Hey Changemaker!

Nesmah Mansoor: Yemen, Peace and Climate Justice

Nesmah Mansoor is a Women's Peace and Security expert and a Co-founder of the Peace Track Initiative, currently serving as their Policy and Communication Senior Officer. She specializes in the intersection of peacebuilding and climate justice and is Peace Track Initiative’s focal point for Feminist Climate Justice issues. Nesmah is also pursuing a master's degree in International Relations at Inalco, Paris, with a focus on Security Studies.
In this episode Nesmah and I speak about Yemen. She shares her journey as a changemaker, from challenging gender norms as a child to using her voice to raise awareness about the situation in Yemen. She gives us a very clear and comprehensive overview of the complex history of Yemen, including the civil war and the impact on the people, particularly the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Nesmah emphasizes the dire humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the challenges faced by IDPs, including lack of access to clean water and sanitation.
We talk about the Houthis involvement in the issue of Palestine and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, through their attacks on ships in the Red Sea. She addresses the misconception that the Houthi rebels are heroes, highlighting their primary role in the conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of Yemenis and currently continue to violate human rights.
"Militarization is the elephant in the room," Nesmah says as we discuss the interconnectedness of peace, climate change, and justice movements. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the root causes of conflicts and the impact of militarization on both peace and the environment. Nesmah also highlights the resilience and activism of women in Yemen and their role in peacebuilding.
 

Solidarity Studio: Deepti Mathew on Street Business School

Deepti Mathew is the Chief Executive Officer at Street Business School. 
Deepti has over 25 years of experience leading complex, global projects as a strategy and transformation consultant with a range of organizations. She grew up in India, Tanzania and Cameroon, and is committed to development and improving livelihoods for the world’s most vulnerable. 
Street Business School empowers women to become thriving entrepreneurs, lifting themselves and their families to a more vibrant future.
Deepti speaks with Felogene Anumo about Street Business School's offerings and what feminist solidarity looks like. 
This short episode was recorded in the Girls' Globe Solidarity Studio at the Women Deliver 2023 conference. 

Solidarity Studio: Françoise Moudouthe on Feminism

Françoise Moudouthe is a Pan-African Feminist and a supporter of feminist movements. She is currently the CEO of the African Women's Development Fund. 
African Women's Development Fund is a feminist fund that resources, supports and nurtures African women’s rights organisations and feminist movements to sustain themselves.
In the Girls' Globe Solidarity Studio, Françoise speaks about feminism and feminist language. She also shares her calls to action and what feminist solidarity means to her. 
 

Magda-Sarah Boulabiza: Racial, climate and economic justice in Europe

Magda-Sarah Boulabiza is the policy and advocacy advisor for climate and economic justice at the European Network Against Racism (ENAR). 
Magda has experience working with migration and asylum law in France and in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility in relation to diversity and inclusion of minority groups in the workplace. Magda has a Master’s Degree in Public Law and Public Affairs.
In this episode Magda speaks with Julia Wiklander about the linkages between racial, climate and economic justice. 
"The values of democracy and human rights in Europe are only a facade." - Magda-Sarah Boulabiza
Magda shares her journey as a changemaker, starting with her experience of witnessing police violence at a young age. She discusses the interlinkages between climate and racial justice, highlighting how racialized communities are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis.
Magda also speaks about the hypocrisy of Europe in terms of repressive policies and the need for reparations for historical harms. She talks about Europe's history of colonialism and racism that has led to a racial wealth gap and ongoing discrimination. Magda gives current examples that show the effects and harms of the ongoing racism and lack of acknowledging responsibility for Europe’s colonial history.
 

