Region: East Africa
-
Uganda: Freedom of Expression Essential for Democracy to Prevail
By Sally Akinyi and Churchill Ongere As Ugandans headed to the polls yesterday, the country and the East African region at large was deeply worried by an election cycle marked by prolonged periods of protest, police brutality, and undue restrictions of civil liberties like free expression, association, and access to information. Close to one hundred…
-
A Reflection on Five Years of the Green and Inclusive Energy Programme: Success Stories from East Africa
In the past few years, it’s clear that the discourse around energy access has changed in East Africa. While previously renewable energy was often dismissed as not being capable of helping a country to achieve “development”, there has been a significant shift in the perspectives of governments and funders. Commitments to achieving Sustainable Energy for…
-
Bridging the gap
Working towards diverse and inclusive workplaces By Sally Akinyi and the team in Hivos East Africa ‘’Our organization does not tolerate any form of discrimination based on age, sex, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.’’ This is a statement that hangs on the boardroom walls of most organizations or appears in email signatures to externally…
-
Post Covid; reassessing access to clean cooking in low-income households
With growing evidence suggesting that exposure to air pollution significantly increases the risk of being infected by (and dying of) COVID-19, access to clean cooking is more critical than ever. Emerging trends show that households are regressing by switching from clean (Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), electricity) to dirty cooking fuels (such as kerosene, firewood and…
-
Systemic transformation is needed to fight global hunger
On December 10, representatives of the World Food Programme (WFP) receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. The WFP works in 90 countries, supporting 100 million people who suffer hunger and food insecurity. The fact that the Nobel Peace Prize has been accorded to an organization like the WFP, supported by donations, shows how much we all depend…
-
Grant-making and new ways of working for creatives in East Africa
Creative and cultural goods are not only important footprints in bolstering socio-economic growth but in spurring expression and innovation, which are critical in democratic societies. The nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has been ravishing socially and economically with the creative sector amongst the sectors having been hardest hit. This effect has been witnessed globally, with…
-
African Crossroads 2020: Reimagining the Pan-African Dream
African Crossroads is a community of future-oriented African thinkers and doers initiated and organized by Hivos. They gather every year to reflect critically on the most pioneering entrepreneurial, scientific, artistic, and technological developments anchored in African intellectual and technological traditions. African Crossroads is a space where African collective intelligence and creativity meet to positively shape…
-
The journey to creating safer workspaces for women must press forward
By Imungu Kalevera, Program Associate, Women@Work Campaign Marking its 29th year of observance and action, the Global 16 Days campaign is the longest running campaign against sexual and gender-based violence against women. Happily, in June 2019, the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted the Violence and Harassment Convention C190. This marked the culmination of years of campaigning by the Center for Women’s Global…
-
Soldering on despite setbacks in the Kenyan flower industry due Covid-19
When Asha Obonyo, joined Cenacle farm in January 2020, she had a lot of plans for the year. However, her aspirations were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which almost crippled the flower industry in Kenya. Ms Obonyo who works in the irrigation department, had to stay at home for a few months as the situation…
-
Resilience during Covid-19 pandemic
When the government of Kenya announced that the Covid- 19 pandemic had hit the country in March 2020, many businesses were thrown into panic mode. Many were caught unaware, and had no plans on how to navigate the health and operational challenges brought about by the pandemic. Action planning However, at Fides Kenya farm things…
-
Hivos East Africa’s Citizen Agency Consortium Cafe
Voices of rights-holdersWe celebrate the diverse voices and rightsholders who were agents of change pushing for gender inclusion in renewable energy, transparency in the extractives sector, dignified work for women in the horticultural sector, and healthy and affordable diets for low-income populations.
-
On the road to accountability in Tanzania
Frustrations lead to new beginnings“It was clear to me that there was a need for such an institution in Tanzania,” says Ludovick Utouh, founder of WAJIBU – Institute of Public Accountability. Amongst others, WAJIBU informs and mobilizes public opinion about accountability in the collection and use of public resources by duty bearers and elected officials.