reGain Space - The Future is Now!

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With our series "reGain Space - The Future is Now!" we make visions, struggles and experiences of African activists visible. We listen to the voices of courageous people who stand up for political participation, human rights, environmental and gender justice in their societies. Read and listen for yourself.

Season I - Horn von Africa

Activists from Ethiopia, Sudan and Eritrea report on their aspirations, strategies and perspectives that motivate them, against many risks, to demand and shape political change in their countries.

Video interviews with the activists

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Recording of the event

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Season II - Loud & Proud

(Queer) feminism has a long tradition in Africa. Queer people struggle for rights and freedom, moving between survival, visibility, provocation - and joy. We spoke with women* and genderqueer activists from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda.

Zeichen für männliches, weibliches und non-binäres Geschlecht mit Faust in der Mitte — Image credits

Interviews with the activists

Queer women in Uganda: "Don't rush into coming out"

Interview

In East Africa, politics and the church propagate the idea that homosexuality is "un-African". In order to maintain their own power. However, queer life and love has always existed in Uganda. Homophobia, on the contrary, can be called a colonial import. We spoke with Ssenfuka Joanita Warry about queer activism in Uganda and why she takes every opportunity, she can to speak out and fight misconceptions about homosexuality.

By Claudia Simons

Queer community in Nigeria: "My feminism is queer feminism"

Interview

We must resist the patriarchal system. But as long as it persists and continues to exist, queer people in Nigeria are seeking ways to simultaneously resist the system all the while not putting their own lives, joy, and happiness at the center. Queer feminism allows for the development and testing of new ways of existing - new ways of living in community with others, new ways of organising and distributing resources, new ways of making sure that people’s needs are met. Hbs in conversation with OluTimehin Adegbeye, on the meaning and opportunities of queer feminism.

By Claudia Simons

I know very well how important it is to be careful. And at the same time, I know that it can't stop me from continuing my work and continuing to talk about it.

Ssenfuka Joanita Warry

Portrait/Grafik - Seoketsi Mooketsi (Seopowerr)

Queer community in South Africa - "I am feminism!"

Interview

The queer community is not free from exclusions and the fight for resources.. Class plays as much a role as ideas about femininity and masculinity. Black trans*women from rural areas, who are often poor, face particularly strong discrimination. Therefore, the queer community itself must address its own internalised prejudices, distorted perceptions, and exclusions. A conversation with Seoketsi Mooketsi (Seopowerr).

By Claudia Simons

Queer activism in Kenya - "speak truth to power!"

Interview

Queer feminism allows us to understand that patriarchy harms all of us and only an intersectional approach enables collective liberation and working together in solidarity. Queer resistance can also be fun - and sometimes a dandy outfit is enough to make patriarchy shake. We talked to Yvee Oduor about activism and mobilization of genderqueer people in Kenya.

By Claudia Simons

Trailer

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To the complete recording - Activists' Talk: reGain Space: Cautious Hope within the Horn of Africa

Season III - Environment and justice

Resource exploitation, climate crisis and the loss of biodiversity are global phenomena that particularly affect the African continent. Despite this reality, debates around these issues largely mirror a Western perspective and African voices are often overheard in the climate movement. However, African environmental activists are in the forefront fighting the climate crisis and engage in the protection of natural resources. We spoke to some of them.

Offene Handfläche mit Erdhügel und dreiblättriger, zarter Pflanze — Image credits

Grafik/Portrait: Lesle Jansen; Ayakha Melithafa; Ruth Nyambura — Image credits

We must also take into account what the climate crisis and the colonial past that led us there is doing to people. It robs people of their culture and their dignity.

Ruth Nyambura, Klima- und Umweltaktivistin aus Kenia

The climate crisis is a result of the commodification of land and social relations

Interview

The climate crisis is the result of relations of power and exploitation, between the Global North and the Global South as well as between people and nature. A decolonial approach in climate activism stands for a radical break with colonial principles of economic, political and social systems – including industrial agriculture and landgrabbing. A conversation with Ruth Nyambura, climate activist from Kenya.

By Imeh Ituen

The right to belong and the protection of cultural property

Interview

For centuries, resources have been extracted from the African continent without adequate payment or compensation. With colonialism, Khoikhoi and San, the first inhabitants of Southern Africa, lost their land and many lost their lives. During decades of Apartheid they were racially discriminated and still have to fight for political and economic inclusion in the post-Apartheid era. We spoke to the Khoikhoi lawyer Lesle Jansen about her fight for the community and for the legal acknowledgement of the cultural heritage of Indigenous people.

By Imeh Ituen

Youth Against Climate Change in South Africa: “There is a major lack of representation in the movement”

Interview

Most of food production in Africa is shouldered by small scale farmers and the majority of farmers are women. Alarmed by the effects of climate change on her family’s farm Ayakha Melithafa from South Africa’s Western Cape joined an environmental school club and engages now in a national and an international youth movements for climate justice.

By Imeh Ituen

Season IV - net:works!

The Internet has long become a central site of democratic activism in many African countries. Activists use the cyberspace for exchange, empowerment and protection. The democratization of the access to the digital world and protection against attacks and surveillance are central concerns of civil society engagement today. We spoke with three activists from Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Senegal about the appropriation of discourse spaces and the creative use of digital tools.