Reimagining Africa’s Debt Narrative Through a Feminist Lens: A Call to Action for Creatives
The African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) is inviting passionate and visionary creatives to collaborate on a transformative campaign focusing on feminist debt justice in Africa.
Founded in 1996, AFRODAD serves as a vital Pan-African civil society organization, dedicated to shaping policies concerning debt management and development finance.
Their mission highlights a commitment to achieving inclusive growth and sustainable development, emphasizing principles of equity, justice, and rights-based approaches.
The Challenge
Africa is currently navigating a historic debt crisis, presenting an urgent, gendered challenge.
As public debt and inflation soar to unprecedented levels, the repercussions are disproportionately felt by women and girls.
Key statistics illustrate the gravity of the situation:
- Of the 388 million women living in extreme poverty worldwide, a staggering 244 million reside in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Currently, 22 African countries are entrenched in or face a high risk of debt distress.
- Essential services vital to women’s health, education, social care, and overall well-being are critically underfunded as debt servicing takes precedence over development needs.
- Women are encumbered by the burden of unpaid care work, effectively subsidizing government austerity measures.
- Alarmingly, women’s voices are often silenced in debt-related decision-making spaces, limiting their agency and input in crucial discussions.
The Work Ahead
With a vision to elevate the narrative around debt to one that supports rather than suppresses women’s rights, AFRODAD recognizes that achieving feminist debt justice is essential.
This entails:
- Reimagining debt as a tool for supporting women’s rights.
- Challenging the patriarchal and extractive structures embedded in economic policies.
- Centring feminist values in the formulation of Africa’s development pathways.
To realize this ambition, AFRODAD plans to harness various forms of creativity.
Your Role: A Call to Creatives
AFRODAD is actively seeking creatives from across the continent and diaspora to produce thought-provoking and impactful artistic works that evoke emotion and inspire change.
Submissions are encouraged across diverse media, including:
- Poetry
- Illustration
- Drawing
- Animation
- Skit/Short movies
- Cartoons
- Satire
Potential contributors are invited to explore one or more of the following poignant themes:
- The impact of unsustainable debt on women and girls.
- Barriers to education, leadership, and employment for women.
- The political economy of debt viewed through a feminist lens.
- Deconstructing the patriarchal narratives in Africa’s transformation.
- Proposing alternative, feminist-aligned policy solutions.
- The imperative of financing women’s rights through responsible public borrowing.
How to Apply
If you are interested in joining this crucial movement, please submit the following:
- A one-page outline detailing your creative approach and the theme(s) you wish to address.
- A financial proposal for your creative services.
Submissions should be emailed to recruitment@afrodad.org with the subject line: Expression of Interest – [Your Creative Category].
The deadline for submissions is 17 April 2025. Please note that late submissions will not be considered.
Through collective creativity, AFRODAD envisions a future where the narrative of debt in Africa is transformed into one that champions feminist ideals, ultimately benefiting all of society.
This is a clarion call for artists to lend their voice to a vital cause.
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