From October 21 to 26, 2024, communities, civil society organizations, and labor activists across Africa will come together for the fourth annual Africa Week of Action Against Water Privatization.
Organized by the Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition, OWORAC, this year’s campaign will coincide with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, DC, and will focus on the theme “Water Justice Over Profit.”
The initiative highlights a growing demand for democratic control of public utilities, particularly water. It aims to combat the trend of privatization that prioritizes corporate profits over the basic needs of communities. This campaign comes in response to rising protests and online movements advocating for the right to water across the continent.
Key activities planned for the Week of Action include:
- An international hybrid press conference on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 9:00 AM WAT.
- Media engagements in partner countries throughout Africa.
- Specialized workshops and training sessions for journalists covering water privatization issues.
- Community parliaments and strategic dialogues with policymakers and water authorities.
- Public awareness campaigns highlighting the dangers of water privatization, featuring both social media outreach and in-person discussions.
Speakers at the press conference will include prominent advocates such as Geoffrey Kabutey Ocansey from Revenue Mobilisation Africa (Ghana), Akinbode Oluwafemi from Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (Nigeria), Pascal Bekono from the African Centre for Advocacy (Cameroon), Anne Maine from the Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya, and Oumar Ba from the Confédération de Syndicats Autonomes du Sénégal.
Organizations such as the Africa Water Justice Network (AWJN), Corporate Accountability (US), the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), and the Senegalese Water Justice Network will also express solidarity with the campaign.
OWORAC, comprising activists and advocates for public water from countries including Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Gabon, Nigeria, Senegal, and Uganda, aims to strengthen community power and pan-African solidarity throughout this week of resistance.