BEIJING + 5: VOX-POP NO. 2 - AFRICAN VIEWS ON DELIBERATIONS

- "I am not pleased with the whole process. We have seen deliberate moves by certain governments to block Beijing +5. There is constant deliberation on semantics, rather than on the real issues. This is a deliberate move to derail Beijing +5. We are wasting our time discussing semantics". Evelyn Manda, Zambia Alliance for Women, Zambia

- "It is not well organised. The proceedings are in English and there is a huge problem of translation! In some caucuses, there is no translation at all. We can’t participate; we can’t express ourselves because of the language problem. I represent a lusophone country NGO, but I am also speaking for francophone NGOs too. We are not allowed to speak at all! We haven’t been able to voice our concerns. We don’t have a say in the deliberations". Fatoumata Dhaoumalde, Ligue Guineene pour les Droits Humains, Guinea Bisseau

- "We are in the process of preparing a petition and a declaration. We have been sidetracked by anglophone NGOs. There is no translation, no documents in French, and even if there are, they come late. African francophone NGOs are being marginalised here. NGO inputs to the deliberations should reflect the views of all NGOs present here, not simply the anglophone ones". Justine Madiesse, AFISAF, Cameroon

- "As far as the conference goes, it is going well. Women from all over the world are gathered here to express issues that directly concern them. I represent a Muslim NGO. We are against homosexuality and equality of the sexes. In our deliberations, we are stressing these two points. We cannot accept these two points. We are for equality of chances not equality of the sexes because physiologically, women are different from men". Siti Nur Elbet, World Muslim League, Comoros

- "On the whole, all NGOs are marginalized at this conference. There is too much restriction, there is limited access to information, and there is a communication problem because there is practically no translation in the caucuses. The Governments are not helping them either. There is a feeling of fear in the air. They fear NGOs. This shouldn’t have been the case". Aminata Cheibou, AIFEN, Niger