From 2 to 7 February, WoMin co-hosted the Radical Democracy, Autonomy and Self-Determination (RaDASD) Confluence organised alongside the Global Tapestry of Alternatives, Academy of Democratic Modernity, Jineoloji Academy and the Amadiba Crisis Committee in Port Edward, South Africa.
The gathering brought together 44 participants, from 20 countries from the Global South who are for the most part, already fostering principles of democratic participation in their communities.
The failure of ‘democracies’
Peasant and working-class people, who have been displaced from their land, water, forests, and other vital resources to make way for extractive projects like mining, mega dams, and large-scale agro-industrial farms, among others, are being systematically failed by modern democracies.
Instead of being engaged in meaningful conversations about their experiences and needs, their voices are ignored, and their demands are met with intimidation and violence. Rather than benefiting from these so-called “development” projects, they suffer from environmental destruction, loss of livelihoods, and increased militarisation.
Where governments often prioritise corporate interests over the well-being of local communities, they resist through the creation of grassroots movements that challenge the status quo. These movements fight for radical alternatives addressing land rights, environmental justice, and the protection of their cultures and ways of life.
With the rise of authoritarianism, wars, and conflicts, and global political and economic systems that distance governments from the people, there’s an urgent need for these movements focused on radical democracy and autonomy to unite and respond together.
This confluence came from the need to create possibilities of collaboration and solidarity with each other and the need to document the different practices and concepts guiding these initiatives.
Reclaiming the power of the majority
To challenge the current limitations democracies are dealing with, communities across the world are building governance structures where power is decentralised, and all voices are included in decision-making processes.
The goal is to make power accessible to all, not a selected group of few representatives. That is done by encouraging active citizenship through direct forms of participations such as assemblies, council of elders and youth groups. These are spaces where decisions are discussed, and everyone is accountable to each other.
Learning from ancient ways, communities are challenging patriarchal and capitalist ideas that often prioritise the voices and experiences of the elite, in detriment of the majority.
African women, in particular, were clear in expressing that there can be no democracy, if we don’t address historical injustices and bring marginalised voices to the centre.
“People living with disabilities suffer a lot. In some communities they are trapped, they don’t go out, we must bring them on board. They are left behind. We want to see them participating and engaging, as part of our community. We had one teacher that was blind, and he had a school for other visually impaired individuals, the community really benefited from this project. But in general, people who are disabled are pushed aside.” – Mama Alice, Kenya
For them, radical democracy must challenge cultural/traditional practices that limit women’s autonomy and leadership. This can only exist when we apply an intersectional approach, acknowledging how systems of oppression interact and produce different outcomes for different groups of people.
“It is very difficult to build women’s capacity in certain communities, where they don’t even have the right to speak in public, for example. Women and other groups are very isolated, they don’t know what goes on in other parts. They must organise groups to talk about issues, have a leader that can guide them. For example, in Senegal we don’t talk about homosexuality. Our own leaders don’t talk about it, they don’t engage with those topics because of cultural, religious reasons. “- Mama Fatou, Senegal
Another dimension of the solutions brough forth was the need to reclaim women’s role as custodians of Nature. On this, they spoke about the importance of indigenous practices, such as sustainable farming, being in harmony with other living beings and thinking of the collective good.
“In Namakwaland we have rules: you can only plant 1 hectare because we live in a desert, otherwise we will disrupt the ecosystem. There is a limit to the cattle each of us can have because of grazing area. That is why we need to know indigenous ways of working the land, to understand these things. (…) A big chunk of traditional knowledge is gone and in order to restore it we need the Alternatives: the way we produce our food, the way we graze our animals, the ways we make decisions, some of what we lost we can regain back and some of the things we can learn from you and you can learn from us.” – Nuchey, South Africa
In articulating and amplifying the importance of indigenous practices, women are rejecting the idea of domination of nature and themselves – which is aligned with Ecofeminist principles.
These communities are arguing for their right to decide on how land is managed, who gets to take part in governance structures and who the resources belong to. These are all part of anti-colonial struggles and bring up the question of sovereignty.
“Those who have successfully occupied historical land should be able to map it and define the intentions: where we build houses, where we will graze animals, grow vegetables, have a garden, have a soccer field for the children, etc. We map and we decide what we’re going to do with the land and where.” – Nonhle, South Africa
An African Ecofeminist Radical Democracy future
By virtue of the role they play in their communities, African women are in direct contact with Nature and understand the root causes of the destruction happening around them, and they are often at the forefront of resistance against extractives.
They know that within a patriarchal, capitalist and colonial system, their land and their communities will continue to be exploited. Dismantling these oppressive systems goes from challenging dominant ideas around development to redefining power.
Radical democracy, as they envision it, recovers indigenous ways of knowing and living, encourages shared responsibility, prioritises collective well-being, and respects Nature. In doing so, they offer a powerful model of governance and social justice that puts the power back in the hands of the many, not the few. They are embracing a vision of democracy that is inclusive, intersectional, and rooted in care for both people and the planet, for now and generations to come.
