This reflection report is a collective report of seven RWA members who attended the Feminist School in 2018 from their respective constituencies. It comprises of the lessons learned, learnings they took home and how that has shaped or changed them.
WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FEMINIST SCHOOL
The first activity was sharing our experiences of the patriarchal system. It was in this session we learned that the issue of gender-based violence was deeper than we had thought as it started a long time ago and it is also structured. Violence is not just at the household level, it is also found at community, country and global level. Violence also takes different forms, such as physical, emotional, and economic violence. We also learned that the perpetrators of violence are powerful and well resourced. For example, human rights offenders (such as corporate powers) stealing small-scale farmers’ seed and then patenting that seed. At household level, it is mostly men that are the ones abusing women and children physically, emotionally and economically.
The second thing we learned was about the power of unity. This was after reading the story of fishermen on Monhegan Island, of how they worked together and helped each other even though that they were not friends or even liked each other. We also learned this through the history of Green Belt Movement.
The third thing was about the power of WORDS. For example, that the word lady is intended to mould women into becoming submissive. We learned about the power dynamics of the corporate companies capturing our food systems through our own governments and grabbing our land. We learned about waste and how it is managed in different parts of the world, where developed countries are using the least developed as their dumping sites.
Lastly, we learned through the cooking session where women from different countries shared their cooking skills and experiences.
WHAT LEARNINGS WE TOOK FORWARD IN RWA LESOTHO
(a) On gender-based violence, we are raising awareness among rural women and women in general about violence.
(b) We are sensitising women to work together in everything they do in order to be heard by those in power, so we can bring about change.
(c) We are raising awareness about the power of words so that women are aware that some words are used to capture them.
(d) We are raising awareness about the use of indigenous seed, as opposed to GMOs, as a way of liberating ourselves from corporate powers.
(e) We are raising awareness about how developed countries have turned our country into a dumping site.
HOW OUR LEARNINGS HAVE CHANGED OR SHAPED US IN RWA LESOTHO
(a) Our mind set, the way RWA members used to think and do things. For example, some of the women used to abuse others not knowing that they were abusing them, such as the fights between the in-laws .
(b) More women are now in transition from using GMOs back to indigenous seeds.
(c) Women are now joining RWA in numbers to realise the power of UNITY.