Category: Uncategorized

“Al Qaeda sanction by UN”
“What implications will Somalia have if Al-Shabaab get similar sanction as Al Qaeda?”

These was a WhatsApp message that I had sent to my brother earlier in the day. Not for him to respond, but for my own consumption. I do this a lot on his inbox or on few of my friends’ inboxes. I find it a lot easier than having to write a note. My intention was solely to use it as reference on researching on the subject. I was surprised that the two organizations could be sanctioned.

According to what I learnt during my Undergrad was that sanction is a political and economic decisions that are part of diplomatic efforts by countries, multilateral or regional organizations against states or organizations either to protect national security interests, or to protect international law, and defend against threats to international peace and security. There was no indication of terror group in the list?.

“How can Al-Shabaab be sanctioned yet it isn’t a government?”
“You can’t enforce sanctions on outlawed factions.” These were my kid brother response to my message.

I clearly had to respond. I thought fast through his response which I clearly agree with, but I had to counter it in order to probe more into the discussion.
“They are areas that are dominant by Al Qaeda do not receive aid from any actors, this is done in order to try and freeze all their engagement.” This was my wild guess.

I knew it was true that Al Qaeda are facing sanctions as much as I had just learnt about it for the first time today (forgive my ignorance). I also knew that it was true that Kenyan government has proposed over a similar sanction to be taken against Al-Shabaab.

“How can they restrict aid to innocent civilians?”
“What normally happens is, it is intercepted by the terror groups.” This were his response.

“Explain more” I responded.

“From my own understanding, a sanction is denying a given organization the ability to trade, receive aid, relate with other countries”
“So it doesn’t make sense since doing that won’t affect terror group”
“It is difficult to enforce.”

I did not have much to say since I was deficient of information on the subject. I clearly had all reasons to research more about it. Not just for myself but also for my brother.

My last response on the subject was “allow me to go read more on the subject then I will share my findings with you.”

Dear brother,

I have learnt that there is the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee, which is one of three Security Council committees dealing with counter-terrorism. The other two committees are the Counter-Terrorism Committee established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001), and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to Resolution 1540 (2004).

Resolution 1267 (1999) and subsequent resolutions have all been adopted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter and require all UN Member States to inter alia: “freeze the assets of, prevent the entry into or transit through their territories by, and prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale and transfer of arms and military equipment to any individual or entity associated with Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden and/or the Taliban as designated by the Committee.”

On 17 June 2011, Resolution 1989 was adopted, so that the sanctions measures now apply to designated individuals and entities associated solely with AL-Qaeda. On this same date, Resolution 1988 was adopted, creating a new committee dealing exclusively with sanctions relating to the Taliban.

Al-Qaeda Sanctions List (previously known as the Consolidated List)
It states that pursuant to resolution 1390 (2002) the committee established and maintains a list which serves as the foundation for the implementation and enforcement of the sanctions measures imposed against those individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaeda as designated by the Committee. The list is split into two sections covering: A. individuals associated with Al-Qaeda and B. entities and other groups and undertakings associated with Al-Qaeda.

The List, whose count changes frequently due to listings and de-listings, contains 345 individuals and entities (as of 2 May, 2019) against whom three sanctions measures: (1) assets freeze, (2) travel ban, and (3) arms embargo, must be applied by all Member States. The Committee oversees the implementation of these three sanctions measures, considers names submitted for listing and de-listing, as well as any additional information on the listed individuals and entities.

According to the Committee’s website, the list as of 2 May, 2019 currently consists of:
• 262 Individuals associated with Al-Qaeda
• 83 Entities and other groups and undertakings associated with Al-Qaeda
They are actually resolution with deeper explanation on the specifics to the sanctions. You can read more on that (https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/terrorism-sanctions-fact-sheet.pdf)

Interesting, right?
Okay, so the above sanctions to Al Qaeda is the same sanction that Kenya has proposed for Al-Shabaab which should be effective as per now.
According to the Kenya Standard Group Newspaper, Kenya is urging the UN to list Al-Shabaab under the same sanctions as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, but foreign donors say the move could leave millions in drought-stricken Somalia without aid. This could take effect as soon as today. I mean 29/08/2019. Al-Shabaab is already targeted under broader sanctions imposed by the United Nations on Somalia, which is heavily aid-dependent after three decades of conflict and economic ruin.

