Mná Sasa

One of the major achievements of 2010 was the development of the Mná Sasa Manifesto, a unique document created by Irish women who have participated in Banúlacht’s ExChange programme since 2007 and our Tanzanian partner organisation, Kivulini Women’s Rights Organisation. The name comes from the Irish word for women (mná) and the Swahili word for now (sasa). The Mná Sasa Manifesto is woven of stories and lived experiences, shared principles and concerns. It articulates the shared dreams and aspirations of the women involved, and, crucially, it locates them in very specific obligations and commitments that our governments have undertaken for the achievement of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Launch of Mná Sasa Manifesto
Kabangaja, Mwanza, Tanzania, November 2010

It expresses concerns about the lack of implementation of women’s human rights globally and articulates ideas about feminist solidarity and the power of collective organising. Reflecting the analysis of Kivulini Women’s Rights Organisation, it demands answers to the question of why violence against women is still an issue of crisis proportions globally. Invoking the analysis of feminist economists and organisations, such as WIDE, the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA) and the Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP), it demands an answer to the question of why the burden of the cutbacks and reductions in public spending that are being imposed as a result of the failure of the neoliberal market model falls disproportionately on low income women in all countries. It repeats the persistent calls of women’s and human rights organisations in Ireland and at the international level for action by national governments and intergovernmental bodies to implement the obligations of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). It calls for the Irish government to accelerate progress towards international development targets of increased overseas development assistance (aid) for gender equality and the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals.

The Manifesto is a collection of stories, rather than an attempt to tell the “whole” story, to be an exhaustive treatment of “women’s issues” or the final word on gender, development, human rights, or solidarity. It follows a long tradition of women’s movement manifestos. Itself inspired by examples such as the Charter of Feminist Principles for African Feminists, it unapologetically aims to inspire. It challenges the power of “official” language to exclude grassroots women, but that is rooted in concrete political demands. It is a unique joint call by feminists in community development in a European and an African country for a global solidarity movement of grassroots feminists.

The Manifesto was first launched in Kabangaja, a village in Mwanza, Tanzania, in November 2010 and again in Dublin, at Banúlacht’s AGM March 2011. Banúlacht and Kivulini are now embarking on activities to support grassroots women’s organisations in both countries to engage with the Manifesto and use it in their work locally.

Mná Sasa Manifesto

PDF version -- Word version

The Manifesto draws on discussions at a workshop held in October 2009 when, after two visits to Tanzania by women from Irish community development organisations, a group of Tanzanian women community activists came to Ireland. It was finalised in late 2010 after much discussion and after reading it aloud in group, several times in both Ireland and Tanzania. It is our hope that it will resonate with the experiences of other members of Banúlacht, inspire their stories and facilitate the articulation of further issues, and, in this way, contribute to harnessing a spirit of collective purpose, global solidarity and feminist movement building.

Reactions to the Mná Sasa Manifesto

To read an article by Siobhán Madden on the origins of the name Mná Sasa and the Manifesto, click here.

Comments by participants at a Banúlacht consultation on Mná Sasa, October 2010:

“Stories very real—can identify with others’ stories.”

“Like the mix of stories from Tanzania and Ireland—posed in a way that it’s not immediately clear whether the story is from Ireland or Tanzania—draws out commonalities.”

“Lovely document—the language is very accessible; no academic, complicated words—you understand immediately. Have read it several times: other documents can be off-putting—I didn’t want to put this down.”

“Language of hope and dreams draws you in, rather than creating a barrier.”

“Unapologetically aiming to inspire—but also has concrete demands.”

“Challenges the power of “official” language to exclude.”

“The document brings the global movement to life.”

“Reflects the power of Irish women’s solidarity with women in the South (unselfish commitment).”

“Very skilful—written in a way that reflects the group ownership of the process; captures the actual voice of the group.”

“Brings out local—global, commonalities, differences, connections!"

“Makes feminism real" (links women’s experience with feminist analysis)

“What is giving me hope is for women from Tanzania and Ireland to work together through solidarity: for me, Mná Sasa is a dream to make things happen from both sides by sharing lessons and best practices to improve women’s status globally.”—Mary Kabati, Tanzania Home Economics Association

“I am very inspired by the work you did with the women from Tanzania.”—Peggy Antrobus, author of The Global Women’s Movement: Origins, Issues, Strategies.

Aoife Cooke, St Margaret’s Traveller Community Association: “I found that Mná Sasa can be used as a document to bind various projects and women’s groups. Although we can intellectually make the links between the interconnectness of the local with the global, recording the lived experiences of this is served by such a document. The manifesto creates a shared emotional, inspirational and creative link between the work we all do. As it was read aloud during our meetings with our peers in Tanzania, I really felt a part of something bigger. This feeling was not a sterile intellectual one based on a dry discussion on aid or borne from the jargon of development issues, but rather it was grounded in the knowledge of the shared (as well as disparate) experiences of gender discrimination, resistances and working in solidarity.” (Aoife was an ExChange participant in 2010. For the full text of Aoife’s report on the ExChange, click here.)

Ann Fitzgerald, Waterford Women’s Centre: “For me the highlight of the trip in Mwanza was meeting the Tanzanian women I had heard so much about from my colleagues, and working with them on a manifesto of common issues called “Mná Sasa.” The idea of developing a shared vision to sustain a positive, collective and empowering way forward was very interesting to me. This is where I witnessed solidarity grassroots feminist women working together for a better future. This is a new solidarity movement of Irish and Tanzanian grassroots feminists. I understand more now how important it is that that work on the ground, such as the work we were doing on this trip, is supported and resourced to enable grassroots women to have a voice. That is at the heart of the feminist movement building strategy of Mná Sasa.” (ExChange participant 2010. For the full text of Ann’s report on the ExChange, click here.)

Mary Timmons, Chair, Limerick Women’s Network: “I hope to share my experience of the ExChange with a number of women’s groups in my local area. As community activists we need to lobby governments for continued aid to these countries to ensure the work is continued.” (Mary was an ExChange participant in 2010. For the full text of Mary’s report on the ExChange, click here.)

Noreen Kennedy, Access 2000: “The Tanzanian women are depending on Irish women to be their voice in the north, as they said themselves they cannot march in the streets to put pressure on our government, so we have to do it for them.” Noreen was an ExChange participant in 2010. For the full text of Noreen’s report on the ExChange, click here.)

Liz Price, Limerick Women’s Network: “All of the groups we met [in Tanzania] recognised the need for women to work in solidarity globally and all of the groups could see possibilities for Mna SaSa. The question now for all participants of the ExChange is how to move forward in our future feminist movement building project, and what part Mna Sasa can play in that project.” (Liz was an ExChange participant in 2010. For the full text of Liz’s report on the ExChange, click here.)

Engaging with the Mná Sasa Manifesto

Banúlacht hopes hope that the Manifesto will resonate with the experiences of women’s group and inspire them to tell their stories and articulate further local and global issues . We have prepared a sample workshop that can be used or adapted by group leaders to facilitate women’s organisations to discuss the ideas in the Manifesto and to come up with their own responses and ideas. Click here to download the Workshop Format document.

Feedback

Banúlacht welcomes comments on and reactions to the Mná Sasa Manifesto, and your ideas about taking it forward. If you have run a workshop on the Manifesto, send the notes from the group’s discussions on the questions above; notes of the responses to and ideas and thoughts about the Manifesto; photographs of posters, messages and other creative responses to the Manifesto. We will feature appropriate material, texts, photos and comments from workshops on the website. We also welcome feedback from facilitators and tutors in relation to workshop ideas and methodologies that have been particularly effective.