Afrikadag 2024: join our sessions on tax justice and decolonizing LGBTQ+ work

Wemos is excited to invite you to our sessions during the Afrikadag 2024, on 16 September 2024, in Pakhuis de Zwijger – Amsterdam. In our first session, ‘Tax Wars: The Fight for Universal Healthcare and Financial Justice,’ we’ll watch a key cut of the documentary Tax Wars and discuss with experts the profound impact of tax justice on human rights, including access to health. The second session, ‘Intersectional Approaches to Decolonizing LGBTQ+ Work in the NGO Sector’, will re-examine the framework through which LGBTQ+ issues are addressed in the NGO sector, with Make Way partners. 

Session 1: ‘Tax Wars: The Fight for Universal Healthcare and Financial Justice’
16 November, 12:00-13:00, Room Studio 

In this session, we will discuss tax-related illicit financial flows which hamper domestic resource mobilization in many countries in Africa, and its direct and indirect impacts on access to public services like healthcare. There will be a special focus on the recent steps, led by African countries, towards the light in tunnel: the UN framework convention on international tax cooperation, a promising, legally binding instrument in the fight to close public finance gaps. 

Our session will start off with a live screening of key scenes from Tax Wars, an award-winning documentary film following experts advocating for fair tax policies to curb corporate greed and tax evasion. Learn more and watch the full documentary here. 

We are honoured to have on our panel Everlyn Muendo (Tax Justice Network Africa) and Hege Dehli (Tax Wars director). They will discuss the critical role of inclusive, effective and comprehensive international tax cooperation in efforts to close domestic public finance gaps. There will also be opportunity for questions and remarks from the audience. 

Co-hosts Barbara Fienieg (Wemos), Arnold Merkies (Tax Justice NL) and Jan Schriefer (FNV) will bring together perspectives from their respective works in health and financial justice. 

Session 2: ‘Intersectional Approaches to Decolonizing LGBTQ+ Work in the NGO Sector’
16 November, 15:15-16:15, Room Ruimte Expo 

Through an engaging panel discussion and debate, we will dive into decolonizing LGBTQ+ work in the NGO sector, emphasizing the need to re-examine the framework through which LGBTQ+ issues are addressed.  

We will look at how LGBTQ+ work across Africa is often framed and funded by Western lenses and explore the implications of this on the autonomy and cultural sensitivity of local LGBTQ+ movements. 

We will be joined by speakers from Aidsfonds, Diverse Empowerment, Equal Voices Community & Pan Africa ILGA to understand how we can all contribute to decolonizing LGBTQ+ advocacy, exploring steps toward a more just world that incorporates the perspectives of communities, tradition, religion and queer rights. 

This session is co-organized by Akina Mama wa Afrika, Liliane Fonds, VSO Nederland and Wemos under the Make Way programme. 

About Afrikadag

Afrikadag is the largest event in the Netherlands dedicated to international cooperation with Africa for over 25 years. Bringing together workshops, debates, culture and art, this year’s theme, ”Getting Rights Right’, highlights African activists leading the way toward a more democratic, inclusive, and equitable future, with discussions on human rights, decolonization, environmental justice, and workers’ rights. The day is organised by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) and the Foundation Max van der Stoel (FMS). 

For tickets and the full Afrikadag 2024 programme, please visit afrikadag.nl.