Presently, UN agencies and humanitarian organizations are exempt from these sanctions, which enables them to deliver urgent aid without prosecution when they venture into territory controlled by Al-Shabaab. If no member state objects before August 29 the Al-Shabaab listing under Security Council resolution 1267 will take immediate effect. Read more on the write up on this link (https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001339785/aid-groups-warn-against-kenya-s-un-bid-to-sanction-Al-shabaab)

I pity Somalians if this will/was to take place. All I can say is that I am crossing my finger against this sanction. Just like you said earlier, innocent civilians are going to suffer and even die if this will implemented.

Yours truly,
Big Sister.
B.N

What are your opinions regarding this matter? Do you think that the sanction should take effect?
Looking forward to your engagement on this subject.
Cheers

The World is changing, it’s an undeniable reality!
The change is biting really hard. Dry seasons have become longer and drier, the beautiful ponds and the dancing rivers are drying up fast leaving unpleasant combination of dry sand and ashy rocks. When rains finally show up, it is accompanied by angry roaring destructive floods, what a trying times! For the city dwellers, blue clear sky is becoming a fantasy; it’s all smoggy with a hellish look, it all spells A.S.T.H.M.A.

Our Metrologist are finding it difficult to give correct weather forecast because of the drastic change climate. Winter and summer are all but names that marks nothing, we can experience both the two in a season. The ocean glacier is melting down at fast speed. Wild animals are being extinct because they can’t live in the current condition. Even our domestic animals are dying due to drought and flood. Don’t forget we are recording a high number of death due to starvation and drowning that has been brought by the same drought and flood. The increase of climate refugees is rapidly increasing. No country is safe. We are all potential victims of climate disaster.

These are just a drop of the effects of climate change and air pollution at their lowest!

Okay, allow me to offer my opinion as me. A woman. Not just a woman but a feminist. What perspective does Beline and her likes have towards Environmental Justice and Climate?
Women should be put on the forefront in this great matter of concern. For a long time, climate change and air pollution applied commonly across all gender or rather it was gender neutral; at least that is what people thought. However, with time it became gender sensitive.

In Africa, girls have the lowest probability of getting education that will allow them to pursue careers like being a scientist which will give them opportunity to be part of the engagement on issues on climate change and environment. The reality is that male gender has dominated scientific panels that make decision on matter regarding the subject. In NASA for instance, majority of the staff are male dominated. From a sober ground, do you find it okay?

Let me loop the tradition perspective into this discussion. In our community, women play key role to ensuring that both the family and the community are stable. They typically run the household. For instance, they are responsible to ensure there is clean water and sanitation, food and nutrition, and even in some cases building and construction. When the wells, rivers and ponds which are the primary source of water dries up due to prolonged dry seasons, women are forced to walk long distance sometimes tens of kilometers in such of water; risking starvation, dehydration, exhaustion, and attacks. When the crops dry in the farm or are washed away by floods, and domestic animals die due to starvation caused by famine. Women are forced to look for food that will help sustain the lives of her family.

In cases where a mother gets ill due to breathing polluted air in the streets or from prolonged exposure to fumes from charcoal and firewood from cooking? Not only will the mother suffer but the entire family. This is because of the great role she plays in the house hold.

Women should be directly involved in decision making when it comes to such issues. Our voices should be given great attention on championing against climate change. Demand for clean and affordable cooking fuel, demand for reduction of use of fossil fuels, demand for clean energy because at the end of the day Beline as a woman is at higher risk of the damages caused by poor decisions made in regards to environment policies and practice.

