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A humanitarian crisis is happening in the Horn of Africa, and NIU

will provide a teach-in Wednesday to inform students on famine in

the Horn of Africa.

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Associate anthropology professor Sibel Kusimba, associate sociology

professor Abu Bah and NGOLD director Judith Hermanson will talk and

moderate the event. Amy Levin, the Women’s Studies program director

and sponsor of the event, will attend as well. The Horn of Africa

includes Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and

Eritrea. The famine in that region is due to a number of a factors:

climate change, internal conflict among citizens and other

geopolitical issues, Hermanson said.

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“It’s a collapse of the state,” Bah said. “A lack of law and

order.”

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There is a civil war where people are struggling for control,

Hermanson said. Al-Qaeda members are in Africa, causing disruption

and affecting the provisional government.

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“It is very difficult to get people food even though the U.N. and

various NGOs [non-government organizations] are doing what they

can,” Hermanson said.

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The Women’s Studies Center will sponsor the event because it is

interested in the crisis from a humanitarian perspective, Hermanson

said. It is also involved because of women who may be affected as

well.

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“We feel the famine is a significant global event that affects

women and children,” Levin said.

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A teach-in is an information exchange among people where topical

events are discussed, Hermanson said.

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“We are making some prepared remarks and hope it will spark

discussion and everyone comes away with an enlarged perspective,”

she said.

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The teach-in this semester comes in anticipation of World Hunger

Day on Oct. 17.

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“We wanted to do something as a lead-up to that and discuss the

reasons behind this famine and possible responses,” Hermanson

said.

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The teach-in provides more nuanced information beyond what someone

could read in a newspaper, Bah said.

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“It is bringing a complex problem and making it geared to the

public,” Bah said.