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Angola: Organização de Mulheres Angolanas

17.10.2022 | Paolo Jorge


https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/sites.ucsc.edu/dist/3/304/files/2015/11/Angolan-Woman.jpg

This refers to the work of OMA (Organização de Mulheres Angolanas), the Organization of Angolan Women. While the material on this MPLA grouping is hard to come by in English, Paolo Jorge, former director of MLAs Department of Information and Propaganda (DIP) gave this description of OMA in 1973:
As for Angolan women, they are playing a very great role...and not only on the action committees. In all activities, all aspects of our revolution, women are present. They not only direct the activities of OMA, the Angolan Women's Organization, but are working in the educational field as teachers, in our Medical Assistance Services as doctors and nurses, in logistics and transport as carriers, in the preparation of clothing and uniforms, and in the military field as guerrillas, taking part in attacks and ambushes against the Portuguese forces. We are even trying to increase the participation of women in the military aspect, as their participation in this area is not yet great enough; and also in the area of leadership, though at present we have several women on the Comité Director. Finally, in OMA they are able to provide leadership to our Angolan women, to mobilize and organize the women in our villages and towns to play an increasing number of important roles in the liberation struggle. Recently the OMA held a number of seminars in order to analyze how the women could participate better and the preparation and training they needed in order to put them on an equal footing with the men---according to the MPLA principle of struggling for the full emancipation of Angolan women.
—Paolo Jorge, Interviews In Depth. MPLA Angola #4. (Richmond, British Columbia, Canada: Liberation Support Movement, March 1973) from DH Anthony's collection]

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