After a week of discussions around issues of pleasure in sexuality to perceptions of masculinity to the decriminalization of same sex unions, all in the context of Africa, development, and human rights, you could only imagine how hard it could be to synthesize this all in one document. Well, the organizers were surely determined to do so as a tradition of the 4^th Africa, Sexual Health and Rights Conference, this time held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  A committee was coordinated upon selection of the organizers to synthesize major points from all the sessions of the training into a “Call to Action” moving forward to respective home countries as a framework to our work until 2011, in Cairo, where the 5^th conference has announced to be held.

Rather than one document, though, for this conference, there were three.  The first was expected and was, as scheduled, read aloud at the closing ceremony by a young person whom attended the Youth Sexuality Institute (YSI), a 2-day conference held prior to the Main Conference. As someone who was also at the YSI, I was really confused by how “polite” the document was written. I was disappointed to hear that the declaration did not carry the compelling, urgent, and motivating tone that came out of the YSI and that really insist on our leadership as essential of all aspects of sexual and reproductive health and rights.  Not to my surprise, the document was said to have gone to the “higher powers" for review and editing. Rumors said (adult) conference organizers had something to do with it :/

Next came Bene Madunagu, a renowned feminist from Nigeria, whom stood as a member of the committee and was selected to read the Call to Action.  As soon as Ms. Madunagu stood on the stage, she announced that this was not the Call to Action that the committee spent so many hours to create. Apparently, the Call to Action that was approved by the committee was circulated to “higher powers” again for dilution and exclusion.  When Ms. Madunagu refused to read this document and demanded that the real document be presented, Dr. Kebede, State Minister of Health, facilitator of the ceremony, announced that their “so-called” document would not be read.  After some participants demanded the second (“so-called”) document be read and most looked around confused as ever, the Call to Action the committee wrote and approved was finally read.

After both documents were read to over 500 participants of this conference, I realized that quite frankly both were lacking; however, the second Call to Action defined more explicitly on the protection of rights of sexual minorities, particularly on issues affecting the GLBTI community and the issue of abortion. This document was clearly supportive of young people’s involvement and leadership, whereas the first document did not mention young people at all.Clearly, the first document was more polished and comprehensive but it lacked the emphasis on issues that were clearly priorities as this conference.

It was clearly evident that the process of developing the call to action was either corrupt or poorly planned from the eyes of participants.  In the end, there was disappointingly NO Call to Action settled and approved at the closing ceremony BUT this leaves us open to discussion beyond Addis and into Cairo, where the 5^th conference on Africa, Sexual Health and Rights will be held in 2011.  Regardless, we need a Conference Call to Action that supports human rights, and we’ve already succeeded so far with a progress agenda in Addis.

For the first time in my entire youth activist career, I heard progressive language around sexuality in Africa--where everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, religious background, gender, age, and social status--should have the right to positive, pleasurable, informed and responsible decisions regarding their reproductive and sexual health.  For once, stats of STIs including HIV and maternal mortality was not the focus of sexuality in Africa--but clearly human rights.  Let’s not lose our grasp of this agenda along the way to 2011 and beyond.

If you’re interested in reviewing either Calls to Action, email me and I’ll send them to you! The conference organizers have decided to take feedback on both documents of which the committee will collect, synthesize, and disseminate a final Call to Action.  I can provide you with more details; all you have to do is email me!  Even if you didn't attend the conference, the voice of African youth should be heard! My email address is mimi[at]advocatesforyouth.org.