Mid last year, I went to Savanis’ bookshop. The one along river road, around Odeon cinema. This was after trying severally to get there on time. Duty calls took most of my time. On this particular day, it was supposed to be my lucky day. I was supposed to get one of Chimamanda’s books. I had seen them on their shelves before. So I got in, relieved that I was on time. I scanned around to locate what I was looking for but I did not find it. So I asked one of the attendants if they had it in stock. He told me that they had stopped stocking all the books that Binyavanga supplies. Unless they find another supplier, that is when they will stock the books. I was surprised, I asked him the ‘whys’ to that action. He told me they don’t want any association with him because he had declared that he is gay. That was absurd. I was not pleased at all. I remember wanting to rant about it on social media, but on second thought, I ignored it.
I do not subscribe to gayism, but why should we be quick to judge and condemn. It is just an equal sin to fornication that a number of people indulge in. We all have our sinful tendencies. It is our personal obligation to fight them. For some, we overcome and for others, we succumb to them. We should always focus on seeing the good in people.
I describe Binyavanga with his boldness, to say his truth even if people will not agree with it. His realness, to face things as they are. And his ability to study what is going around and put it rightly in literature. Mr Wainaina, an author, publisher, journalist and commentator, was seen as one of the most important voices in African literature. He won the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2002 and went on to establish “Kwani” a literary magazine that offered a platform for new Kenyan writers.
At least for him unlike most of us not forgetting the elite and the politicians who should be the voice that Africa yearns for, he firmly condemned how Africa is being depicted to the world. In his satirical writing on How to Write About Africa , he said “Treat Africa as if it were one country,” he went ahead saying that the characters must include “the Starving African, who wanders the refugee camp nearly naked, and waits for the benevolence of the West.” We all know that this is not true, yet such are the narratives that describe Africa. This piece will remain to be a very canonical piece in the world.
My words are similar to those of Ellah Wakatama, when he stated that Binyavanga has given wings to a generation of writers. His writings will impact and last eternity. To writers and readers of literature, this is a big loss to us. Instead of getting ourselves in the unnecessary politics, we should honour this gentleman. All the national flags in the literary world should fly half in honour of his life.
My favourite line in his writing is “There is an ache in my chest today, sweet, searching, and painful, like a tongue that is cut and tingles with sweetness and pain after eating a strong pineapple.”

Through friends, Wendy, not her real name learnt of a travel broker in Nairobi-Kenya, who says that

he could get her a passport, a visa, and a plane ticket to Europe. Once Blessing finds work there, he promised, she would earn enough to support the entire family. She tells me that she wants to go to the land of honey and milk. They are suffering, life is a struggle for her and her family. More so being an urban refugee it is even worse. Life in the city is very expensive even to Kenyan nationals. Wendy is a brilliant girl. She performed highly n school and even managed to pursue a medical course. Unfortunately, due to her status, it is difficult for her to practice. Her education as per now seems as good as nothing.
At times, she gets locums where she gets some few cash that she tries to provide for her family and saves some. It is these savings that she wants to give to the broker. Will she get the help that she dreamed of or the broker will promptly disappear. This the question that I keep asking myself.
In case you are interested to know where I met her, she is my childhood friend. Back then when I was below ten. We lived in the same ‘landi’ not until I got an accident and my mum had to relocate to another place because she was scared of the incident. We later met on social media platforms and finally in church. We are good friends.
Friends in the west are sending messages through the social media platform, how life is greener on the other side. If you go to their Instagram accounts you will see how they are living life. You will, of course, come to the conclusion that they are having well-compensated employment in the respective jobs that they do abroad. This is something that I am a bit reserved to having such conclusions, more so after reading kinds of literature by Africans abroad (Americana and the likes) and also through a confession of a close friend who lives in the west. I am a bit skeptical about such hype of life abroad. But for Wendy, unlike me, she has to try. If she was a Kenyan national, she will have the possibility of making a life here.
Of course, they are several pathways to getting resettlement into a third country. This through the normal resettlement program offered through refugees and the complementary pathway which includes education, employment, and private resettlement. Wendy had applied for an education resettlement program through Windle Trust but instead, she got a full sponsorship to pursue her undergraduate. She is grateful for this. Her family members have not to be identified for the ordinary resettlement hence her only left option is to pursue resettlement through the broker option.
After several meetings with this broker, Wendy decided to balk when she discovered that this man wanted her to become a sex worker. She learnt about this after several questions that she would ask him about the nature of work that she was going to do. Soon afterward, her friend Anita introduces her to another woman who claimed to be helping people with nursing education to go abroad. This seemed a bit honest, we all know nurses are of high demand in the west. This time, I decided to accompany Wendy to visit this newly found agent. This Kenyan woman with European connections—she was elegant, well dressed, and kind. The woman promised Wendy and me that she could take us to Europe; she would pay for our journey and find us jobs, and then we would pay her back once we get jobs abroad. I acted like I was also interested. This was for us to gather as much information so that we can verify if this was true. Deep within I felt this was another hawk. But as my newly made up quote says, support them in their decisions until you have a better alternative for them. Our new found agent wanted 5000usd from her to start the process. Wendy did not have such a figure.
Wendy is just one of a million refugees who is trying everything possible to restart their lives. To put themselves in a platform that seems promising to them, so that they can finally get to realize their dreams. They cannot actualize such dreams back in their country because of the fear of persecution. In the countries of asylum, their economic capability is limited, they cannot get employed due to the policy measures in place by the respective government. They can also not invest in properties. They are left with no choice than to live a dependant from relevant NGO’S, UNHCR, well-wishers and the host government. Their only hope is to get resettlement which only less than one percent of the population get lucky to get such opportunities. A number of them get exploited based on their vulnerability. If you read https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/asylum-sale-refugees-say-some-u-n-workers-demand-bribes-n988351 you will have a picture of what they undergo.

