Introduction

In 1985, with the creation of the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA), another group of women joined the struggle for the delivering of real justice and place in the world. For the founding members of CAFRA, one of its important aims was to break down the barriers confronting women in the Caribbean. The other was to support the development of and strengthen the women’s movement in the region.

In addition to improving women’s right to education, citizenship and political participation, there was a clear need to challenge existing socio-cultural, economic and political structures, and the development structures emanating from them.

After twenty years of activism, how has the organisation measured up to this mission, working in different geographic areas and in the wide range of languages in the Dutch, English, Spanish and French speaking Caribbean?

CAFRA’s work has included research and action on Women in Agriculture, Women and the Law, Women in Industry, Women and Health, HIV/AIDS, Violence Against Women, Tourism and the Sex Trade, Impact of Trade Agreements on Women. In addition, CAFRA has been fully involved, in the processes and outcomes of the United Nations Conferences of the Nineties – Environment, Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, Human Rights, Population and Development, World Summit for Social Development Fourth World Conference on Women and Habitat.

CAFRA has struggled within CARICOM to make input into regional policies on trade, and to urge better disaster preparedness.

Hope Chigidu and Dudzira Nhengue, feminist activists from Zimbabwe, are of the view that “the passion is gone from the women’s movement” and lays responsibility on “donor driven structures that hinder rather than facilitate; organisational plans that leave no room for activism; organisations owned by a few people and there is no room for other voices.”

They call for a return to the days when “women marched and spear-headed fiery campaigns and other activities without thinking much about donor budgets, their structures and packaging their activists into neat “logical frameworks”. Passion seems to be a rare commodity these days, with the other forces of negation, injustice and exclusionary privilege beating against our consciousness”

In this it’s 20th Anniversary, CAFRA as a collective must do an inward stretch and outward reach to defend our gains, and strengthen out hearts for the future. It is only in the renewed efforts and energy of the collective membership and Secretariat that the organisation will find both the birth-place and the feeding ground for passion, and the courage to continue. The passion here must facilitate, stimulate, persuade, implement and work for the common good.