Human Rights Activists

"focuses on rushing to elections and having a multi-party system when you don’t have real constituencies or comprehension of the idea of political parties and programmes"

"The need to demilitarize, demobilize, and to have a rehab programme for those who are traumatized by war has not been addressed by the UN-led peace process"

"actually caused a further divisiveness and polarization in society"

"We had… congressmen who were either affiliated with militias or who were themselves militias… We started seeing that congresswomen were threatened and bullied physically and verbally by other representatives"

"The root cause… it’s the unchecked militarization, it’s the flow of arms, it’s the arms anarchy"

"We’ve been appeasing warlords"

"Nobody attacked the issue in Libya from a holistic approach"

"If we don’t know where we come from, we don’t know where we are going."

"I dreamed of being a lawyer, because I thought that a lawyer must devote himself to the defense of the innocent"

"I promoted the idea that the development of society would be sufficient to transform the situation of women (…) I came to realize that this was a serious error, and that the starting point for women’s development was their education"

"African Governments needs to be accountable, and take responsibility in keeping their promises. We need to push African governments to work harder on women issues; those who have not ratified the various legal framework to ratify, those who have already ratified to put money aside for implementation with concrete action plans such as clear gender budgeting as well as allocating more funding for food security, human security and better education/health care for sustainable development."

"That is what we are really trying to do – to really give African women the voices they deserve."

"If you know what you want and you have the passion and motivation to do it, nothing will stand in your way. More importantly, you have to believe in yourself and stand by your decisions. Life is full of challenges and you will never overcome these challenges if you doubt yourself. Always remember that nothing is impossible if you believe in it and put some work into it, you will succeed"

"Don’t wait for money. We are in a world of Globalisation and Capitalisation where people are so focused on their own needs and serving themselves. Yet, we can succeed whilst helping others. Africa has many challenges and it is up to all of us to ensure we work together and make sure that Africa as a whole can grow and prosper. We need to promote peace and continue to think about the value of the community."

"The participation and inclusion of African Women and girls are vital to the continent growth and development. African governments can simply no longer afford to deny the full potential of half of the population. Women and girls need to be empowered and have their developmental skills unleashed to participate in the socio-economic and political development of the continent"

"I wanted to do something that could have a positive impact on African women’s and girls’ lives – and the African Women’s Decade was the perfect opportunity"

"Most organizations that focus on empowering and gaining the equal rights of women often neglect the voices of African women themselves"

"It is not a secret that the world’s challenges will not be effectively addressed unless the exclusion faced by women and girls is tackled across the board. We need to have more women in decision-making and leadership positions because whether the issue is food security, economic recovery, health, or peace and security; the participation and inclusion of women is needed today more than ever for more sustainable and equitable solutions"

"I guess people have come to realise that there is more to Africa than starving people, raped women, war, child soldier,… whatever the reason, we need to remember that we cannot rely on others to develop the continent"

"In September 2009, while demonstrating against the regime in Guinea, women were raped and sexually abused in the capital – Conakry. This horrible event hunts my life every single day. There was a young woman who was at her 3rd year at the University among the victims, she was raped and sexually abused. When I saw a picture of her being dragged half naked by two soldiers, I couldn’t sleep for nights. At that point, I decided that I couldn’t keep going on with my life knowing what has just happened without taking actions. That young woman could have been me and her crime was just to ask for democracy and peace."

"Through Make Every Woman Count, my aim is to provide a spectrum of platforms and tools for African women, grassroots, activists, international organisations and women rights groups. I feel that what has been missing from the African women’s movement is a space, a voice that comes directly from African women."

"I hope to help them find strength in their voices while raising awareness on their issues and work on the international stage"

"Today, African women are beginning to break the political glass ceiling in many countries and finding their way in roles that was traditionally occupied by men. We now have two African women out of 54 head of state and the chair of the African Union is a woman"

"Women who have entered into leadership positions attribute their success to factors such as access to education and work opportunities, good mentoring by both men and women, support from family, employers, supervisors, teachers and colleagues, and successful lobbying by gender activists"

"While the rights of women were instilled in me at a very young age, my passion was inspired by 10 young girls I used to give evening classes in my neighbourhood whose parents couldn’t afford to send them to school. I remember going to school and seeing young girls not much younger than myself staying at home to work or help their families. I just could not understand why they were not able to go to school, and I just couldn’t accept it. I decided if they are not able to go to school, I would teach them. So, I set up evening classes to teach the children basic reading and writing skills. I am proud to say that all of these young women have now gone through full education including University. Their stories touched me enormously and motivated me to be member of the Guinean Children Parliament where I advocated for the rights of girls to education and also later on to do a Master of International so that I would be better prepared to assist women and girls. I would say this is when the passion to help others was birthed."

