REPORT OF THE MINISTERS MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN
AND DEVELOPMENT
Third
Meeting of the Committee on Women and Development
9-11 October 2002, Johannesburg, South Africa
Introduction
Agenda Item 1: Opening of the Meeting
Agenda Item 2: Presentation of the Officers
of the CWD Bureau
Agenda Item 3: Adoption of the Agenda and Programme
of Work
Agenda Item 4: Outcome and Recommendations
of the Ministers
Agenda Item 5: Reports of the SRDCs, Intergovernmental
bodies and NGOs
Agenda Item 5: Renewal of CWD Membership and
Bureau for November 2002 - November 2004
Agenda Item 6: Any Other Business
Agenda Item 7: Adoption of the Report
Agenda Item 8: Closing of the Meeting
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INTRODUCTION
The meeting of the Ministers of the Committee on Women and
Development (CWD) was held in Johannesburg, South Africa at
the Balalaika Hotel on 12th October 2002. The meeting was attended
by Ministers from CWD member countries as follows: Angola, Gabon,
Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Other countries represented
at Ministerial level were: Algeria, Burundi, Ethiopia, Malawi,
Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda. Other delegates from
member States were: Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Mali, who attended
the meeting were from: African Union, (AU), African Development
Bank (ADB), Centre de Recherche de developpement et d'information
sur les femmes (CREDIF), Common Market for Eastern and Southern
Africa (COMESA), Eastern African Community (EAC), Economic Community
of Central African States (ECCAS), Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS). Also represented were the UN - HABITAT
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), African Women Development
Fund (AWDF) the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices
affecting the Health of Women and Children (IAC), Pag-La Yiri
Zabre, Pan African Women's Organization (PAWO), and the SADC
Parliamentary Forum, (SPF). (cross check with list of participants).
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AGENDA ITEM 1: OPENING OF THE MEETING
The Minister in the Presidency in charge of the Office of the
Status of Women (OSW), the Child, Disabled and Youth from South
Africa, Honorable Dr. Essop Pahad. The Honorable Minister started
his speech by welcoming the Ministers, Ambassadors and High
Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and the Gender Experts
to South Africa. He apologized for anything that may have gone
wrong during the organization of the meeting and requested that
they be informed, so that they could rectify such errors to
avoid similar mistakes in the future. He noted stated that Africa
had made progress in advancing Gender equality and the mainstreaming
gender processes. He reported that at the just ended Meeting
the ANC had made a decision that 1/3 of women to be given leadership
positions was to be the starting point and that the number would
be increased progressively. It was hoped that this could be
recommended as Government Policy.
He also stated that the women in business meeting in Malawi
was successful and that there were need to encourage such activities
as a way of empowering women and eliminating the dependency
syndrome. The challenge confronting us is how to empower women
especially through co-operative societies/movements and or women's
groups. This would probably begin to address the food security
problems currently being experienced in the region.
He, further, said that at the last SADC Summit for Heads of
State and Authority, Member States were requested to report
progress made in advancing the gender mainstreaming issues.
This was good and should be encouraged at such forum and that
it was necessary to continue identifying the gaps and challenges
in order to tackle problems. He commended Gender Experts and
ECA for having provided good report.
He extended his warm welcome to all participants on behalf
of the President of South Africa and himself. He called on Ministers
to commit themselves to ensure that decisions made by the meeting
were implemented fully.
Ms. Josephine Ouedraogo, the Director of the African Center
for Gender and Development, on behalf of the Executive Secretary
of the Economic Commission for Africa welcomed the participants
and commended the hospitality of the Host country, South Africa,
who availed ECA/ ACGD with all the facilities to organise the
CWD meeting and the Ministerial meeting in optimal conditions.
Highlighting the determination of Africa to upgrade its image
at the beginning of this millennium, ACGD Director underlined
the mobilization which is being undertaken to overcome the challenges
of poverty, HIV pandemic and armed conflicts in the continent
.
The NEPAD program, she said can only have our support as part
of such an effort, and African women are anxious to have their
perspective and concerns reflected in such initiatives.
Illustrating the progress made by women at the political level
mainly, ACGD Director gave examples of several African countries
were women are more and more present as decision makers. In
some countries, the quota of 30% was no longer an end in itself,
but rather as a state leading to parity in parliament and in
top management positions.
Ms. Ouedraogo briefly reviewed the issues dealt with by the
meeting of CWD and took cue from the mid-term review conducted
by ECA for the implementation of the African and Global Platform
for Action for the advancement of women,
Ms. Ouedraogo underlined two major issues that need to be
addressed: the lack of consultation mechanisms among African
NGOs at the sub-regional and regional levels, as well as the
lack of common positions over universal cultural topics at the
intergovernmental level.
Capturing the African preparation process launched by ECA for
the post- Beijing review, ACGD Director briefed the assistance
on the Monitoring and Evaluation Programme and its ECA sponsored
training components, which would profit the member States so
as to readjust the efforts made to mainstream gender policies
and mechanisms at the sectoral level..
