Understanding the Causes of Migration

AfricanTide worked with teachers and upper secondary students from selected schools in Dortmund and the surrounding area to encourage a more realistic and differentiated understanding of Africa and the causes of migration. The project responded to stereotypical media portrayals that often reduce Africa to images of poverty, crisis, and helplessness, particularly in the context of migration debates.

During a project day with students, a range of issues was explored, including the impact of globalization on livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa, the effects of climate change, constructed ethnic conflicts, and broader questions of justice and development. The project also addressed European border and refugee policies, as well as the right to freedom of movement and fair development opportunities for Africans.

Through working groups and discussion circles, students engaged directly with speakers from Africa who shared their personal life stories and motivations for migrating to Germany. These authentic encounters helped students to better understand both the challenges and the diversity of the African continent. The project made an important contribution to replacing stereotypical perceptions with a more informed and balanced view of Africa, especially among young people.

Since its founding in 2007, AfricanTide has organized an event every year to mark International Women’s Day. In 2016, however, the organisation deliberately expanded this tradition into a full week of action. This decision was shaped by the increased urgency of women’s rights in the public debate, particularly following the events in Cologne on New Year’s Eve 2015/16 and in light of the growing diversity of women’s communities in Dortmund due to the arrival of refugees.

Based on this, AfricanTide organized a comprehensive programme aimed at empowering women with and without migration backgrounds and enabling them to claim their place in society together. The 2016 programme reflected the broad range of women’s engagement across the city and wider society and sought to encourage women to participate actively in social life.

The event series was held under the theme “Give Women More Space!” and offered a holistic framework designed to reach women from diverse cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. The aim was to bring women into dialogue with one another, reduce prejudice, promote mutual learning, foster culture and solidarity, and help women reclaim and shape social spaces together.

The week opened with a lecture on women’s rights in Islam, entitled “Myths and Facts about Women in Islam.” The event aimed to challenge stereotypes, foster greater understanding of Muslim women, address the multiple forms of discrimination faced by Muslim women, and highlight portraits of successful Muslim women in society. The speaker was the Islamic studies scholar Fatima Houari.

The programme continued with an excursion to the Women’s Museum in Bonn, where participants visited an exhibition on violence against women. The exhibition had originally been developed in preparation for the 2002 International Conference “Ending Violence against Women and Girls – Strengthening Human Rights,” for which participants from all world regions had contributed their perspectives and associations.

On the third day, AfricanTide Union e.V. hosted a film evening featuring the movie “Geliebtes Leben” (Beloved Life), which addressed the struggle against AIDS in Africa and opened space for reflection and discussion on health, gender, and social challenges.

The fourth day featured a workshop on mindfulness and stress management under the title “Paint Your Stress Away!” Guided by an art therapist, women came together in a creative setting to relieve everyday stress, express themselves artistically, and experience shared relaxation and empowerment.

On the fifth day, a cooking competition was organised. The challenge of this activity was to explore the many different roles food plays across cultures while also learning new skills together. This event created a lively and participatory environment in which intercultural exchange and creativity could flourish.

The week concluded with a large closing event, which brought participants together once more to celebrate the shared experiences of the programme and the strength, diversity, and solidarity of women in Dortmund.

Overall, International Women’s Week 2016 provided an important platform for empowerment, dialogue, and intercultural exchange. Through its varied programme, AfricanTide Union e.V. succeeded in creating spaces in which women from different backgrounds could meet, learn from one another, challenge prejudice, and strengthen their role in society.