7/25/2019 Update- Kilimanjaro Initiative June 2016

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/update-kilimanjaro-initiative-june-2016 1/8

 

1 | P a g e

 

UPDATE ON THE KILIMANJARO INITIATIVE

June 2016.

By: Grace Ananda

Kilimanjaro Project coordinator

7/25/2019 Update- Kilimanjaro Initiative June 2016

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/update-kilimanjaro-initiative-june-2016 2/8

 

2 | P a g e

 

IntroductionThe Kilimanjaro initiative seeks to mobilise rural women from across Africa towards an iconic moment

at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro in October 2016, using women’s rights to land and productive resources as

an entry point for the mobilization of rural women to define the future they want- in practical terms.

This platform seeks to afford rural women space to engage with and seek accountability from decision

makers at national and continental level, with a view to securing fundamental, irreversible shift and

commitments on women’s land rights.The initiative is currently supported by various Civil Societies Organisations (CSOs) who are

implementing land rights programs, including PROPAC, OXFAM, International Land Coalition (ILC),

Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies  (PLAAS), Tanzania Gender Networking Program (TGNP) and

Women n Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF) and ActionAid International. Non State Actors

Coalition (CNC) has shown interest in supporting the initiative. Others continue to express interest in

the intuitive and can support different components of the initiative here

Thus far, mini Kilis  have been launched in several countries riding on important moments like the

International Women’s Day or the national public holidays to launch the initiative. Such countriesinclude  Nigeria, Tanzania, Senegal, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Togo, Benin,

Cameroon and DR Congo,

Overall Result:The success of Kilimanjaro Initiative will be a stronger movement of rural women enjoying their rights

to land and natural resources, while influencing policy and practice in their favour at all levels.

Objectivesi. 

To strengthen the agency and movement of rural women in claiming and defending their land

and natural resource rights in Africa

ii. 

To engender political will amongst national governments, donor and regional institutions to

implement an all-inclusive African women’s charter. 

iii. 

To mobilise and support the participation of 100,000 rural women in the Kilimanjaro initiative in

at least 20 countries in Africa

iv.  To raise awareness on existing frameworks and safeguards around Large scale land based

investments and demand for their application in securing legitimate tenure rights of rural women

in Africa

How have we been working…………. 

An oversight team, drawn out of all supporting organizations as well as representatives of rural women,

signs off plans and products of the Kili Initiative. With the guidance of this oversight team, the steering

Group, made of the same organizations is responsible for producing and delivering a campaign strategy

and operational plans. To handle the different components of the initiative, thematic working groups

have been set up; mobilisation and communication; Advocacy; logistics; and fundraising. More details

on this can be found here .

7/25/2019 Update- Kilimanjaro Initiative June 2016

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/update-kilimanjaro-initiative-june-2016 3/8

 

3 | P a g e

 

Communication platforms  The key documents for the initiative are available on demand (until we set up a central site for

sharing). These include the brochure, approved caravan route, and TOR for different Working

Groups.

  We are working towards having the caravan route on google map.

 

Soon we will have tools for collecting stories , aimed to start in July 2016.  On social media, you can interact with the Initiative through facebook- Women2kilimanjaro and

twitter-Women2kilimanjaro and #landFor.

There was is a significant level of participation on our social media platforms, specifically the twitter

handle using harsh tags #mylandmylife  #women2kilimanjaro #womensland. #LandRightsUg 

#LandrightsUg #Uganda. 

Some of the quotes tweeted included;-

http://thenationonlineng.net/actionaid-oxfam-make-case-smallholder-farmers/

http://nannewsnigeria.com/women-represent-60-agriculture-labour-force-nigeria-oxfam

http://www.punchng.com/oxfam-partners-actionaid-on-womens-right-to-land/ 

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/oxfam-calls-for-land-use-act-reform/ 

https://www.facebook.com/850216141774125/photos/a.850546928407713.1073741828.850216141774

125/851607434968329/?type=3&theater

https://t.co/uRVXaF3NGb https://twitter.com/hashtag/LandrightsUg?src=hash 

 Advocacy effortsIn the first week of June, 2 members of the Kilimanjaro Initiative Rural Women’s council, with support

from ActionAid Staff had a productive meeting with the AU commissioner for Rural Economy, as well

as secretariat of the Land Policy

Initiative. A key outcome of that

engagement was an endorsement of the

Kilimanjaro initiative by both the

commissioner and LPI, as well as an

agreement to partners with LPI the joint

agenda of women’s land rights in Afr ica

at the AU summit, bringing together two

complementary initiatives- the

Kilimanjaro Initiative for Africa rural

women, and the LPI’s campaign for ‘30%Africa land for women’.