In this regard, Ms.Ouedraogo appealed to African governments
and the international Community to support the implementation
of this programme.
With regard to issues addressed during the CWD Expert meeting,
she informed the meeting of Ministers that a number of recommendation
were put forward to be submitted to the Conference of African
Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development due
to convene from 20 to 22 October in Johannesburg.
The Honorable Elliot Manyika, Minister of Youth, Women Affairs
and Employment Creation from Zimbabwe and Chairperson of the
CWD, welcomed all the delegates to the meeting of Ministers.
He thanked the Government of the Republic of South Africa for
hosting the meeting.
The Chairperson applauded the high attendance of the Ministers
to the meeting and urged for a continuation of such active participation
as it is this commitment that would change the lives of women,
men and children. He also commended the high attendance of Member
States to the Experts meeting.
Noting that the end of the decade after the Beijing Conference,
is only two years away, the Minister stressed the importance
of reviewing the strategies on the implementation of the Beijing
Declaration. He acknowledged positive progress scored by some
countries especially in the formulation of national gender policies,
and gender budgeting initiatives. The Chairperson encouraged
other countries to review their strategies at national level
and promote gender equality and gender equity. The Chairperson
further commended the decision of the Heads of State in declaring
that gender shall be mainstreamed into the structures and programmes
of the African Union. This position was further augmented by
the agreement by the Heads of State that the Gender Unit in
the African Union showed be given a special status, and the
decision that 50 percent of the commissioners of the African
Union shall be women.
The Chairperson reminded the meeting of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development in which the gender agenda received
high priority. It coincided with an important period, in which
a number of countries of Southern Africa are embarking on land
reform programmes which will now promote equitable access to,
and control of land. The chairperson added that land distribution
in Zimbabwe is making provisions for women to access to land.
The Chairperson further requested and encouraged Ministers
to start strategizing on mainstreaming gender at all levels
into NEPAD, which is an African initiative. He reminded the
Ministers that, they are expected to present the deliberations
from this meeting to that of ECA Ministers of Finance, Economic
and Social Developed, for later this month.
On a sad note, the Chairperson informed the Ministers that
the delegation of Cote d'Ivoire could not attend the CWD meeting
due to civil strife. He therefore appealed for peace as women
and children are the most affected by the effects and impact
of civil strife and hoped than a lasting solution will be found.
In concluding the opening remarks; he recorded deep satisfaction
in the ongoing peace process in Angola and the Democratic Republic
of Congo.
With these remarks, the Chairperson declared the meeting of
the Committee on Women and Development open.
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AGENDA ITEM 2: PRESENTATION OF THE OFFICERS OF THE CWD BUREAU
The Chairperson of CWD read out the countries of the current
members of the Bureau as follows: Zimbabwe - Chairperson, Cameroon
- First Vice-Chairperson, Nigeria - Second Vice-Chairperson,
Morocco - First Rapporteur and Tanzania -Second Rapporteur.
Ex-Officio members include Congo - Chairperson of the Sixth
Regional Conference and Zambia - previous Chair of the OAU/AU
Summit.
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AGENDA ITEM 3: ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA AND PROGRAMME OF WORK
The major agenda items were presented and adopted by the Ministers
of the Committee.
1. Opening of the Meeting
2. Presentation of Officers
3. Adoption of the Agenda and Programme of Work
4. Presentation of the outcome and recommendations of the Experts
5. Renewal Of CWD membership and Bureau for 2003 - 2004
6. Any other Business
7. Adoption of the Report
8. Closing of the meeting
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AGENDA ITEM 4: OUTCOME AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MINISTERS
The Second - Rapporteur of the CWD Bureau - Tanzania represented
by Mr.Octavian Mageni presented the synthesized report of the
meeting of CWD Experts.
a) Analytical Framework on the process for Engendering National
Accounts and National Budgets.
The Rapporteur presented a summary of the report, discussions
and the CWD Experts recommendations to the Ministers. The summary
highlighted the Programme on mainstreaming gender into national
accounts and national budgets with a focus on women's work in
non-market economy which contributes significantly to income
generation, long-term growth and poverty reduction. The goal
of the Programme is to strengthen the capacity of statisticians
and national accountants to integrate women's work in national
planning instruments.
The meeting observed that the issue of integrating women's
issues into the national economy is critical given that 50%
of the continent comprises women. Ministers were of the view
that the recommendations should be strengthened to reflect the
importance of the need to measure and integrate women's work
in national accounts and national budgets. There was consensus
that time-use surveys should be conducted. A continental approach
to the issue of engendering national accounts and budgets should
be adopted. Need to sensitize governments of the importance
of establishing National Women's observatories for the collection
of gender-disaggregated data by sex.
Recommendations:
The Ministers of CWD recommended that:
1. Governments should produce and use time-use surveys to measure
and integrate women's work in national accounts and national
budgets.
