TA COVID-19 (32)
3-5 August 2021
TrustAfrica, in partnership with the African Philanthropy Forum (APF), the Centre for African Philanthropy and Social Investments (CAPSI) at the Wits Business School, the Southern Africa Trust (SAT), the African Philanthropy Network and the Harvard University's Centre for African Studies, will be hosting the African Philanthropy Conference to be held under the theme "Surviving COVID19 – The Role of African Philanthropy" from the 3rd to 5th of August 2021. The Conference will focus on:
Dakar, Senegal – TrustAfrica with the support from Open Society Foundations (OSF) is implementing a pan-African project to strengthen the voices of citizens and advocate for accountability of the security sector during and post COVID 19 lockdown measures.
The Security Sector Accountability (SPaCVOSSA) project is being implemented with four civil society partners in countries distributed across different regions of the continent.
The project conducts country-level and pan-African level interventions that include research into the impact of securitised lockdown measures on vulnerable communities, hosts citizen forums, and conducts advocacy initiatives raising the awareness of government agencies and African institutions.
Period: April 2021 – September 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has spread across the globe with the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring it a global pandemic in March 2020. The first case was recorded in Africa in Egypt on 14 February 2020, and the number of cases across Africa has since reached 3, 914, 044 with 104, 382 deaths as at 3 March 2020. Following recommendations by local health experts and the WHO, at least 42 African governments have implemented partial or full lockdown measures and movement restrictions to contain the spread of the disease. In responding to the pandemic, most African governments have relied on a securitised approach with enforcement of lockdown measures by the security forces and checkpoints erected across countries and closure of borders. There have been outcries about security sector excesses and human rights violations in countries that include Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe during implementation of public health emergency measures or lockdowns or curfews. By June 2020, 11 people had been killed and 230,000 arrested in South Africa during implementation of lockdown measures. Over 21 people were killed by police in Kenya over the COVID 19 related lockdowns in the same period. In Zimbabwe, over 400,000 people had been arrested by mid-February 2021 over flouting lockdown measures in addition to a rise in political repression.
TrustAfrica is excited the be a thought partner and anchoring member of this inaugural event which will profile communities and the solutions they are finding. At TrustAfrica, for over 15 years now, we’ve moved side by side with communities and community leaders, civil society and our continental political architecture working together on the most pressing challenges of our time as a continent. And if COVID-19 has reinforced anything, it is the notion that communities and proximate leaders are the ones who are best equipped to respond to the challenges in their communities. We are proud as an African philanthropic foundation to be able to meet our communities in these responses and amplify their impact with catalytic support and by bringing them into key continental and global fora such as the inaugural World Communities Forum.
While 2021 may feel like a continuation of 2020, there is something significant about marking the start of a new year. As we get into our programming rhythm in the new year, we would like to reach out to you with an update. A new year brings with it, new possibilities and new trajectories for becoming a healthier, more just and vibrant society. We invite you as partners, friends and communities to be in solidarity with communities who are working tirelessly with hope for justice, participatory democracy, peace and decent living conditions across the continent.
While we have some existential questions requiring urgent action this year, we are also privileged to be working across communities who are responding to the challenges of this time with integrity, vision and passion. And we look forward to sharing some of these stories with you throughout the year.
The problem of illicit financial flows out of Africa is a festering problem. Every year $88.6 billion is lost yet we remain burdened with such high poverty and inequality levels. Civil society must redouble their effort to fight this scourge. Be part of Relaunch of the Stop the Bleeding Campaign!
Register here
