Closing statement of the 7th
African Regional Conference on Women

by Honorable Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Chairperson of the
Conference and Namibia’s Minister of Women
Affairs and Child Welfare

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 14 October 2004

 

Her Excellency, the Vice-President of the Gambia, Madame Isatou Njie Saidy.
The Representative of the Office of the Special Adviser of the United Nations Secretary-General on Gender Equality, Dr. Wariara Mbugua,
Chairperson of the NEPAD Peer Review Mechanism, Marie Angelique Savane who is our Special Guest
Honorable Ministers
Distinguished Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen

In a few minutes’ time, we will wind up the work of the 7th African Regional Conference on Women. Allow me at the outset, to thank you all for your active participation in the 7th African Regional Conference on Women.

Within the framework of Africa’s contribution to the context of the Global Decade Review of the Beijing Platform For Action and to the regional context of the Dakar Platform for Action, the Economic Commission for Africa launched a series of sub-regional meetings at experts’ level to review progress achieved and highlight constraints and challenges.

The development and launch of the African Gender and Development Index (AGDI) to facilitate an effective monitoring mechanism on gender equality and gender mainstreaming is also a welcome development.

Over the past decade, progress has been made on the international, regional and national level to improve the status of women. Many changes have been witnessed on the African Continent following the adoption of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms of Action. The Constitutive Act of the African Union has committed its leaders to the principle of gender equality and provides further opportunities for institutionalising gender mainstreaming and increased political participation of African women in regional decision-making.

Your Excellency, Ladies and gentlemen,

The AU Commission was formed on a 50/50 gender parity basis. The first Speaker of the Pan African Parliament is a woman and at least one in every five national members of the PAP is a woman.

The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa has been adopted. African Heads of State also adopted a Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, providing normative standards on women’s human rights in Africa to be adhered to by governments at the national level. The AU’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is also expected to enhance women’s human rights, particularly through the social development indicators included in its African Peer Review Mechanism.

Despite these achievements and the progress made, African women still face major challenges and obstacles. The Poverty Reduction Strategies did not necessarily take into account the gender-gap and related issues. African women are still denied access to productive and critical resources, such as education, employment, trade, industry and decision-making.

Your Excellency, Ladies and gentlemen,

Our Conference had one broad agenda item, i.e. to review progress on the implementation of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action, in assessing the status of women in Africa 10 years down the line since the Fourth World Conference on Women.

Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen

I strongly hold the view that since days immemorial, women have played and continue to play a significant role in the economic and social development of their countries. What is at stake is that they are not visible, not recognized and not awarded for the hard work they do. We have to make use of all opportunities to highlight further on the important role women play in the social and economic development of our Continent visibly.

When women’s movement gains momentum and the world starts to realize and recognize women’s input in the overall economic and social development, those are good signs that time has come for women to visibly occupy their rightful place in the national and international economic and political system at all levels.

Your Excellency, ladies ad gentlemen

As time evolves, terms and focus may change, for example until the 1980s, the term used was women and development. However, currently, Gender and Development is more used. I have no problem with terms, as long as their usage does not divert our attention from our intended goals.

We have to be alert not to lose focus on highlighting the disadvantaged position that women find themselves in. There is a saying that goes “If you cannot beat them, join them of work with them. Yes, to a certain extent I agree, but working with them blindly may be detrimental to one’s cause. You need to be clear of what you want to enable you achieve your goals.

Against this background, when we talk of gender mainstreaming, our mission is to identify and highlight specific areas and programmes to be carried out in different sectors as a way of bringing to light the contributions women are making and to bring about equality between men and women.

No one in their full conscious can deny the fact that by and large our survival depends on women’s input. Not only through their reproductive role, but they are also the backbone of all economies and social sectors.

Agriculture and agricultural products are known to be the engine of industrial development. The majority of people working in this sector are women. How much are we rewarded for this work? Women have no final say on the usage and management of agricultural output.

Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen

During our discussion, the issue of globalization has featured prominently. We agreed that globalization is here and the only way left for women is to share information, develop strategies and implement programmes that open doors for women to benefit from the world economic system.

Peace is another area to which special attention was given. That is because women believe peace is a prerequisite for development.

Peace paves the way for nations to focus on issues that matter to peoples’ lives. At this point, I congratulate Professor Wangari Mathai of Kenya on her winning the Nobel Peace Prize!

Women of Africa want peace today and not to-morrow. We call on solidarity between women of the North and South since war takes place in the South, while guns are manufactured in the North. I, therefore, welcome the idea of a dialogue between the women of the South and of the North on peace.

Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen

As we go to Beijing + 10, we continue to commit ourselves to the implementation of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action. However, we have to realise that in the absence of necessary resources, much of our efforts will not bring desirable results. Hence a need for international solidarity to call on Member States to allocate a specific percentage of national budgets to women and gender issues. This request is based on the fact that to date no country allocates more than 1% of its national budget to women/gender issues.

I will take the final document of this Conference to New York, where we will have a review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Platform of Action, in the context of the 49th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, to be held from 28 February to 11 March 2005.

Finally, once again, on behalf of my colleagues in the Bureau, I would like to thank all delegates for the confidence placed in us, and for your support and cooperation during the deliberations of our Conference. We wish to thank the outgoing Bureau and we hope to build and tap on your rich experience.

I would also like to extend our appreciation and thanks to the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in particular Josephine Ouedraogo, Director of the African Centre for Gender and Development (ACGD), for the invaluable efforts undertaken, to coordinate and convene this meeting.

Let me also sincerely thank the Vice President of the Gambia, Her Excellency Madame Isatou Njie Saidy for her continued presence in this meeting even up to late sessions. It is an inspiration to all of us. We can now understand the difference women in positions of high office can make for the cause of women.

Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen

I cannot conclude without extending our deep appreciation and thanks to the Government and people of Ethiopia for their hospitality and warm welcome.

To the interpreters and all supporting staff, thank you very much.

As many of you will be traveling back to your respective countries, I wish you a safe journey and trust that you will carry African women’s concerns to your respective Governments and communities.

Time has now come for me to declare the 7th African Regional Conference on Women officially closed!

I thank you!