GENDER JUSTICE CLINIC INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
AFRICANIST PERSPECTIVES ON GENDER JUSTICE AND EQUALITY
To be held on 21-22 March 2019, Zomba
CALL FOR PAPERS
Despite the continuous struggle, gender discrimination against women remains prevalent. Reports from the African Union in conjunction with United Nations agencies (OHCHR and UN Women (2017); UNDP Human Development Report (2016), all provide evidence of the prevailing gender discrimination and inequality which disproportionately affects women and girls. They further indicate that most African countries continue to lag behind the rest of the world on women’s rights and equality. Sub-Saharan Africa in particular is identified as among the world’s most gender-unequal regions.
Africanists must continually engage in dialogues to share evidence based gender perspectives, conceptual and theoretical clarity to move forward in achieving gender justice and equality. There is a lot of rhetoric around gender and gender equality. Further in many jurisdictions such as Malawi, there are now laws that support the advancement of women and gender equality. However what should count as gains in terms of gender equality, freedom from violence, and justice is sustainable progress achieved in lived reality.To achieve gender equality and end discriminatory practices, there must be concrete change in societal values, perceptions, attitudes and historic gender roles. Furthermore there is need for the elimination and mitigation of all forms of gender discrimination and the creation of proper conditions for the enjoyment of equal rights, freedoms and opportunities by men and women.
Gender Justice Clinic in the Faculty of Law will thus host an international conference under the theme of ‘Africanist Perspectives on Gender Justice and Equality’. Theconference will offer a platform for reflection, critique, debate, discussion and discourse on gender inequalities and intensifying efforts for gender equality in the current political and economic context. The Conference will focus on conceptual, theoretical, legislative and regulatory discussion aimed at ensuring effective equality between women and men in all sectors of society. The Gender Justice Clinic hopes
to bring together key representatives from government, civil society organisations, academia, judiciary, police, and individual gender justice advocates, to intensify efforts for realisation of gender justice and equality. The conference will be an opportunity to share conceptual, theoretical and legal perspectives on what are Africa’s achievements, challenges, opportunities and possible future strategies in the pursuit of gender justice at national, regional and global levels.
The Gender Justice Clinic is one of eight specialised clinics under the Chancellor College Legal Clinic. It was established in 2016, to conduct training, outreach and community engagement activities but also conduct research leading to law and policy reform. It is also a learning platform for students to challenge gender stereotypes, discrimination and contribute to achieving gender justice and human rights. The clinic is open to all law students and to limited number of students from other faculties.
Paper presentations which may include original research papers, published articles and Dissertations/PhD theses are welcome.
Conference Venue, Dates and Themes
Venue : Chancellor College, Zomba
Dates : 21-22 March 2019
Sub-themes :
a) Emerging African feminist concepts and theories on gender violence, gender
justice and equality
b) Violence against women and girls (including in the electoral process)
c) Gender, women and implementation of the law
d) Education and female participation
e) Masculinity and gender equality
f) Gender and cultural norms
Abstract Guidelines
If you would like to make a presentation at the conference, please submit an abstract of not more than 400 words and a short biography of 200 words to genderjusticeclinic@cc.ac.mw
The deadline for submission of abstracts is 28 th February 2019. Accepted abstracts will receive information by 5 th March 2018. After the conference, some original research papers will be selected for publication in the Faculty of Law Journal for Law and Social Justice.
For more details on the conference and updates write to genderjusticeclinic@cc.ac.mw
