#NNPA BlackPress

SPECIAL REPORT: Women Play Key Role in Ensuring African Democracy

NNPA NEWSWIRE — While the top three candidates this year are all men, women have again taken a leadership role in ensuring free and fair elections and they’ve been largely responsible for what’s believed to have been an electoral race free of determinative manipulation.

Published

5 years ago

May 24, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

LILONGWE MALAWI, AFRICA – May 25, 2019 — Throughout this southeastern African nation of nearly 20 million residents, the strength and resiliency of women is on display 24 hours each day. The sustainability of democracy in any nation can be evaluated by the inclusive leadership roles performed by women in its social, political and economic life.

According to statistics from the World Population Review, nearly half (49.1 percent) of Malawi’s population is comprised of women – several of whom work as many as three jobs while providing needed care for their husbands and families.

When the nation’s one-party era ended in the early 1990s, giving way to a democratic system, the nation’s fairer gender was at the forefront of social transformation.

Having elected a woman twice in its relatively short Democracy – H.E. Joyce Banda, as president — the country now awaits the results from the 2019 Tripartite election.

While the top three candidates this year are all men, women have again taken a leadership role in ensuring free and fair elections and they’ve been largely responsible for what’s believed to have been an electoral race free of determinative manipulation.

“The last election in 2014, we were just being informed and had a lot of trust in government but there were so many rumors of [corruption] and the president was sworn in during the night, it wasn’t a day event, and we felt there was no one here to fight for our rights,” said Kettie Kamwangala, the country director of Medobal Health, a company that provides healthcare solution in partnership with Malawian businesses and the nation’s Society of Medical Doctors to offer direct access to expert surgeons in India.

“This year, we had our eyes opened and we made sure that we were included from the beginning of the process in the printing of the ballots which was done in Dubai,” Kamwangala said.

As she sat alongside her colleagues, each of whom joined her in monitoring this year’s election, Kamwangala spoke favorably of authorities who worked to ensure that there was no interference with the election process, particularly making certain that ballots were properly delivered and counted.

NNPA President and CEO, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., invited Kamwangala and other Malawian women leaders for an open discussion while the ballots were being counted after a historic voter turnout across Malawi.

“The Malawi Defense Force and the Malawi police have done a really good job securing ballots,” Kamwangala said. “Most polling stations didn’t open at 6 a.m. as it was supposed to, but at 6:30. However, those that opened late stayed open late,” she said.

With isolated incidents of individuals attempting to bribe voters and some other complaints, Kamwangala said she and her team were able to direct election monitors to areas that could have been compromised.

“We were able to go to places and we observed that everyone could clearly see which vote went to which candidate and that no one was denied the right to vote,” Kamwangala said.

“Everyone had to sign off on the election sheets that went to the Tally Center,” she said.

Although some polling stations had overseers who would not allow Kamwangala and the rest of her monitors access to printed sheets where machines were failing, she said that also didn’t stop her team.

“We worked throughout the night until they allowed us to get the sheets. We were on the ground and we know how these polls come out and how the voting is done,” she said.

As the Malawi Election Commission certified more ballots and counting reached the 80 percent mark, Kamwangala said stories of election rigging began.

“We’re not worried,” she said.

“There was one officer in the village of Chichewa where, unfortunately, evidence showed he was involved in rigging, but he and another officer are now in police custody,” Kamwangala said.

And, that’s largely due to the diligence and hard work of Kamwangala and Malawian women, who have slowly become the nation’s pillars of democracy.

It is also why, during a closing speech at a Women’s Conference, Thenjiwe Mthintso, the Republic of South Africa High Commissioner to Malawi, continued to encourage Malawian women to remain firm.

Mthintso called for a non-negotiable attitude toward gender equality.

“Gender equality should never be something we negotiate,” Mthintso said.

“These are the issues every woman should stand behind and not let anyone try to reduce their importance. Women are able to do great things given the opportunity,” she said.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Extremist laws make it harder to end pregnancies

Don't Miss

Downey again rejects library renovation bids

Oakland Post

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.