe, terra, privatizacoes e o desemprego.
Espera-se contudo que as organizacoes partilhem experiencias e criem mecanismos de articulacao pos SASF.
“E preciso estarmos unidos para lutarmos contra as diferencas”, foi com estas palavras que o representante do secretariado organizador do SASF Malawi apelou para o empenho e envolvimento de todos e que o Forum Social e o local apropriado para a sociedade civil da Africa Austral trocar ideias e experiencias com vista a construcao de uma Africa Austral melhor.
E neste espirito de construcao de Uma Africa Austral Melhor que decorre o III SASF.

Privatisation comes under attack

By Mutuna Chanda, Gabriel Maliwa and Vitima Ndovi
Orange Farm, a South African community has stood forthright against the privatisation of water services, sabotaging the prepaid water meters and getting free water instead.
This, according to forum delegates is one of the models that the Southern African community could possibly pick and implement in their respective countries to create a people friendly region.
In the debt and trade cluster of the ongoing southern Africa social forum in Malawi’s capital Lilongwe, South Africa’s Gladys Mokolo told of a practice to stop the pre-paid system of access to water that South Africans in her area have taken.
“We have destroyed the prepaid water meters and are getting free water and this is what is happening in Orange farm,” she said. “When the pre-paid water system was in effect one man and two of his children who had moved to Orange farm in South Africa from Zimbabwe burnt to ashes in their house because people in the neighbourhood were not ready to sacrifice their water to put out the fire”.
And Zambia’s Priscilla Mpundu said because of the privatisation policies people’s rights are being abused.
“How can you live without water because you can’t afford it, when water is a right?” she asked.
She said resulting from the privatisation of even energy services, people in urban areas are living without electricity and have instead resorted to cutting trees for use as an energy source.
Reverend Solomon Mabuza of Ujamaa Centre at the University of Kwazulu Natal complained of how heavily the neo liberal policies that are bringing paying for services are weighing on people.
He said: “in the past our leaders used to tell us not to pay for these services because they were fighting against apartheid but now we have to pay for them”.
“In the suburbs then you could even keep seven dogs but now you can’t afford it because you have to licence the dogs” he added.
Enddy Ziyera a Zimbabwean said most people in Zimbabwe are facing problems of water borne diseases because they cannot afford to pay high bills of water and this has negative impact for the both rural and urban community.
Privatisation, says Ziyera, has created the gap between the poor and the rich in Zimbabwe and urged southern Africa members through the SASF to come up with strategies on how to lobby leaders to stop privatisation of water and all other entities in Africa.
Nedi Kamba, a Malawian young man feels privatization in Malawi has had very negative impact to Malawian because only a few people have benefited from it hence creating a gap between the poor and the rich.
“Water should not be privatised, water is our basic need there is no logic for leaders in the region to privatise the basic need for well being of human beings,” he concluded.

By Brenda Zulu
The Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF) News is a newspaper produced during the social forum in the Southern Africa sub-region.
The Southern African Social Forum (SASF) is a continuation of the Africa Social Forum (ASF) that takes place annually, since Bamako (2002), as a prelude to the World Social Forum (WSF) that was initiated in Porto Alegre (Brazil) in 2001. The latter is an annual event that is deliberately organized to coincide with the World Economic Forum (Davos). The timing is meant to signify civil society opposition voices to the high level one-sided deliberations between the world leaders and international financial institutions.
Following the Bamako Forum and the Addis Ababa Forum, a process of consultations have taken place around Africa to find a way of effectively exposing the current social, political and economic injustices for better government and state action. A forum creates a platform for various interest groups of civil society to discuss issues together pertaining to social, political and economic justice. In addition, a forum increases solidarity in the sub-region and Africa as a whole before going to the global forum, in this case, in preparation for the next World Social Forum to be held in, …January 2004 Mumbai, India.
The need to host a Southern African Social Forum (SASF) arose from the second African Social Forum held in Addis Ababa, 5-9 January 2003. Participants resolved to establish sub-regional forums as a way of getting diverse views on Africa’s socio-economic and political issues from a wider constituency prior to Africa Social Forum (ASF) and World Social Forum (WSF). Each sub-region was designated to form its own Steering Committee of at least five persons. Six persons that represented mass movements in their constituencies were selected as members of the Southern Africa Regional Steering Committee (SARSC).
Why host a Sub-Regional Forum?
The Southern African Social Forum (SASF) is intended to be an annual platform aimed at providing space for consolidating civil society perspectives on the sub-region’s burning socio-economic, political and cultural issues prior to the African Social Forum (ASF).
The Southern African Social Forum (SASF) will take stock of various political, economic, legal and social developments of the sub-region and devise means by which governments and civil societies tackle these issues for a better Africa.