Adèle Kirsten: Long-term activism, gun violence & anti-apartheid

Adèle Kirsten has been a non-violent, social justice activist for almost 40 years in South Africa, and is the Director of Gun Free South Africa, of which she was a founding member. 
Adèle became active in the anti-apartheid movement in the late 70’s as a result of her opposition to the injustices of the apartheid system, the growing militarisation of the society, and her support for those who refused to serve in the apartheid army. 
As a founding member of Gun Free South Africa (GFSA), Adèle was responsible for helping build the organisation into a national NGO, which together with the Gun Control Alliance, played an important role in advocating for stricter gun laws in South Africa. In November 2000, the Firearms Control Act was passed. Adèle was named the South African Woman of the Year in 2000 under the media and communications category.
In 2008, Adèle published a book, A Nation without Guns? The Story of Gun Free South Africa.She has been on several advisory boards, notably the UK Department for International Development Armed Violence and Poverty Initiative as well as the OECD Advisory panel on armed violence reduction. Adèle joined the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation as its Director in 2008 until end 2010. 
In this episode, Adèle shares how she got involved in the anti-apartheid movement as a student in South Africa. We talk about the linkages with the student movement today. She shares several stories from her work with Gun Free South Africa. One is the current - almost unbelievable - class-action lawsuit taking place in South Africa. The case includes over 2,000 guns that were stolen from police stores by a senior police officer, Colonel Christiaan Prinsloo, and distributed to criminals between 2007 and 2015. These guns have been linked to more than 1000 murders in the Western Cape and 187 children between the ages of one and 17 years old were shot with Prinsloo Guns, 67 of whom were killed.
Adèle and Julia talk about gun violence, long-term activism and about solidarity and hope. 
"If we aren't thinking structurally and systemically then it's charity. And charity has its place. But if you're an activist, you're about making change... and you have to find it within you to see the links between the small change, the mobilization and the structural systemic change." - Adèle Kirsten on the Hey Changemaker! Podcast. 
Learn more about what's talked about in the podcast
Gun Free South Africa
Prinsloo Guns Class Action
Bulletproof Park
 
The Hey Changemaker! Podcast is hope and solidarity delivered to you through personal conversations with changemakers. Listen to more episodes, subscribe, nominate a guest and leave a voice message for the podcast here.
 

In the Deep End: Chiara Martinelli on the Climate Impact of the EU Elections

Chiara Martinelli is the Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe.
CAN Europe is Europe's leading NGO coalition fighting dangerous climate change. With over 200 member organisations active in 40 European countries, representing over 1,700 NGOs and more than 40 million citizens, CAN Europe promotes sustainable climate, energy and development policies across Europe. CAN Europe is the regional node of the global alliance CAN International.
In this episode, Julia Wiklander speaks with Chiara about the upcoming EU Elections and what they mean for European Climate Action, what’s at stake and what brings her hope. Chiara also clarifies some of the EU processes, the European Green Deal and the confusion of an industrial deal and a New Green Deal.
Learn more from CAN Europe's work on the European Elections
Manifesto: https://caneurope.org/content/uploads/2023/10/CAN-Europe-Manifesto-for-a-Fossil-Free-Socially-Just-and-Climate-Neutral-Union.pdf
Scoreboard https://caneurope.org/eu-parliament-scoreboard-2024/
 

Students for a Free Palestine: Voices from University Encampments

Students across Western nations are taking to the streets and to their universities to demand them to end their complicity in the crimes of Israel and the ongoing genocide. Students are making noise and making waves of change. The student protests that started in the US, have spread across the country and across Europe.
These students have been called anti-semites in the media. They have been called terrorists. The peaceful protests and encampments have been threatened by governments and police. Students are risking their degrees, their scholarships, their privileges, their safety and futures for all the students in Gaza that have nowhere to go.
The student movement is an important one. It is showing us the truth of the reality we live in - and the complicity of governments and institutions that are meant to uphold free speech, education and human rights.
So, I asked students to share their stories and their perspectives. Why are they joining encampments? What are they demanding? What do they hope for?
 