"We simply cannot develop a continent if half of its population is left out. African governments need to tap into the talent and wisdom of women"

"Interviewer: What was your experience completing your Doctorate at Makerere University while teaching? Caroline Adoch: It's been a challenge though, considering the student numbers that we teach and the scripts for marking. Creating a balance between teaching and studying calls for commitment."

"Her contributions have been recognized globally, including being awarded the inaugural North-South Prize in 1995 and the prestigious U Tam’si Prize for African Poetry in 2001, making her the only Cape Verdean to achieve such recognition."

"The overlay of her poetry upon her visage not only honours her literary contributions but also embodies the essence of her peaceful activism, reflecting the depth of emotion and the persistent call for harmony within her nation."

"Adoch believes political will checks impunity and lawlessness."

"With a remarkable career spanning from being a counsellor judge at the Supreme Court to an advisor to the president of the Republic, Duarte’s impact extends beyond borders."

"Interviewer: Why did you decide to study rape? Caroline Adoch: It is my conviction that rape is a big issue for women and girls. The fear of rape defines so many parameters of the lives of women and girls."

"Interviewer: Do you have any advice for the girl child and the Makerere University? Caroline Adoch: To the University, I wish to say, at 100 years we shouldn’t be talking about ‘firsts’ in terms of opportunities."

"The authorities must immediately end the misuse of the justice system to target Alice Nkom."

"“he weaponization of the justice system to intimidate human rights defender Alice Nkom shows the authorities’ flagrant disregard for the human rights of those who defend the rights of other people."

"Do not worry for me. I believe I will be arrested in the coming days, but I will not lose sleep over this or, especially, abandon what we have begun together."

"Becoming a woman with disability opened my eyes to the challenges persons with disabilities face."

"Despite the debilitating legacies of slavery and colonialism that continue to hold our continent and perpetuate global geopolitical and economic imbalances, I think Africa will inevitably rise like those many heads of the hydra whereby you strike one and another one that is twice as strong emerges."

"I believe in a just a fair world, where I am not subservient to another because we differ in color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age."

"Now, never underestimate the power of the mind. What African futurism does is harness that power into action. It empowers us to craft the future that we want."

"Our feminism is not qualified by the "Buts ,Ifs Or However" ..You are either a feminist or you are not."

"Colonialism maintains a stranglehold on knowledge production through an elaborate publication infrastructure largely based in the global North...[to] gatekeep what qualifies as "legitimate" publishable knowledge."

"Definitely. I think African futurism and the interdisciplinary genre and movement hold a lot of promise for the imaginaries of our people."

"Africa will inevitably rise like those many heads of the hydra, but first it needs a decolonial break from the tether that ties its economies to the global capitalist market."

"Angolan Lawyer and University Professor. Fighter for the independence of Angola and defender of Angolan political prisoners during the colonial period. Professor at the Agostinho Neto Law School, Supreme Court Judge and teacher of several generations of Angolan lawyers and jurists as well as being a major figure in the dissemination and teaching of Law in Angola."

"The Angolan Constitution emphasizes the unconditional respect for children's rights."

"The electoral process creates a high level of psychological tension for both individuals and political parties. As a result, any ill-considered or strategically motivated remark can lead to conflict," stated the official during the opening of the conference on "Elections, Tolerance, and Conflict Prevention Mechanisms.""

"Furthermore, rallying our people to fully embrace the peace agreement is key to moving towards the actualization of peace, living it and protecting it. This shall further help our people prioritize and see clearly the need for an elected responsible, competent government that shall serve and be answerable to them."

"Driven by our people’s suffering, motivated by our people’s yearning for a just dignified life and lasting peace, urged by the gap in the required leadership, I have decided to answer the call. South Sudan must arise peacefully against violence, political exploitation, and manipulation."

"We shall further advocate for basic freedoms as expression and assembly, multi-partism and the ability to move freely safely in South Sudan. Furthermore, we shall work with like-minded political parties, individuals and civil society to consistently call for free fair elections."