Gender equality and women's empowerment are development goals in themselves

Addis-Ababa, 21 November 2008 – Day three of the Sixth African Development Forum (ADF VI) was graced with the presence of Mrs. Sia Koroma, First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mo Ibrahim, President of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and Mrs. Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, who all applauded the joint initiative undertaken by the Economic Commission for Africa, the African Union and the African Development Bank.

Noting the importance of the initiative, the First Lady of Sierra Leone said that “this Forum is particularly useful for me in advocating or influencing policy development in my country.” In pointing out the consequences of the civil war that ravaged Sierra Leone , Mrs. Sia Koroma said that women and children were the most affected, with a significant proportion of the population being either widowed or orphaned. “The typical Sierra Leone woman is therefore poor, despite being an active economic agent who looks after an extended family. She is still landless with very little say or control over decisions affecting her life and health.” She noted, however, that a series of important laws had been passed to change the relationship between men and women and introduce more justice in the areas of inheritance, family relationships and the protection of vulnerable children.

Referring to her efforts to promote women's rights and gender equality, the First Lady of Sierra Leone said that the struggle to combat violence against women was a major concern and that her interventions in that area focused on education and information to change attitudes, with the help of traditional and religious leaders. Major initiatives were also under way to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the country.

Speaking next, Dr. Mo Ibrahim, President of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, sounded quite optimistic, insisting that Africa had and continued to achieve some successes in both the political and the economic arenas. Good governance, efforts at democratization and the recognized role of civil society organizations were now part of the landscape of Africa , a continent that had produced such illustrious men as Nelson Mandela. He noted, however, that much remained to be done, especially in protecting women's rights and gender equality more effectively. In this regard, Dr. Mo urged women to go ahead and claim their rights, instead of waiting for the men to hand them those rights.

The first plenary session of the day wrapped up with a speech by Mrs. Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, who applauded the important partnership struck by the three African organizations. She said that the partnership occurred at a critical time and addressed equally crucial issues, and that it would help “shape the policy landscape on the continent and advance Africa 's development agenda.”

She pointed out that the issues paper on “Empowering African Women” presented to the Forum had noted that “gender equality and women's empowerment are development goals in themselves; they are keys to sustainable development, particularly in Africa .”

While acknowledging the presence at the Forum of many African Ministers of Finance, Mrs. Migiro echoed the general sentiment among participants that “gender equality cannot be a women's business alone … It is not a matter solely for Ministers of Gender and Women's Affairs, but for Ministers of Defence, Finance, Justice, Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs, too.”

She also applauded civil society organizations across the continent for their hard work and tenacity, adding that “given the numerous challenges that remain ahead, we must all work together purposely and vigorously.” She cautioned against the persistent gaps between men and women, and between boys and girls in health, higher education, employment and empowerment. She noted that these disparities may undermine any gains that had been made and also impede efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The New Partnership for Africa 's Development (NEPAD) could succeed “only if women and men are accorded equal opportunities to economic, social and political participation”, she added.

Mrs. Migiro concluded her speech by insisting that the current financial turmoil had a particularly powerful impact on women and threatened to “reduce development assistance and also thwart the ability of many African countries to promote gender equality and empower women.” Consequently, “we must find new ways to finance gender equality efforts from domestic resources, and explore other non-traditional sources of external resources.”

Considering that the problems caused by climate change and high food and fuel prices are a concern for both women and men in Africa , solutions must be found to address the real causes of these problems. These solutions must also include the enforcement of women's rights concerning access to land, water, energy sources and agricultural technology. “Improving the living conditions of rural populations, achieving equality by amending domestic laws and strengthening women's participation in decision-making processes are all solutions that can help Africa reach the goals of equality, development and peace.” Finally, Mrs. Migiro urged the participants to do their utmost to “forge partnerships and consider new and stronger collective action to promote gender equality, for the benefit of the entire continent.”

Two major activities were the highlights of the remainder of the Forum. The first was an interactive dialogue on the emerging issues of rising food and fuel prices, climate change and the financial crisis. The second was a meeting of the committee on the Draft Action Plan that had to be approved at the end of the Forum. This Action Plan will be used to accelerate progress toward implementing the commitments made to achieve effective gender equality and empower women in Africa .

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