OLUSEGUN OBASANJO PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY Centre for Human Security and UNESCO Instute for African Culture And Internaonal Understanding Regional Summit On “Women and Youth in the Promoon of Cultural Security and Development in Africa” March 4-5, 2013 Summary of Report and Communiqué Preamble The Regional Summit on “Women and Youth in the Promoon of Cultural Security and Development in Africa” was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidenal Library, Abeokuta, Nigeria from March 4 to 5, 2013. The objecves of the Summit were to: • describe emerging issues in and threat to cultural security and sustainability influencing development in Africa; • map the spectrum of cultural expressions in Africa especially those that are endangered; • describe the role of women and youth in promong cultural security and development in Africa; • showcase the contribuons of African women and youth in the promoon of cultural security and development in Africa; and • idenfy partnerships within and outside Africa for strengthening cultural security in the region.
Communique of the 2013 Regional Conference of the Centre for Human Security and the UNESCO Institute for African Culture and International Understanding. The theme was "The role of women and youth in the promotion of cultural security in Africa."
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Olusegun ObasanjO Presidential library
Centre for Human Security and
UNESCO Institute for African Culture And International Understanding
Regional SummitOn
“Women and Youth in the Promotion of Cultural Security and Development in Africa”
March 4-5, 2013
Summary of Report and Communiqué
Preamble
The Regional Summit on “Women and Youth in the Promotion of Cultural Security and Development in Africa” was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Nigeria from March 4 to 5, 2013. The objectives of the Summit were to:
• describe emerging issues in and threat to cultural security and sustainability influencing development in Africa;
• map the spectrum of cultural expressions in Africa especially those that are endangered;• describe the role of women and youth in promoting cultural security and development in
Africa;• showcase the contributions of African women and youth in the promotion of cultural
security and development in Africa; and• identify partnerships within and outside Africa for strengthening cultural security in the
region.
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the Summit was attended by 265 participants from Benin, Botswana, Denmark, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Uganda. Participants included
Honourable Ministers in charge of arts and culture; women affairs; and youth development from South Africa, Nigeria and Sierra. The youth of Africa was well represented through the leadership of the All Africa Association of Students Union, Ghana, as well as secondary and university students from several African countries. Other stakeholders who participated include Vice-Chancellors and other senior academics; senior government officials; parents; the private sector; and the civil society. UNESCO was represented by Ambassador Mary M. Khimulu, Permanent Delegate of Kenya to UNESCO, Paris; Professor Juma Shabani, UNESCO Bamako Cluster Office; and senior officials of the UNESCO Abuja Office. The Secretary-General, Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO, Mrs Magdalene Anene-Maidoh also participated. The Summit was chaired by Professor Akin Mabogunje, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Centre for Human Security of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library. His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was the Special Guest of Honour.
In his opening remarks, Professor Akin Mabogunje noted that the theme of the Summit could seek to explore the role of women and youth in the promotion of cultural security and development in Africa. On the other hand, it could also mean how much is appreciated of the importance of women and youth in the promotion of cultural security and development in the continent. Whichever of the two meanings participants may choose to adopt, cultural security entails constructive engagement between culture and the development process. Cultural security thus seeks to ensure that the construct and delivery of services to different segments of a population occurs within a framework that sensitively unites their cultural rights, views and values.
The goodwill message of the Director-General of UNESCO emphasised that as caretakers of Africa’s astoundingly rich cultural diversity and bearers of hope for a brighter future, women and youth hold great promise for the sustainable development of the African continent. Fully aware of the pivotal role of these groups in protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions, she stressed that UNESCO is dedicated to investing in this promise. Accordingly, UNESCO endeavours to ensure that African women and youth are given greater opportunities to take part in decision and policy-making processes, take an active role in contributing to shaping and nurturing creativity and innovation and Africa’s rich cultural diversity, and share their creativity across the African continent and around the world. As stated in the preamble of the
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Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, cultural diversity is strengthened ‘by the free flow of ideas, and nurtured by constant exchanges’ and interaction between culture’. She expressed the trust that this landmark international treaty along with the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity will inform the debates of the regional summit.
In his remarks, His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo underscored the merit in adopting the more-inclusive definition of culture as “the totality of the ways of life of a people”. He stressed the need to identify commonalities in African cultures such as aspects of language and the way we solemnise marriage, the food we eat, language and dance to foster unity and to promote understanding between and within countries. This will strengthen the bond of friendship and unity in the continent. He urged that since culture is dynamic, Africans should discard all elements of culture that can impede development.
Keynote addresses were given by the Minister of Arts and Culture of South Africa, Mr. Paul Shipokosa Mashatile, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development of Nigeria, Hajia Zainab Maina and Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs of Sierra Leone Hon. Moijue Kaikai. Thirteen lead presentations were made in six technical sessions by experts on culture and gender studies as well as by student representatives from different sub-regions of Africa.
