- Mover & shaker
We chat to Asma Khalifa, a Libyan women's rights and peace activist. Her work has spanned across numerous countries including Libya, Yemen and Syria. She won the Luxembourg Peace Prize in 2016 and was named as one of the 100 most influential young Africans of 2017 by the Africa Youth Awards.
Tell us a bit about yourself- where were you born, and what was your childhood like?
My name is Asma; I was born in Tripoli, Libya, at the end of the 80s. I grew up at a time when maybe the country was isolated under international sanctions. I don't have much to say about my childhood except I remember the long summer days by the beach; yeah, it was pretty much isolated, I would say.
What are some things /influences that have shaped your outlook and values in life?
I think reading books influenced my life, especially because I grew up in a large family. My parents did not always have the time to answer my questions, so my mother encouraged me to read. Over time, that made me more aware of the world around me, and I would say literature had a great impact and, of course, my personal experience living with a difficult father.
What inspired you to be an advocate for gender equality and human rights?
Growing up with a patriarchal, headstrong abusive father and seeing women's experiences around me has allowed me to grasp the concept of injustice. Additionally, I am an Amazigh, a minority tribe in my country. Dictatorship at the time did everything to suppress and erase us. So being exposed to this oppression enhanced my understanding of injustice, and over the years, this influenced my passion for working on gender equality and human rights. Advocating for gender equality and human rights is not just a cause but an acute realisation that all is not well in the world, and steps must be taken to address it. This applies to other issues as well that I care about.
What has been the impact of your work in the communities you have worked with? Given the context in Libya, how has your work, particularly on gender equality, been perceived in general?
Impact on social issues is always a complicated topic and hard to determine. At a policy level, there has been a more tangible impact through the change in the agenda where women’s rights are concerned. However, addressing gender equality issues at a community level can be hard because this is seen as an external threat to society. Be that as it is, I would say that the discussions and capacity-building workshops on the issue have resulted in some slight improvements in how issues around gender equality are perceived. However, the issue is still taboo, and there is still a long way to go.
You have been recognised as one of the 100 most influential young Africans. Which aspects of your work do you believe brought about this recognition?
I am not very sure, but I believe it's more of my advocacy efforts on the issues I am interested in, such as peace-building and gender equality. I have been told that I'm bold and frank in my videos, speaking of my experiences with war, trauma and activism, so perhaps it’s that.
What lessons have you learnt through your work as a gender and peace activist, and what suggestions can you give on how the continent can continue to work on conflict transformation and building lasting peace?
I learnt that the struggle is long, and activists must build endurance to go the long mile. There also has to be a balance when prioritising yourself because often, activists tend to overlook their own needs and personal lives when focusing on their activism. I have also learned that issues are interconnected, and activists working on different fields and issues need to collaborate and work together to address the intersectionalities of various issues. The continent needs movements that work on Africa’s post-modern needs, i.e., sustainable business development. We need to start setting the agenda for our priorities and our needs.
What do you consider your best accomplishments so far, and what do we have to look forward to from you in the future? I would say my biggest accomplishment is my ability to adapt to new roles and recognise my new privileges. I understand that improving my work has to be alongside lifting others with me because it cannot be an individual’s job.
What do you find beautiful about being an African, and what is your favourite holiday destination in Africa? What I love about Africa is the spirit of kindness that people have, the beauty and the amazingly rich cultures. I loved going to Kenya. Unfortunately, I haven't travelled as much in Africa, but I enjoyed being in Kenya in 2016.
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