Introduction and Background

The African Feminist Care Academy arises from a persistent acknowledgement within African feminist movements that care is not a peripheral “social issue” but a fundamental political, economic, and social concern. Building on the pedagogical legacies of the African Feminist Macroeconomics Academy and the African Women’s Leadership Institute (AWLI), the academy aims to build feminist political consciousness, develop macro-level analytical skills, and equip participants with tools and networks to challenge systemic barriers to care and social reproduction. The Feminist Care Academy seeks to inspire care economy advocates to challenge structural limitations around the care economy, drawing from research grounded in African feminist values, rights-based approaches, collective power, feminist organising, and transformational leadership. It further seeks to offer a rich learning experience that positions care as a deeply interconnected social, political, and economic issue.

From 22 to 26 June 2026, FEMNET, Akina Mama Wa Afrika, and UN Women hosted the inaugural Feminist Care Academy under the theme “A Pan-African Feminist Approach to the Social Organisation of Care”. Held in Lusaka, Zambia, the academy was attended by over 21 representatives (20 female and 1 male) of feminist movements and WROs from Eastern (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda) and Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia).