31st July 2020 - Kakuma, Rojava and the FiLiA Legacy Project
Women after being attacked in Kakuma refugee camp. Shared, with permission
We had the privilege this week to speak with nine lesbians who are being accommodated at the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) run Kakuma Refugee camp in Kenya.
They are housed in Block 13, a block reserved for LGBT people. They have the solidarity of other LGBT people but they are also targeted and attacked as LGBT people by other people at the camp, attacks include physical attacks, rape, threats, name calling and a shelter being set on fire.
One after the other the accounts were harrowing and desperate, but it is so important that they are heard. We will be releasing a podcast shortly and details of how you can help. Everyone in block 13 deserves better, it is a criminal irony that UNHCR are denying the human rights of the most vulnerable refugees – we must hold them to account and get these refugees safe.
Sally
Part of the FiLiA culture is to learn. We have regular Feminist education sessions where Women gift their time to talk to us about a wide variety of topics. Julie Bindel talked about surrogacy; Women from CAMEW&G spoke about breast ironing and Inge Kleine presented on the importance of the growing abolitionist movement. This week Rahila Gupta share her experience of visiting Rojava and what she learned there about the radical changes implemented in the name of Women’s Liberation; the science of Jineology and the Women only village Jinwar. There is much to be learned from our Sisters in Rojava and we will be connecting more in the future.
“The Rojava Movement is the most vital movementof our time” Rahila Gupta
The FiLiA Legacy Project is proceeding well, even under lockdown. Conversations have now taken place with over a dozen local organisations and we are excited about what a difference the project will make to Women in Portsmouth. Watch this space!
We spoke with Women in Russia, Kenya and Australia this week. There is no doubt that the Women’s Liberation Movement is growing. A time of global consciousness raising is leading to an increase in Feminist activism. Patriarchy consists of many systems set up by men for men. They will be dismantled by Women.
LM