The team is currently working with the

LPI secretariat to host a joint event at the

AU summit in July on women’s land

rights in Africa

Fundraising

Some fundraising efforts have been made for this initiative. However, with such an ambitious initiative,more resources are still needed to realize the dream. For example, with leadership from ActionAid

7/25/2019 Update- Kilimanjaro Initiative June 2016

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/update-kilimanjaro-initiative-june-2016 4/8

 

4 | P a g e

 

Australia, we have been able to secure support for 30 Rural Women to climb up the Kilimanjaro

Mountain. The dream is to have support for 100 women scale the heights of the mountain and make the

iconic statement. Other aspects like the regional caravans from West, South East and North Africa, as

well as the costs of the assembly at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro are yet to be fully funded. More details

on this are available here,  and specifics can be provided on demand from the Fundraising Working

Group 

Regional and Country level actions

The initiative has formed the regional blocks for easy coordination and mobilization of grass-root

women to participate in the initiative. The blocks are South African region; West African region;

East

So far, two regional blocks are active with clear strategies and action Plans- East and West region.

The regional blocks meets on regular basis to update themselves on the issues to do with mobilization,fundraising, logics, message collection and planed activities.

At the country level, several countries have established Kili consortiums that comprise of organizations

working on the land rights, and have launched the initiative, taking advantage of key dates such as

International Women’s Day or the public holidays to launch the initiative. Country level launches have

 been held in Nigeria, Tanzania, Senegal, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Togo, Benin,

Cameron, DR Congo, and Senegal. The key messages during the launch were the core demand on land

rights, to strengthen women's voice and participation in decision making, particularly on issues relating

to land and natural resource management in Africa.

East African region-Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda

In Kenya,  National convening of rural women

on Kilimanjaro meeting held between 9th may

to 10th  May 2016. The following CSOs

 participated- Daughters of Mumbi, KELIN,

Kenya Land Alliance, and Groots women. The

meeting also drew rural women participants

from 23 counties with each county sending two

representatives with an aim of strengtheningand sharpening Women Land Rights agenda

and form a movement on Women Land Rights

(WLR), there is a change on WLR in our laws

and regulations (Policy influencing), create

awareness on WLR, capacity building on WLR. This

is a leadership for women from the grassroots to take leadership.

In Tanzania, TGNP, the overall host organisation for Kilimanjaro initiative in Tanzania is coordinating

and supporting in mobilisation. The National committee that comprises of CSO and rural women’s

groups has been set up. Among the key activities that have taken place are;- Mapping of country

organizations on land and women’s right, Resource Mobilization, Consultative meetings with the

Figure 1the launch of Kili in Kenya

7/25/2019 Update- Kilimanjaro Initiative June 2016

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/update-kilimanjaro-initiative-june-2016 5/8

 

5 | P a g e

 

government officials at the Ministerial (ministry of land, agriculture, tourism, TAMISEMI, Gender and

community Development, Youth) and local government level and present the Kilimanjaro ideas. 

In Uganda a mini Kili event took place between 8th and 9th June 2016 in Northern Uganda. The women

climbed Patiko Hill in Gulu District. The District has a major women land rights violation cases and a

long history of insurgency by the Lord’s Resistance Army.  With complexity of land tenure systemwhich creates more dynamics around women’s access to and control of land. In addition to the tens of

rural women, other CSOs who participated were Land Net, Uganda land Alliance, Solidarity Uganda

and grass root women organization alongside with Representatives from the Government of Uganda.

Key actions were;-  a) A conference on women

land

rights

for the

Rural

women Farmers Forum in which the issues in

the National Women’s Charter on Land

and Livelihoods was discussed and committed to by politicians in line with the Voluntary guidelines onLand Tenure and Free Prior and informed consent Principle in relation to Uganda’s Land laws and

Policies. b) Symbolic climb of women on the hills of Baker Fort in Patiko- over 200 women rural

women participated in this event and a strong media presence.

1.  West African region-Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Senegal

Senegal and Nigeria launches took place during the International Women’s Day. Among the activities

that took place was the rally at Wuse market. Hosted by

SWOFON, a network of rural women, other CSOs who

 participated were, CNCR Women College, CICODEV,

WILDAF, Oxfam and partners from the grass root women

organisations.  “Without Women we cannot have food

security, without women there cannot be peace and

development, the SDGs is only achievable with women”  

chairperson from ECOWAS

In addition, following countries developed a communication

tool for advocacy Togo, Benin, Cameroon, DR Congo,

and Senegal. Each country target decision makers and

 presented their demands to them on challenges that women

farmers and herders face in accessing and controlling their land based resources.