A durable solution needs to be found to address this plight.

Channy*, is my nickname for him. He is such a brilliant, warm, witty and inquisitive South Sudanese Refugee, determined and passionate about saving his country from all the injustice that has been happening there. He fled his home village (Bentiu) in December 2013 during the last civil war in Africa’s newest baby. Bentiu Protection of Civilian Camp was his home for almost a year as an internally displaced person (IDP), before his coming to Kenya through Uganda, in September 2014.

When he was in the IDP, he felt frustrated that he could not be able to get access to Education. This is what made him look for the slightest opportunity to move out of South Sudan. In his stay in Kenya, he enrolled in one of the colleges to study Public Health. He narrated to me that the health sector in South Sudan is something that should be urgently addressed because there are very few doctors and medical facilities, which sadly contributed to his father’s death. This has driven his passion to be a doctor. To save lives and restore hope among the ill.

A friend of his then introduced him to Margaret Nagle the script writer of the movie “A Good Lie”. Margaret had been keenly following the South Sudan story and all its plight. Channy fed into the movie like a real life character and his passion for the medical field, ignited great inspiration in Margaret. This led to a fully funded scholarship by Margaret who has walked by Channy in his pursuit of education.

Sadly as fate would have it, he was denied a Visa twice, due to his refugee status. I advised him on how draft a letter to be able to appeal for the decision as much as I knew that there was a very minimal chance that the decision would be reconsidered. This is the same thing that most refugees undergo. Most of Western countries believe that if they have the status they will claim permanent residency due to the situation in their country of origin. Thankfully, his plea fell on a soft heart and he was finally able to get a visa, leading to his departure for medical school beyond African borders, where he can now study in peace and not worry about dying the next minute over war, disease and hunger.

Unlike what many would do, Channy is not interested in settling abroad. He is determined to finish his medicine degree and go back to South Sudan. He says the situation back looks overwhelming but his certain that he will make a great change once he is back there. He expressed himself by stating how South Sudan does not have solid operating institutions and they lack attention from the International Community. He says that he will work hard to ensure South Sudan finally gets the dignity it deserves after five decades of conflict and gain stability like most of Africa as well as other countries on the globe.

His story continues to echo loud and clear among other Refugees.
There are so many young and able children who have had their stars dimmed by greed and inhumanity. All they seek is for one person in the world to hold each one of their hands, to create a chain of hope and dignity, through which healing and growth can happen.

“Refugees are the source of insecurity, diseases, unemployment, drug trafficking, prostitution and all those vices a country may face!’’: This biased mainstream way of thinking has been hard-wired into most of us. The notion that admitting refugees will ruin a host country’s social economy is rooted in false socioeconomic ideas, fundamentally a well-structured set of propaganda. For example, critics peddle the belief that refugees will take jobs away from the native population, thereby increasing poverty and unemployment. Additionally, the nativist argument claims, refugees present a huge burden on public resources, without creating economic value themselves. The augments sound reasonable until they are placed under a microscope for observation and analysis.