Conclusions
After extensive deliberations, participants:
1. noted that Africa is a land of outstanding cultural diversity. The values, beliefs, food culture, dress patterns, traditional political systems and the people’s shared conception of morality vary from one culture to the other. The security of the African cultural diversity is therefore a matter of significant importance to development of the continent;
2. further noted that a culturally-secure environment cannot exist where external forces define and control its cultural identities. It is clear that the African culture is endangered as it is fast losing ground to global cultural sensibilities/influences;
3. affirmed that the threats to cultural security in Africa include globalisation; conflicts and wars; perception of inferiority of African culture; poverty, greed and corruption; as well as bad governance/poor leadership;
COMMUNIQUE4. recalled that women and youth constitute the majority of the population in many African
countries and that women in particular are the anchors of the family structure in many African communities. They are the custodians of cultural values and traditions, language and heritage; and they are largely responsible for passing them on to younger generations. Young people on other hand are the future. It is they who will inherit our culture, our value systems and ways of life. Equally, young people are more receptive to new influences, ideas and ways of life;
5. observed that the role of women and youth in promoting cultural security and development in Africa has not been given its pride of place. There are threats and emerging issues to cultural security and sustainable development in Africa which need to be urgently tackled. There is apparent injustice and disempowerment of women with a culture that marginalises and relegates them to the background across the African continent. Their cultural rights are also trampled upon;
6. were conscious of the fact that culture is a medium of interaction between people, cultural security appears to be the most difficult component of human security and therefore needs to be given priority attention. It requires striking a balance between foreign influences and maintaining the traditional cultures and values. However, while culture is the totality of the way of life of a people, and every society has a distinct culture from others, it is not all aspects of culture that needs to be retained. In other words, aspects of culture that impede development need to be dispensed with.
7. realised that there is the need to invest in women and youth who constitute the majority of the African population in addition to the fact that they are the major custodians of the African culture.
8. were aware that the economic policies of developed countries, especially the dynamics of trade liberalisation, have impacted negatively on our traditional values and norms and have ended up impoverishing women in particular. In other words, women’s economic activities have been highly affected by development, donor-driven deregulation, economic liberalisation and privatisation of national economic activities. It is clear that when a people’s social and economic rights and patterns are affected, cultural security is also jeopardised;
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COMMUNIQUE9. were alarmed that, as for the youth, it is clear that we are fast losing our cultural values
and are being subjected to undue influence of Western culture and tradition. There is also youth restiveness and dissatisfaction with the economic and social situation in which they have found themselves;
10. urged that the Western world should revise its conception of development. Africa too needs to develop its own concept of development while discerning the positive aspects of our culture. Economic growth without social and cultural justice cannot and should not be our idea of development in Africa;
11. further noted that African languages have become second language to the main language for learning. In most cases English, French and Portuguese are the medium of instruction for African students and this is associated with several problems not limited to the supply of teachers, administrative management and educational instruction. The literature reveals difficulties African pupils face in understanding the basic concepts when taught in a foreign language and present a barrier for African students when they are forced to learn in a foreign language which is based on values and metaphors different from theirs; and
12. notedwithappreciation the efforts of the Centre for Human Security and the Institute for African Culture of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library at addressing threats to human security in Africa through its numerous programmes and projects.
Recommendations
On the basis of the foregoing, participants made the following recommendations:
12. African governments should take steps to identify commonalities in African cultures e.g. the way marriage is solemnised; the food we eat; our local language; and dance and promote such commonalities to foster understanding between and within countries. This will strengthen the bond of friendship and unity in the African continent.
13. African communities should reject all elements of culture that are detrimental to development such as forced marriages of young girls. Part of developing our own cultures requires that we eliminate regressive elements within our culture whose continued practice is a stumbling block to development.
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COMMUNIQUE14. Women should be empowered in order to create the necessary preconditions that,
as culture evolves, its progressive and core elements are maintained and passed on to future generations. Equally young people should be empowered to ensure that as they borrow from other cultures, they do not lose that which defines who they are; and that the contribution that their culture makes to development is not lost.
15. Practices that suppress women, inhibit their full participation in the cultural life of their choice and as a result limit their role in development should be eliminated. These include practices that deny education to young people; inhibit their contribution to the development of society. They also include practices and beliefs that limit the creativity, the probing and analytic abilities of young people; encouraging them to only accept the situation around them as a given.
16. The youth should be encouraged, through an education system that incorporates progressive values, to internalise that which defines their identity. They must be allowed to take part and influence the evolution of their culture as an enabler for development.
17. African countries should take steps to ratify the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance and the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the promotion and protection of cultural expressions which place culture at the centre of human development and empowerment on our continent.
18. African countries should invest in the growth and development of their cultural industries as part of growing their national economies and creating jobs. We should also invest in the development of skills within our cultural industries as part of guaranteeing their sustainability.
19. We should strengthen rural development as this is critical in preventing the dilution of culture as people, especially women and youth, migrate to cities.
20. Support capacity building in regional programmes that can strengthen the capacities of women and youth on cultural security.
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COMMUNIQUE21. There should be a more vigorous implementation of annual festivals on culture in Africa.
22. Culture institutes in Africa such as CHS and IACIU should implement programmes that will document fading but rich African history, lullabies and folklores that will foster understanding of our culture, language, values and norms especially among the youth.
23. We should revisit the school curriculum at all levels to ensure that African culture and arts are provided for and are delivered in a learner-friendly manner.
24. Partnerships on the implementation of cultural awareness programmes should be established with NGO’s, private sector, women and youth organisations as well as with other stakeholders.
Appreciation
25. Participants appreciate the initiative of the Centre for Human Security, and the Institute for African Culture and International Understanding of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library for organising the Regional Summit and applaud its success. It urged that the tempo of the Summit be sustained in the years ahead and a Plan of Action be developed on the recommendations.
26. Participants registered birthday greetings to His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, the Chief Promoter of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, whose birthday coincided with the period of the Summit.
Signed on behalf of the participants
Professor Peter Okebukola, OFRDirector
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Keyn
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Parti
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Parti
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Emilia Uupindi from Namibia making her presentation
Tsaone Mokwatso (Botswana) making her presentation
Keynote Presenters L-R Ambassador (Dr). Mary M. Khimulu (Kenya) and Professor Juma Shabani (Mali)