FEMNET

{{Short description|Women's development nongovernmental organization}} {{use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox organization | name = FEMNET | bgcolor =  | fgcolor =  | image = FEMNET logo.png | image_border = | image_size = 220px | image_alt =  | caption = | map =  | map_size =  | map_alt =  | map_caption =  | map2 = | abbreviation = | predecessor = | successor = | formation = {{start date and age|1988}} | extinction =  | type = INGO | status =  | purpose = Promoting women's development | headquarters = | location = Nairobi, Kenya | coordinates =  | region_served = | membership = | language = English, French | general_secretary =  | leader_title = Chairperson | leader_name = Emma Kaliya | leader_title2 = Executive Director | leader_name2 = Memory Kachambwa<ref name=Standard>{{cite web|access-date=10 May 2020|date=26 June 2018|newspaper=The Standard|title=Meet Ms Memory Kachambwa, the new FEMNET's Executive Director|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/evewoman/article/2001285574/meet-ms-memory-kachambwa-the-new-femnet-s-executive-director}}</ref> | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | key_people = | main_organ =  | parent_organization =  | affiliations =  | budget = | num_staff = | num_volunteers = | website = Website is currently compromised. Do not visit. | remarks = | former_name = }} '''FEMNET''', also called the '''African Women's Development and Communication Network''', is an organization established in 1984 to promote women's development in Africa. FEMNET helps non-government organizations share information and approaches on women's development, equality and other human rights.

==Activities== FEMNET was established by Eddah Gachukia, Njoki Wainaina, and Norah Olembo in 1984 to co-ordinate African preparations for the Third World Conference on Women held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1985. As part of their role to organize African women to attend the conference, the three women registered FEMNET and drafted its constitution.<ref name="Wainaina 2012">{{cite book |last1=Wainaina |first1=Njoki |editor1-last=Kagoiya |editor1-first=Rachel |title=Her Story – Our Journey: Advocating for the Rights of African Women |url=https://www.femnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FEMNET-Herstory-Book-2012.pdf |date=2012 |publisher=African Women Development and Communication Network |location=Nairobi, Kenya |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216164233/https://www.femnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FEMNET-Herstory-Book-2012.pdf |archive-date=16 February 2024 |oclc=894251617 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{rp|10, 46}} The inaugural chair was Gachukia, who worked with Olembo, Wainaina, Sara Hlupekile Longwe, Pamela Kola, Mama Koite Doumbia to recruit women to plan the NGO Forum for the conference.<ref name="Wainaina 2012" />{{rp|46, 48–49}} The organization is based in Nairobi. FEMNET has worked with the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the World Conference against Racism and the African Union (AU). Areas of focus with the AU have included the protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Economic, Social and Cultural Council and the New Partnership for African Development.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.feministafrica.org/index.php/femnet |title=The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET): Experiences of Feminist Continental Organising |author=L. Muthoni Wanyeki |publisher=Feminist Africa |date=October 2004 |access-date=23 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402211413/http://www.feministafrica.org/index.php/femnet |archive-date=2 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

FEMNET ran its first gender-training workshop in 1990 in Kenya, working with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The workshop helped to train trainers, and FEMNET refined the approach and developed material based on results. FEMNET ran training sessions in the 1993–1999 period in Swaziland, Zambia, the United States and Malawi. They were supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNICEF and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). FEMNET ran Train the Trainers sessions in 2000 for partner organizations in South Africa, Uganda and Ghana. Gender-based trainers have worked in many other countries in Africa.<ref name=Wainaina/>

FEMNET has found that it is critical to involve men in the fight for gender equality. Male gender trainers have had great influence in introducing gender awareness in sectors such as developmental research where gender concerns had previously been neglected. It was assumed that raising awareness of gender issues would be extremely difficult in Swaziland, with its strongly patriarchal traditions. In fact, as a result of FEMNET assistance through UNFPA, high-level policymakers became sensitized to gender issues and measures to address gender concerns were included in key national plans. Malawi, where FEMNET has worked with UNFPA and UNICEF, has been another country where great progress has been made in training and sensitizing political leader, agencies, and other organizations.<ref name=Wainaina/>