Now, away from prejudiced way of thinking, studies have shown that refugee influxes have positive or neutral effects on host country economies in the long term. After the initial high cost of resettlement, refugees start businesses, pay taxes, and are active contributors to their communities. The refugees bring along with them a variety of skills and knowledge which can be worthwhile for a country’s socioeconomic growth. Refugees also create additional demand for goods and services, since more people directly translates to more consumers of foodstuff, clothing, accommodations, transportation, telecommunication services, banking, and other consumer goods and services. Thus, some experts say that accepting refugees is akin to making a “lucrative investment,” according to the Washington Post.

Just to paint a picture, the International Rescue Committee reported that 85% of refugees resettled by the IRC were employed within 180 days of their arrival. Meaning in just 180 days someone who possibly had not spent a single coin of his/her host country on education, public security, and health to name but just a few, will begin generating equity and paying taxes! Good business for the host country! Such refugees are literally more valuable to the county than the native taxpayer who would be essentially just paying back what the government had and is spending on them. Over time, refugees add more value to the economy than the initial cost of resettlement. In terms of taking jobs from the domestic population, studies show that low-skilled foreign workers and low-skilled domestic workers tended to complement each other, rather than compete. Additionally, refugees have a higher likelihood of starting their own business than other groups.

As much as refugees can be valuable to the country’s economy, they need live and work legitimately in order for them to contribute to their host country’s coffers. Kenya for instance through legal restrictions, is not fully ripping from the benefits of legitimizing and allowing more refugees to live and work within the country– leaving them vulnerable to exploitation, human trafficking, black market, and dangerous work. By offering refugees a new home not only do we give them a second chance to rebuild their lives, but also gives an opportunity to the host nation to benefit economically from them.

Its past midnight and I am still awake. Feeling tired, but I have to keep wake. But why? Its the end of the year, reflection and Thanks Giving to God must be done. I must admit it has been a great year, one of my best. For sure He has been Faithful. There were ups and down, I also made some mistakes, but the good thing I learnt from them and still learning. It is a journey.

It took me time to pen my thoughts down… I was wondering if you even deserve to know, or whether you even care or whether it will even have an impact in your life. Or this will just be a platform where you will be to keen to analysis and only pick that which is negative. Anyway I will still pen my thoughts down…

I am sorry I failed my loyal readers, I lost it along the way. So much happened. Do not give up on me, I am working on the consistency. I also have to admit I am still working on a niche. I hope to settle on one soon.

Ahaa… so lets go through the little that I managed to write through the year.
1. Feminism- I embrace feminism that focuses on equality and I appreciate the difference between a man and a woman. (Feminism is not only fighting for women’s rights, but also for men’s. Being a feminist is believing that a man being raped or abused is just as wrong and horrible as a woman being raped or abused. It’s believing that women can hold jobs traditionally held by men, and that men can hold jobs traditionally held by women. Feminism is connoted to mean gender equality)
I do not relate to the radical feminism. The kind of feminism that has been flawed. The one that its intention is to oppress both men and women. I acknowledge that women and men have their biological difference. I do not subscribe to the school of thought that says “what a man can do a woman can do better”.
2. South-South Relation-I believe is a form of modern colonization that is sugar coated under such umbrellas and globalization. A quick illustration is Kenya and China case. Kenya owe China billions and billions of shillings, and China is now interfering in our country. Yet they claim to be operating under the non-interference policy. We have become so dependant to them.
3. Environment- What role do you play every day to protect your environment. Every individual to understand that environment is the caretaker of lives. There is a need to stand for its conservation efforts. Each and every individual should feel obliged to ensure that the environment is taken care of, bearing in mind that this is for the good of the current and the future generation and there posterity.
4. Women Breaking the Ceiling- Back in my Secondary Education, in my history class. We were taught on the importance of women in bringing development in the society. An empowered woman is able to make better choices for the family, community and ultimately the country. We should learn to embrace life in totality. Barack Obama once quoted that it is not the smartest thing to do by empowering women but it is the right thing to empower women. In simple turns, the society should not consider women empowerment as a privilege but as a right and necessity to our dear women. Until then, the society is yet to feel the real power and potential of empowered women.
5. The Power of Parenting-The current generation has replaced their presence in the lives of their children, instead they shower them with gifts. Parents should embrace their role which is being emotionally available for their children. Humans are emotional beings, and through these feelings, children can grow up differently depending on how they are raised.
6. Stateless Person-Have you ever imagined yourself being stateless. Like not having a Nationality. Banyamulenge community in Congo and Burundi are being referred as Stateless, some Eritreans who have lived all their lives in Ethiopia… these are just but a few examples. Yet the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has a right to a Nationality.
stateless people are obliged to flee because of the persecution and discrimination which they experience.
What if we borrow from Socrates who once said, ‘I am a Citizen of the World. And my Nationality is Goodwill.”
7. Raising the Bar, African Foreign Relations – It is high time we should own up in making our own foreign policy. We should stop the act of adopting policies that are structured by other countries.