Solidarity Studio: Habiba Mohamed and Bwalya Chomba, Fistula Foundation

Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury. It leaves a woman incontinent, humiliated, and—all too often—shunned by her community. Surgery is the only cure.
Habiba C. Mohamed, Regional Director of Programs in Africa at Fistula Foundation.
Bwalya Magawa Chomba is the Program Director for Zambia at Fistula Foundation. 
In this episode they each share a story of a girl and woman with fistula that has affected their lives and careers. They also share an important call to action for us all to get engaged to end obstetric fistula. 
Fistula Foundation is a member of Girls' Globe, you can read their stories here.
Learn more about the Girls' Globe memberships and apply here.
 
 
 

In the Deep End: Emmanuel Achiri on the EU Migration Pact and Europe’s Identity Crisis

Emmanuel Achiri is the Policy and Advocacy Officer at the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) - an expert on migration, policing and security. He holds a doctorate in International Relations with a focus on international law and forced migration.
"Europe fails to acknowledge its history. Europe fails to acknowledge that one of the reasons why we have a lot of instability in the global majority...is because of Europe." - Emmanuel Achiri
This conversation with Emmanuel Achiri focuses on the EU Migration Pact and Europe’s identity crisis.
Emmanuel discusses the contradictions within the Migration Pact, which claims to address structural racism while legitimizing racial profiling and criminalization of migrants. He highlights the crisis of European identity and the failure to acknowledge Europe's historical role in creating instability in other parts of the world.
Emmanuel emphasizes the need for a transformational approach to justice that integrates reparatory justice and addresses issues such as migration and climate change.
The conversation explores the need for a transformational approach to social justice and migration in Europe. It highlights the shortcomings of the EU elections in addressing these issues and the importance of voting for human rights.
The discussion also touches on the erosion of fundamental rights and the rise of anti-rights movements in Europe. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of struggles and the need for global mobilization and hope.
"When Europeans ignore the destruction of fundamental human rights principles, eventually this would move from just migrants to the rest of Europe."
➡️ The European Network Against Racism is asking MEPs to sign the manifesto: A Europe for All.
➡️ Ask your candidates for the European Parliament to pledge here: #EuropeForAll: Dear EU Election Candidates, pledge to support racial justice! - European Network Against Racism (enar-eu.org)
 
In The Deep End
This episode is a part of a new series of the Hey Changemaker! Podcast called In The Deep End.
In this series, Julia Wiklander speaks with experts who will help us understand the world, its systemic issues, and unveil the truth about what equality, rights and justice REALLY mean.
2024 is the year when half of the world’s population will elect their future. More voters than ever have this opportunity. Countries like India, Syria and South Africa - as well as the UK, US and EU - will be going to the polls. Some countries have fair and equal elections, others are postponed because of war and other countries’ outcomes can probably be guessed in advance. This is a major election year and results can have an impact on the world’s future for many years to come. 
Free, fair and democratic elections are an important way for us to create change in our communities in the world. 
The global minority, also known as the global north, has witnessed a surge of right-wing, anti-rights politics during the past decade. It also holds the majority of the world’s financial wealth, while continuing to exploit other countries in the world through capitalist and colonial systems that let them do so with impunity. The global north are also some of the greatest polluters in the world.
In The Deep End episodes will focus on the change and RECKONING that is necessary in the EU, UK and the US - all of which have elections this year. 

Sharon Kathryn D'Agostino: The Magic of Women's Circles

Sharon Kathryn D’Agostino is a passionate advocate for the empowerment of women and girls, and for the human rights of all. Sharon founded the story-sharing platform, SayItForward.org, and she hosts monthly Women’s Circles online. She believes in the power of stories to spark our compassion for ourselves and for others, and to recognize that we are all connected.
In this episode, Julia and Sharon discuss the virtual Women's Circles that Sharon hosts and the importance of self-exploration and community. Julia shares her experiences of participating in the circles and Sharon speaks about unfiltered writing and her choice of writing prompts. She also provides a background to the Women's Circles and what they mean to her as well.  
This conversation is an invitation for any woman to join the monthly Women's Circles that Sharon hosts. 
Find out more and connect with Sharon at: 
AwakeningYourTrueSelf.com
SayItForward.org
@SharonDAgostino, @SayItForwardNow and @AwakeningTrue on Twitter