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International Dialogue & African Perspectives

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Annual Report 2021

Annual Report

The review of the work of the Heinrich Böll Foundation in the year 2021 is overshadowed by Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. In addition, two other serious crises are keeping the world in their grip: the climate catastrophe and the continued implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. The major crises of our time are occurring against the backdrop of an ongoing rise of autocracies and a massive restriction of democratic liberties. Despite all this, democratic movements are standing up for their rights, fighting corruption and repression, and challenging governments – some of them with our support.

Perspectives is a publication series of the Africa offices of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung. The series provides a platform for experts from Africa to express their views about issues pertinent to the democratic and sustainable development agenda in the region.

The latest edition of Perspectives "African Feminisms across Generations" is a collaboration between the Gender Focal Persons (HBF staff members who serve as resource persons on gender issues) from our four offices in Africa and the Africa Division at our head office in Berlin. The idea for the edition was born out of a strategy to collectively develop an approach to gender-related political goals that is rooted in feminist realities, thinking and narratives specific to the African continent.

Special Features

Dossier: EU-Africa relations in times of Covid-19

The uneven distribution of Covid-19 vaccines is one of the main discussion points at EU-African Union summit on 17-18 February 2022. Two years into the pandemic, about 75% of the EU’s population has already received at least one vaccine dose, while on the African continent only 16% have been jabbed. The sustained pandemic not only affects the public health conditions but also African economies, societies and political stability. This dossier sheds light on the impacts of Covid-19 on African countries and offers ways forward for a green, inclusive and feminist recovery.

Radical Realism for Climate Justice

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial is feasible. And it is our best hope of achieving environmental and social justice, of containing the impacts of a global crisis that was born out of historical injustice and highly unequal responsibility.

Our Dossier is a civil society response to the challenge of limiting global warming to 1.5°C while also paving the way for climate justice. Because it’s is neither ‘naïve’ nor ‘politically unfeasible’, it is radically realistic.

Here you find an introductory overview of the disucssion on 1.5°C.