Democracy Today.indb - Universidade do Minho

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DEMOCRACY TODAY
assertiveness and a consciousness that goes a long way into changing
some of the taken for granted cultural assumptions and goes along
way into changing the order from that of purely cultural legitimacy
to a recognition of achievements, competencies and abilities as a basis
for entitlement. Thereafter, young women have to be vigilant enough
not to take for granted agendas being articulated at different fronts
and applying this unquestioningly in their various environments.
A critical and questioning stance has to be adopted with the aim of
ensuring that an oscillation of agendas through its translation into
different contexts occurs. For example, agendas being propounded at
the international level could be distilled and translated into different
African contexts, not with an aim of adopting them unquestioningly
but rather with the objective of using these as mirrors into further
reflecting on the context specific changes and the new modes of
action required. The reverse could hold, whereby the context specific
agendas are refracted on to the international scene with the aim of
gauging whether changes occurring at the international level necessitate
different ways of conceptualisation and modes of action when
translated in specific contexts.
ii. Strategic use of places as spaces for critical reflection
From the aforementioned discussions, one cannot but appreciate the
constant need for critical reflection. In an earlier article Achieng (2006:
72), I explicated how the religious space is now being transformed
into a political space. The church has acquired the quality of a public
space where pertinent political issues are exposed, debated upon and
concerted efforts at changing the prevailing order engaged in. For
young women, more secularized places are sought for. For example,
the work-place is increasingly being transformed as a space for critical
reflection and information sharing on emerging governance issues.
Increasingly, recreational centres and public forums have become
spaces for an engagement in debates and critical reflection. This phenomenon
is mostly found in the urban centres where pubs, cinema
halls, recreational parks and youth sports clubs provide spaces for
critical engagement on issues of governance.