You can revist all the above mentioned post om my history☺

So, what do you think? What’s your favorite post you’ve come across here and why? And what counsel would you give me for making this next year even more meaningful?

Happy New Year!
Thank you, again, for your support, passion, and ongoing commitment to reading my writings. I really appreciate.

You will notice when she enters the room…
No, not merely because of how she looks.
You will notice by the warmth she brings,
Which leaves a trace of delight resting gently into your heart.

She has that sparkle in her eyes…
A twinkle of light.
Her gaze—there’s hope in there.
She believes everything is going to be all right.

She is a mystery…
Not for the words left unspoken.
But for every word that flows from her soul,
A door opens to a new horizon.

She is present…
With all her heart she is here.
Even though, between her laughs, it’s almost clear…
Her mind tends to wander into the future, far or near.

She is strong…
Even if tears have fallen down her cheeks
And words have failed to escape her trembling mouth,
She is not any less stronger the she was before.

With all her vulnerability, she is strong.
With all her flaws, she is perfect.

She is perfect.

Naomi Karsudjono

Feminism has become a fundamentally flawed construct. The original purpose of the feminist movement was to instate equal legal rights for women, but as often happens with social movements, momentum has carried us far past equality to a place that is counterproductive to the authentic feminist spirit.

Any movement can easily change from a noble movement with well-defined actions with a purpose of achieving something good for the society to a selfish, confused, oppressive and poisonous movement to the society. A movement which causes a cosmic uproar and bashing when a boy puts on a shirt with the phrase ‘Boys will be Boy’! And on the other hand praises, supports and sponsors shirts with ‘Girls Run the World’ printed in them! I can’t wrap my head around this, so boys can’t be boys but girls can run the world? Where is the fight for equality in this, it beats the logic! Do not get me wrong, I believe Women deserve to be respected as much as men do. The problem with modern feminism is that it suggests that to be respected, women have to be more like men.

“Anything a man can do a woman can do better” is not exactly true. Can a woman/lady lift as much weight as  6-foot-3, 200-pound male partner in the gym? Personally, I cannot. Doing so will of course injure me, and claiming to be capable of such a feat would just be blatantly unreasonable. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t women out there who can, but higher levels of testosterone and increased muscle mass tailor men to lifting heavier weight than women typically would.

Denying our biological differences only sets us up for failure. There are evolutionary reasons for typically “feminine” or “masculine” characteristics, and recognizing this shouldn’t cause offence. Our differences come down to raising offspring. We can debate the finer points, but ultimately, in an evolutionary context, if there were only one set of gender characteristics within a mated pair, children would theoretically die of starvation. If both parents prioritized goal-oriented risk-taking, both might bite it hunting for food, leaving their children unprotected, whereas if both parents prioritized communication and emotional connectivity, perhaps neither would be willing to part with their children and risk their lives to hunt in the first place.

These may be generalities, but they’re real generalities, based on the history of how the human species raised their offspring. Because society is now structured differently from a hunting and gathering lifestyle, people of all gender identities are (ideally) free to pursue whatever goals and passions they desire without the necessity of following a particular child-rearing paradigm.

