“Human rights have become a Trojan Horse, conscripted to spread a particular economic agenda founded on individual property rights. The attainment of the right to own cannot be understood as a
sufficient means to level the playing field for rural women. Instead, the property and environmental wealth of the weak is exposed and vulnerable to the agenda and incursions of the powerful.
A holistic recalibration of natural asset values has to take place at the community level with the involvement of men and women in the community. Enabling people to grasp the imperative of organising and mobilizing to work together to maintain the value of their common assets will
require taking a longer view on economic and social / cultural development. As much as human rights is about self determination, power and empowerment, the road to put in place the necessary policies and practices to bring about the realization of these objectives will
require commitment, engagement and personal and professional leadership. We need to use all avenues at hand to protect the futures of African generations to come. Building the awareness of
grassroots women of their collective human rights, and applying these as investment standards – will be one such avenue.”
