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ABANTU for Development

ABANTU for Development, established in 1991 in London by African women, is an international nongovernmental organization. Abantu means “people” in several African languages, and this aptly named title captures the essence of the organization's people-centric philosophy for participation and involvement to positively effect change. ABANTU's vision statement focuses on recognizing gender discrimination as the key obstacle to sustainable development and social justice.

ABANTU is an African- and gender-focused organization whose desired outcome is to empower African people, especially women, to participate at all levels, be it local, national, regional, or international, in policy making and decision making that ultimately impacts their lives both socially and economically. ABANTU maintains four key areas of focus: gender and poverty, gender and conflict, gender and governance, and gender and ICTs (information and communication technologies). The organization's main goal is to ensure the advancement of women's interests in a way that is equally beneficial to men and women, using three primary modes of exposure.

Training and Capacity Building

Through utilization of adult learning techniques and recognition of learning differences between genders, ABANTU trainers strive to simultaneously educate and solicit participant contribution. Examples of past workshops include 1-day sessions that focus on gender and social change, providing participants with a basic understanding of gender concepts, and HIV/AIDS in the Workplace, a longer, 9-day program that serves to promote nondiscriminatory policy development for the protection and support of HIV-infected workers.

Research, Publication, and Communications

ABANTU provides an assortment of reports and activities derived from its research and publishes a quarterly newsletter. ABANTU News imparts additional tools for empowerment and includes a wide variety of topics, including impact on women's issues during upcoming elections and openly reporting on sexual assault awareness to promoting good health practices.

Advocacy, Public Awareness, and Networking

Seminars, public policy forums, and consultations with policymakers and other women's groups provide content for advocacy campaigns. Various forms of media are enlisted, including ABANTU's own radio program, called Gender Forum.

ABANTU has successfully collaborated with other African and international nongovernmental organizations in various issues concerning gender development, including the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and is currently the only African nongovernmental organization to have gained the United Nations Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Commission (ECOSOC). This special status allows ABANTU to attend all United Nations meetings.

ABANTU's main offices are located in the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Tanzania. Additional regional offices include the United Kingdom, covering activities in Europe, and an office in Nairobi, covering activities in East and South Africa. In 1997, an additional regional office opened in Accra, Ghana, to further the focus in West Africa. ABANTU (ROWA) also has a presence in Nigeria.

  • decision making
JenniferJaffer
http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412964517.n1
10.4135/9781412964517.n1

Further Readings

ABANTU for Development. (2006, February). ABANTU News, 4.
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