This is where the modern social media driven social justice feminism has gotten us. A movement which began to liberate women from exclusion has since morphed into a weapon of oppression not only for men but also women. When the first wave of feminism began, these women knew what they wanted. They went to the street to demand for it. In 1919 in the US, thousands of females matched to the Whitehouse demanding the right to vote in the next presidential elections. These movement paved the way for the fight for law promoting better health care and education. And the 60’s and 70’s these feminists protests led to changes which guaranteed, under the law, equal rights in the workplace, universities and colleges, healthcare and homes. Then in the 2000’s , things changed, feminist were now fighting against aggressive forces like the word “too”, scary sports mascots, and patriarchal cereal boxes!!!! You clearly tell how things have changed.

Whereas the previous waves of feminist fought for things that are measurable and evaluable, the social justice feminism are fighting for or against things that cannot be quantified or even clearly figured out, ‘feelings’.

There is this American writer, who talks about philosophical feminism and tribal feminism. Just to put you in context, philosophical feminism represents the following ideas; “Women have been oppressed throughout pretty much all of civilized human history, in pretty much every culture and society, and there’s a lot of baggage and residue of that oppression that carries on in various forms today. Despite their biological differences, men grow up in a culture of toxic masculinity that is not only unhealthy for women, but also unhealthy for men as well’’

He continues to say that the problem about feminism is that it is now more than philosophy or a group of beliefs. It is, now, also a political movement, a social identity, as well as a set of institutions.

A group of people brought together by an idea, often pretty awesome ideas. They quickly graduate to set of codes and action to make things done.

The writer says this about such groupings. “But the problem is, once you’ve got a group of people together, organized for a single purpose, achieving political leverage and adopting power, building institutions and careers for themselves, all sorts of bad human tendencies start to take over.

As humans, we are tribal by nature. Our natural default is to see ourselves as part of some group that’s struggling against some other group(s) at all times. And once we’re part of our little group, our little tribe, we adopt all sorts of biases and preferences. We construct belief systems that justify our group’s power and superiority. We create tests of whether other people are “true” and “pure” members of our group, and we either shame any “non-believers” into conformity or simply expel them from the tribe.’’

It is safe to say that once a philosophy has gone tribal, its beliefs no longer exist to serve some moral principle, but rather they exist to serve the promotion of the group. This is why you will see some feminist attacking others for not buying into their way of thinking even if the thinking is irrational and unscientific.

We haves some group of feminist who have formed political movement. I was surprised when some were advocating for abolishing of Father’s Day. They have shifted from helping women to oppressing anybody who stands against their ideas as irrational and unscientific.

The writer placed across some naked statistics; “In the past few decades, sexual violence has halved, and domestic violence has dropped by an astounding two-thirds. Women recently surpassed men in the workforce in the US and earn almost 60% of all bachelor’s degrees. And despite the constant drumming of 77 cents women earn on the dollar compared to men, when you factor in the fact that men work longer hours, more dangerous jobs, and retire later, the wage gap today is actually only something like 93 to 95 cents for every dollar a man earns.’’

Despite the above high number of graduates, female still record low in in Engineering and Computer science which pays best in the US. But what will a social media feminist do about it, start saying how female are not earning more, they are denied opportunity in these fields etc. Currently, anyone male or female is free to pursue whatever course he/she want! So if more women are showing more interest in non-technical course because is what they like what is the problem, instead of whining behind a keyboard, enroll for a technical course and lead by example.

Just to wrap it up with what George Carlin said, “I love individuals. I hate a group of people (I hate a group of people with a ‘common purpose’). Because pretty soon they have little hats. And armbands. And fight songs. And a list of people they’re going to visit at 3am. So, I dislike and despise groups of people. But I love individuals.”

Come on people, we’ve all at least heard about feminism, right? What I ain’t sure of is if you’ve really ever bothered to find out what it really means amidst several speculations. Well, let me save you the hustle! Feminism is conventionally defined as a range of movements and ideologies that share a common goal which is to define, establish, and achieve equal political, economic, cultural, personal, and social rights.  A feminist role is to advocate or support the rights and equality of women.

The term feminism never just dropped from the sky for people to start using and associating to, the term was actually coined or rather first used (whatever the case)  by a French philosopher Charles Fourier. He used it to describe  all kinds of movements which aimed to establish the rights of women of the world.

