Reclaiming Economic Spaces at the African Feminist Macroeconomics Academy (AFMA) 2025

In a world where economic policies often seem distant from the lived realities of African women and girls, the African Feminist Macroeconomics Academy (AFMA) is shifting the tide. This transformative space was hosted by the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), a bold feminist intervention designed to challenge economic structures, dismantle unjust tax systems and infuse care, justice and gender into policy discourse. It was more than just a training, it was a reimagination of what economies could be when shaped by those who have historically been excluded from decision-making tables.

From June 16th to 20th, 2025, AFMA East Africa brought together brilliant minds and bold voices in Nairobi, Kenya. Feminist economists, activists and advocates from across the region convened to unpack the complexities of Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) through a feminist lens. At the heart of this powerful convening was one of our own, Shallotte Nayebare who proudly represented Raising Teenagers Uganda during this four-day immersive training. AFMA 2025 East Africa focused on challenging the status quo of macroeconomic policymaking. For years, African countries have faced rising debt, unjust taxation structures and austerity policies that disproportionately affect women and marginalized communities. Yet, these women are rarely in the rooms where fiscal policies are drafted or national budgets are approved. Through intense dialogue, collective learning and analysis, participants were not just equipped with knowledge, but also with a sense of solidarity and urgency. The academy centered lived experiences, storytelling and intersectional feminist approaches making it a truly radical and empowering space.

Shallotte Nayebare’s participation in AFMA was more than symbolic. As a fierce advocate for girls’ education, economic empowerment and gender equality, her presence reaffirmed the power of grassroots voices in shaping national and continental agendas. Throughout the sessions, she engaged actively in discussions on how African governments can mobilize resources domestically in ways that prioritize care, dignity and equity. She joined peers in analyzing how regressive tax policies and shrinking public services place undue burdens on women, particularly in low-income communities. She explored how the undervaluing of unpaid care work continues to widen gender inequality and how the future must include systems that redistribute both resources and responsibilities. On the final day of the academy, our representative graduated with deepened insights and renewed energy to advocate for feminist macroeconomic reforms back home. Her voice echoed the collective demand: African women and girls must no longer be excluded from economic policy spaces. It’s time to reclaim them. 

What makes AFMA so critical is its grounding in real world economic injustice. Across Africa, austerity measures often dictated by external lenders lead to cuts in public health, education and social protection programs. These cuts affect everyone, but women bear the brunt of their impact. Women are often the first to absorb the shocks when public services are privatized or defunded stepping in as unpaid caregivers in families and communities. Furthermore, tax systems that overly rely on consumption taxes (like VAT) rather than taxing wealth and capital end up punishing the poor, particularly women, who spend a larger proportion of their income on basic goods.

AFMA aims to challenge these structures and shift the conversation. It insists that economics is not neutral, it is shaped by power, by who decides, who benefits and who pays. Feminist macroeconomics offers a radically inclusive framework that centers those historically silenced in economic decision making. Returning home from AFMA, Shallotte carried with her more than just a certificate, she returned with fresh energy to push for systems change in Uganda and beyond. As part of her work at Raising Teenagers Uganda, be it through empowering girls, dismantling menstrual stigma or promoting child rights, she is now even more prepared to weave economic justice into the heart of our collective advocacy. She stands not only as a graduate of AFMA but as a living testament to what happens when young African women are given the tools, the space and the solidarity to rise. Her impact will ripple across school clubs, community dialogues and national advocacy platforms where she continues to show up, speak out and lead. The movement toward just, equitable and feminist economic systems have one more powerful voice and we couldn’t be prouder. 

Raising Teenagers Uganda is honored to have been part of this prestigious cohort, represented by our very own Shallotte Nayebare whose participation marks a milestone for our organization’s continued commitment to economic justice, youth empowerment and gender equity at both grassroots and policy levels.

Compiled by: Mbabazi Pillar