The destabilising effects of the Covid-19 pandemic had dramatic health, economic and social effects around the world. As pandemic-related social policies continue to affect the lives and livelihoods of millions of people, important questions are being asked about the socio-economic impacts of pandemic responses and associated lockdown policies.

Across the African continent, beyond state-led responses, there were important lessons learned about agency rooted in contextually relevant knowledge, health messaging and community mobilisation for pandemic management. Individuals, community organisations and other local actors demonstrated great resilience and stepped-in to fill gaps and voids in government provision of support, information, and leadership, particularly in poor and marginalised communities.

This Africa week event brings together experts from Lusophone African countries, Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and Mozambique who are engaging with these questions. The event will centre on the question of African agency in crisis response, with particular emphasis on discussions about the role of women, youth and community organisations.

This event is part of the African Leadership Centre's - Africa Week 2023 celebrations - taking place 6-10 March 2023.

This event is online.

Speakers:

Elsa Rodrigues, Lecturer at the Instituto Superior de Ciências da Educação de Benguela, Angola

Dr Nicolas Manuel, Auxiliary Professor and the Chair of Research and Post-Graduate Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, Agostinho Neto University, Angola

Dr Carlos Cardoso, former Director of the Research Department of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA); founder and Director of the Amílcar Cabral Centre for Social Studies, Guinea- Bissau

Dr Pedrito Cambrão, Deputy Director of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universidade Zambeze, Mozambique

Redy Wilson Lima, Assistant Professor at the Instituto Superior de Ciências Jurídicas e Sociais, Cabo Verde

 

Moderators:

Professor Toby Green, Professor of Precolonial and Lusophone African History and Culture

Dr Aleida Borges, Research Fellow at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, King's College London