Feminism as a movement came in various waves. The first wave was a movement   aimed to attain suffrage (the right to vote in a political election); the second was to establish socioeconomic rights; the third was a follow up movement to counter the failure of the second wave; the fourth wave which the current one is based on social justice for women and it is mainly fought on social media.

Feminism as a term looks confined and limited but as a movement, it comes in  various shades of concepts- basically due to many themes explored by different Feminist which vary in goals, strategies and affiliation- With that said, feminist can fall under; Separatist feminism, Radical Feminism, cultural feminism, Marxism feminism or socialist feminism, Religion feminism, Liberal Feminism, Eco-feminism, Black Feminism, I feminism etc..

Feminism according to my understanding is believing in equal rights for everyone. Feminism is believing that everyone deserves equal chances and opportunities. Feminism is not only fighting for women’s rights, but also for men’s. Being a feminist is believing that a man being raped or abused is just as wrong and horrible as a woman being raped or abused. It’s believing that women can hold jobs traditionally held by men, and that men can hold jobs traditionally held by women. Feminism is connoted to mean gender equality. At least that is what it should be!!

What’s in store for a young lady in this age of fourth wave Feminism? A lady who has been raised to be natural . A lady who was never told how she is expected to carry herself being a female.  A lady who grew-up without ‘he/she set of guidelines’, and for this reason she embraced feminism. Wait a minute, this doesn’t mean  she lived with no rules, of course her family had rules that would ensure she grows to be morally upright and responsible without suppressing her abilities. She is lucky! This young lady is a African feminist  who is determine and equally  keen to apply  both Logic, Evolution, Religion and African cultural concept in defining feminism.

She is not the first African feminism and she understands that she would be the last. She recognizes the  Precolonial African feminism, which laid the foundation and roots of feminism in Africa. Women like Queen Nzinga, Adelaide Casely-Hayford, Charlotte Maxeke, Wambui Otieno, Lilian Ngoyi, Albertina Sisulu, Maragaret Ekpo and Funmilayo Anikulapo-Kuti among many others; were feminist because they fought against colonialism as well as patriarchy. As an African who value some of its culture, she embraces some of its culture. She however differs with some of the cultural aspect which demean women. For instance, the furiously debated norm ‘the role of a women is in the kitchen, are not fit to be leaders or partake ‘men’s jobs’, and they shouldn’t be as educated as their brothers’. It is absurd. Not forgetting the FGM culture that subject women to torture, maternal complications later in life or even death, it clearly has no place in this world.

It is undeniable that the world has evolved and so many things have changed. We are compelled to live according to the needs of evolution. Currently, our women are not a stay home parent because they equally need to work hard and smart to ensure that the needs of the family together with the society are met. But why do the society make it look a disgrace yet it is for the benefit of all? Ironic. People have made women empowerment/equality/feminism to be throbbing and yet it something that should be positively and universally embraced.

Assigning gender roles restricts people from fully achieving their potentials. ‘That women role is supposed to be in the house/kitchen?’ Of course, she cooks and does all house chores not because she is a woman but because she is being responsible. She can equally ‘hunt’ for the family provision and do the manly role if need be. This should be the same case with men, it is unrealistic to wait upon women to do certain roles yet you are present and idle.  The African feminist embraces division of labor in a realistic way.

All became crystal clear when this young African feminist  first read the Kiswahili set book “Utengano”, the experience affirmed her feminism. ‘Mwanamke ni chombo cha kuburudisha mwanamume…’ (A woman is an entertainment instrument to a man…) These words infuriated her. A woman’s  dignity is lowered by the society as she is  sexually objectified. Never will she be an instrument of source of pleasure or entertainment to men. An intimate relationship between the two sexes should be that of respect and that they are equal partners. Both he and she are all sexual and have sexual features which are attractive equally. A woman’s job is not to be likable but to be her full-self that is aware of humanity.

This African feminist must thrive to promote constructive feminist, which is the true feminism. A feminism which advocates for equality among both sexes but not oppressing either one for others’ own agenda. Above all, has a woman, she is honest, kind and brave because that’s who she is 🙂