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ANU Africa Network
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This website was established in 2013 by David Lucas, and renovated and relaunched in 2020 as part of a project to increase awareness of Africa and African studies in the ANU and the ACT, funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Another outcome of that project was a major research report, published in August 2021, African Studies at the Australian National University and in the Australian Capital Territory, analyzing the past, present and future of the study of Africa at the Australian National University and the wider Australian University sector.
The major innovation on this updated website is the creation of the ACT Africa Expert Directory which lists experts on Africa from institutions around the ACT, primarily the ANU. We will continue to curate this list, offering a key resource for media, government and non-government organizations seeking expert facts and opinions on Africa. Individuals can request to be added to the list by contacting the website managers.
Another notable addition is the expanded directory of PhD theses on Africa produced in the territory’s universities, a solid measure of the vitality of the study of Africa in the city of Canberra.
Reviewing these directories, it is revealing to note that the vast majority of research on Africa is produced by disciplinary experts (environmental scientists, economists, demographers, etc.) rather than area studies experts. This means that the study of Africa is woven into the fabric of the research culture of the ANU and the ACT’s other universities in ways that are not necessarily apparent.
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Sister Angelique Namaika at ANU
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Sister Angélique Namaika who is visiting Australia as the guest of Australia for UNHCR. is the recipient of the 2013 Nansen Refugee Award – UNHCR’s highest human rights prize – for her ground-breaking work with women and girls, in a conflict area labelled the most dangerous place to be a woman than a soldier in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Sister Angelique’s visit forms part of Australia for UNHCR’s work in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The organisation funds a number of SGBV projects in the DRC and works to implement UN Resolution 2106 which seeks to build on UN Resolution 1325 and strengthen protections for women in conflict zonesThe event is co-hosted by The Institute for Gender and Australia for UNHCR.Vice Chancellor Ian Young will open the event.Event date is Tuesday 18 August 2015Time 18h30 – 20h30 (light refreshments from 17h30+)Venue Finkel Theatre, John Curtin School of Medical Research (131); Garran Road, ANUPlease support and register on line by clicking on the link below where you will be directed to register your attendance. Deadline for registration is 12 August.
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Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade – 07/05/2015 – Human rights issues confronting women and girls in the Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific region
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Evidence relevant to Africa given to this Parliamentary Committee by Jacqueline Zwambila, Fadzi Whande, and Julia Newton-House can be found at
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ANU Healthcare in Africa Seminar – Recap by Margaret O’Callaghan
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Canberra members of AFSAAP were delighted to have the subject of Africa appear on the ANU agenda on the 6th May – an uncommon occurrence given the prevailing bias towards Asia and the Pacific. In order to promote discussion on maternal and sexual health, access to healthcare and education and Female Genital Mutilation the ANU Circle for Gender Equity held its second seminar for the semester with the discussion focusing on healthcare in Africa. About thirty-five ANU students (including four males) and others attended the seminar.
The programme included:
- A presentation by Jacqueline Zwambila, former Zimbabwean ambassador to Australia provided a very comprehensive overview of health issues on the African continent. She bemoaned the fact that although leaders at the AU had many appropriate policies little was actioned at the grassroots level – and that there was no mention of Gender issues listed on the African Union website. She also noted the role of women in power, with women now becoming presidents (two so far) and Rwanda having a requirement for 42% female representation in parliament, but that much more needed to be done in all countries to improve women’s participation.
- A focus on the subject of Female Genital Mutilation. The audience was treated to a video by Khadjija Gbla who puts across the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) story in a very personal and surprisingly humorous way which in no way lessened the seriousness of the issue. Khadija, a Sierra Leonean, is now living in Adelaide and is very active in raising awareness about the need to stop FGM in Australia – the need for which surprises many people. https://www.ted.com/talks/khadija_gbla_my_mother_s_strange_definition_of_empowerment?language=en
- Margaret O’Callaghan, former UNFPA representative and currently Visiting Fellow at the Crawford School, then commented on the subject of FGM, providing anecdotes from her UN days and putting the subject into a multi-sectoral context. She highlighted the importance of looking at health issues from a psycho-social angle in order to really understand the reasons for why things were happening the way they were. In particular she recommended that the audience read this article in order to understand why it was that women were the major supporters in the continuation of the custom.
- Jane Armstrong, Clinical Training Manager of the Aspen Medical Australia, then spoke about the management of emergency training and support of an Australian and New Zealand health personnel team. This emergency exercise was funded by DFAT as Australia’s contribution to addressing the recent epidemic in Sierra Leone. She noted that not only did they contribute to saving lives and providing palliative care to others who weren’t so lucky, but they helped to prevent the infection from spreading further.
Unfortunately because of the very full programme there was insufficient time for audience participation, which always provides much added value to such an event.
Provided by Margaret O’Callaghan, former UNFPA Representative and currently Visiting Fellow at ANU’s Crawford School