Figure 2Mini Kili in Patiko hill In Uganda 

7/25/2019 Update- Kilimanjaro Initiative June 2016

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/update-kilimanjaro-initiative-june-2016 6/8

 

6 | P a g e

 

Project management committees have been set up at the

 National level. The committees have the lead role in the

mobilisation of rural women and the mobilisation of funds at the national level. Benin has been able to

raise funds to conduct a parallel activity to the Kilimanjaro initiative. Public hearings between rural

women and policy makers to promote rural women’s land and resource rights was done in 5 countries in

West and Central Africa supported byWILDAF.

South African region- Zambia,

Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi

and South Africa

In Malawi, there was a joint event was held in

the month of October 2015 and it coincided

with the International rural women’s day. Over

500 rural women farmers were mobilized to attend this rural women’s assembly held at the foot of

Mulanje Mountain as a mini Kilimanjaro in a build up to the big event. The event was in partnership

with the Coalition of Women Farmers (COWFA), Civil Society Network for Climate Change

(CISONECC), NASFAM, CISANET and Oxfam organized a Mount Mulanje event. Through a joint

communiqué, rural women farmers made it clear to the world that they gathered at the foot of Mulanje

Mountain and climbed the mountain up to Sapitwa (highest point) among the participants women and

youth farmers

In Mozambique  a meeting of Rural Women´s Forum was held in, in Manhiça. The objective of themeeting was to discuss the road map of the initiative. Among the key people to invite were Government

Ministries, the First Lady of the Republic, and the President of the Mozambican parliament. Ministries

of Gender, Children and Social Affairs she was very open to this initiative.

In Mozambique ILC worked closely with ORAM and Forum Mulher to promote rural women’s land

and other resources rights. They have built partnership with local ActionAid..

Key Outcomes of the events from the country actions 

A road map of how women will engage in the initiative is unfolding clearly  Improved coordination among the women in the countries around the Kilimanjaro initiative

  concrete plans around advocacy and communication at country and regional levels

  Communication and information exchange and national events and dialogues.

  Inclusion of previously underrepresented region (North Africa -Tunisia & Morocco) 

  Working within national and regional spaces

  Existing Women Land Rights Chapters in different Countries and within countries supported by

different actors on land rights struggles

  Explicit Women land rights Agenda among partner CSOs add institutions

Figure 4Mini Kili at Mulanje hill in Malawi

Figure 3 the launch of Kili Initiative in Nigeria

7/25/2019 Update- Kilimanjaro Initiative June 2016

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/update-kilimanjaro-initiative-june-2016 7/8

 

7 | P a g e

 

  Communities of land and natural resources struggles exist and some capacity on policy legal

matters giving us opportunity to feature their stories/ experience and build traffic to the

campaign

  Ongoing review of land and natural resources laws with an aim to feed into the Africa Land

Policy agenda

Going forwardA practical work plan has been developed and shared with the working groups. However, we expect to

have more Mini kili events in different block. IEC materials will be developed after content stories have

 been collected and documented. Media engagement both print and online. (Twitter bomb and face-book)

on Kilimanjaro initiative. The communication team will share the dates when a discussion on Kili will

happen using social media platform. Preparations are underway for Rural Women and Rural Women

Farmers to attend the African Union Summit. For more details, see below.

Broad area DateWorking groups and team

  Strategic oversight team

  Steering team

  Working groups

Ongoing

Research documentation & communication May to August 2016

Country mobilisation

i) National formations

ii)Alliance building/networking/Mini Kilis

iii)Post event mobilisation/sharing

Note: Mini Kilis

Countries from the regional blocks have planned for mini kili subject to

availability of funding.

2.  South African region- Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi

and South Africa

3.  West African region-Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and

Senegal

4.  East African region-Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda

Country

mobilization done in

most regional blocks

1st May – 30th July

2016 TBC

AU Summit: Joint event with LPI 10t  to 18t  July 2016

Logistic: (Securing of the Caravans; Securing of venue; Hotels; Visas;

Licencing)

June to August 2016

Launch of Caravans 3r    to 13t   October

2016

Mass Assembly 14t - 16t   October

2016

Continental Lobby and advocacy

  Engagement with AU organs

  Post Kilimanjaro (Engagement with regional institutions, All

 participating countries, and Pan African rural women leadership

council

May 2016

July 2016

January 2017

The Climb 10th to 15t

  October2016

7/25/2019 Update- Kilimanjaro Initiative June 2016

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/update-kilimanjaro-initiative-june-2016 8/8

 

8 | P a g e