Women Watch Afrika’s July 4th Message: We Are Not Free Until Everyone Is Free

Women Watch Afrika’s July 4^th Message: We are not Free until Everyone is Free

As you celebrate the independence of our country, please bear in mind that there is still a lot to do to celebrate the much-desired independence and freedom for this country. We must remember that we have been moved backwards for more than fifty years with the taking away of women’s Freedom to control our own body, the ongoing climate crisis and increasing gross racial injustice that we see every day.

Ask yourself what we are celebrating and is it worth celebrating if we do not have a promised democracy and a country where self-determination and self-actualization is eroded daily.

Our people are living in poverty as parents struggle to put food on the table for their children, our rights to vote has been taken away, hatred have taken over love for one another, and gun violence/senseless killings is at an all time high.

Our message to you all is to keep in mind that we must all commit to fighting for equal rights and justice. I cannot say it better than to remind us of the song “War” that Bob Marley put together from a speech made by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I before the United Nations General Assembly on 4 October 1963.

That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned; That until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained; …………….. Until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will; Until all Africans stand and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven; Until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil. – Haile Selassie I

Bob Marley said Until that day / The dream of lasting peace, / World citizenship / Rule of international morality / Will remain in but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, / But never attained / – Now everywhere is war – / War. Me say war.

‘War in the east, / War in the west, / War up north, / War down south – / War – war – / Rumors of war. / And until that day,

These words still hold true to date as nothing have change. Therefore, you and I have a role to commit to bringing about change and the time is now more than ever before.