In July 2008, FEMNET coordinated the official launch in Nairobi of the United Nations' Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign in Africa. As of 2010, FEMNET was active through membership and local organizations in more than 37 African countries.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.gearcampaign.org/AfricaAnglophone.shtml |publisher = GEAR |title = The African Women's Development and Communication Network |accessdate = 13 September 2011 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://archive.today/20130414194147/http://www.gearcampaign.org/AfricaAnglophone.shtml |archivedate = 14 April 2013 }}</ref>

In 2013 FEMNET's President Emma Kaliya, who is from Malawi, spoke out on behalf of FEMNET regarding a case of gang rape in Kenya. The victim, "Liz", lost her ability to walk, while her attackers were sentenced to cut some grass and then released. Kaliya noted that the case was attracting international attention. The authorities were said to be rearresting the men involved. Women from 21 countries joined a protest march and a million signed a petition demanding that not only the attackers but also the police who mishandled the case should be imprisoned.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-10-31 |title=Kenya Protesters Demand Justice for Gang Rape Victim |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/kenya-protesters-demand-justice-for-rape-victim/1780818.html |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=Voice of America |language=en}}</ref> thumb|FEMNET's "Decolonizing The Internet" meeting in Zambia in 2022 In May 2017 FEMNETS President, Emma Kaliya, was re-elected unopposed at a meeting in Nairobi. The new board included treasurer Nancy Kinanu Gitonga from Kenya and the elected secretary was Charity Binka, from Ghana. Other members were Bibyshe, Takubusonga Mundjo, Patricia Munabi, Rafa Machava and Amany Asfour who were each from a different African country.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-17 |title=Kaliya reelected unopposed as pesident of Pan African Womens Development and Communications|url=https://www.nyasatimes.com/kaliya-reelected-unopposed-pesident-pan-african-womens-development-communications/ |access-date=2025-09-19 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In September 2022 FEMNET organised a conference in collaboration with "Whose Knowledge" to discuss "Decolonizing The Internet" in Zambia.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Femnet |date=2024-03-08 |title=Decolonizing The Internet East Africa - Podcast Ezin |url=https://www.femnet.org/2024/03/decolonizing-the-internet-east-africa-podcast-ezin/ |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=FEMNET |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Former executive directors== *Njoki Wainaina, founding member *Lynne Muthoni Wanyeki *Dinah Musindarwezo

==Former chairpeople== *Eddah Gachukia, founding member and inaugural chair (1984–1992)<ref name="Wainaina 2012" />{{rp|49}} *Sara Hlupekile Longwe, winner of the 2003 Africa Prize for Leadership.<ref>{{cite web |ref={{harvid|Profile of an ICT Champion}} |url=http://www.apcwomen.org/news/profile_ict_champion_sara_hlupekile_longwe |title=Profile of an ICT Champion: Sara Hlupekile Longwe |publisher=Women's Networking & Support Program |date=16 July 2007 |accessdate=22 September 2011 |archive-date=21 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321044003/http://www.apcwomen.org/news/profile_ict_champion_sara_hlupekile_longwe |url-status=dead }}</ref> *Mama Koite Doumbia, winner of the 2011 FAMEDEV Gender Award.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://femnet.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/femnet-immediate-chairperson-mama-koite-doumbia-wins-the-2011-famedev-gender-award/ |title=FEMNET Immediate Chairperson Mama Koite Doumbia wins the 2011 FAMEDEV Gender Award |date=2 March 2011 |publisher=FEMNET |access-date=23 September 2011}}</ref>

== Other women associated with FEMNET ==

* Sandra Kwikiriza<ref>{{Cite web |last=Komusana |first=Sunshine Fionah |date=2022-10-12 |title=Resistance & Connection: an African Feminist Perspective for Decolonizing the Internet |url=https://africanfeminism.com/resistance-connection-an-african-feminist-perspective-for-decolonizing-the-internet/ |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=African Feminism (AF) |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist |30em|refs= <ref name=Wainaina>{{cite web |url=http://www.un-instraw.org/download-document/492-opening-essay-by-njoki-wainaina-femnet.html |title=FEMNET |author=Njoki Wainaina |access-date=24 September 2011 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401221312/http://www.un-instraw.org/download-document/492-opening-essay-by-njoki-wainaina-femnet.html |archivedate=1 April 2012 }}</ref> }}

Category:Women's rights in Africa Category:Women's organisations based in Kenya Category:Organisations based in Nairobi Category:1984 establishments in Kenya