2. Tools/frameworks for evaluating the adequacy and impact of
budgetary allocations on women and the economy should be promoted
at the national level and that this can be used as a means for
resource mobilization. Such initiatives also attract poverty
reduction funds.
3. Ministries in-charge of gender/women should monitor national
gender budgets to ensure the integration of gender/women's concerns.
4. At the next Conference of Ministers of Finance and Economic
and Social Development and Planning they should discuss as an
agenda item the importance of time-use surveys in order to be
sensitized to the importance of engendering national accounts
and national budgets.
b) Framework for the evaluation of the implementation of
the Dakar and Beijing Platforms of Action at national, subregional
and regional levels (Beijing +10)
A summary of the report, discussions and the CWD Experts recommendations
was presented to the Ministers. The rapporteur introduced the
framework for the evaluation of the implementation of the African
and Beijing Platforms for Action, the African Plan of Action
and the recommendations of the UNGA special session to review
Beijing +5. He noted that the objectives for the comprehensive
evaluation of the Platforms for Action are: to assess the relevance,
implications, sustainability as well as the results of implementation.
To this end ACGD had developed the M&E Programme on the
implementation of the Platforms which focuses on monitoring
the status of National Gender policies and the institutional
mechanisms to facilitate implementation of the gender policies.
The current 21 members of CWD are participating in the program
focusing on seven sectors namely: agriculture, commerce and
industry, health, planning, finance, gender/women affairs and
the national coordinating NGOs.
In the discussions, the Ministers observed that recommendations
with regard to allocation of resources should be addressed to
Government. Clarification was sought concerning the request
for M&E and gender mainstreaming resources to secotral ministries.
The Secretariat explained that five-sectoral ministries were
participating in the M&E Programme that had financial implications
but the recommendation for allocation of funds for the promotion
of gender mainstreaming was targeted for the national machineries.
The current Chairperson of CWD was giving full mandate to present
the recommendations of CWD at the next Conference of Ministers
of Finance and Economic and Social Development and Planning
in October 2002.
Recommendations:
The Ministers of CWD recommended that:
1. Governments should be reminded to allocate the necessary
resources to the line ministries and other government structures
to participate in the evaluation of progress made in mainstreaming
gender in their policies, plans and programmes within the framework
of Beijing + 10.
2. The Ministers in-charge of Women/Gender, ECA/ACGD and the
Gender Unit in AU should participate in the decision-making
processes of NEPAD.
c) The African Gender and Development Index
The Rapporteur provided the Ministers with an overview of the
presentation on the AWR and the AGDI, the discussions that ensued
during the meeting of experts, and the resulting recommendations.
He highlighted the objectives of the AWR and the purpose of
the AGDI. The summary noted that the Index is work in progress
and will consist of two-parts: the Gender Status Index (GSI)
and the African Women's Progress Score Board.
The Ministers observed that existing gender Indices had serious
limitations and it was therefore necessary to complete the work
in progress on the AGDI. They questioned the timeliness of recommending
the incorporation of the AGDI into the peer review mechanism
of NEPAD to the Conference of Ministers of Finance and Economic
and Social Development and Planning, the Implementation Committee
and the Secretariat of NEPAD prior to its completion and validation
by CWD. The Secretariat clarified by noting that there is a
tendency for gender issues to be left out of discussions and
processes of NEPAD. To ensure that this does not happen, the
CWD Experts had recommended that the Ministers of CWD request
the Conference of Ministers of Finance and Economic and Social
Development and Planning, the Implementation Committee and the
Secretariat of NEPAD to incorporate the AGDI into the peer review
mechanism of NEPAD.
They sought clarification on the methodology employed in selection
of the 11 countries that would participate in the filed trials
of the Index. They stressed the need for inclusion of countries
that have not participated in such surveys in the past. The
Secretariat explained that the selection of the countries reflected
subregional balance as well as countries with research institutions
with experience and capacity for conducting trials. It was reported
that the next AWR would report on the result of assessments
conducted using the AGDI in the fifty-three African countries.
The Ministers suggested that the trials could be linked to ongoing
surveys at the national level where possible. They also noted
that the AGDI could be used as a viable tool for reporting on
such policy instruments such as CEDAW.
In conclusion, the Ministers agreed that the newly elected
CWD Bureau would monitor closely the development of the AGDI
and should be charged with reporting progress to the member
States of CWD.
Recommendations:
The Ministers of CWD recommended in principle that:
It was important to incorporate AGDI into the
peer review mechanism of NEPAD. Information on the development
of the AGDI should be shared at the Conference of Ministers
of Finance and Economic and Social Development and Planning,
as well as the Implementation Committee and the Secretariat
of NEPAD.
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AGENDA ITEM 5: REPORTS OF THE SRDCS, INTERGOVERNMENTAL BODIES
AND NGOS
The Rapporteur summarized the reports of gender activities
from the ECA Subregional Development Centers (SRDCs) West Africa
and Southern Africa subregions. The SRDCs had concentrated in
the following areas of capacity building through gender sensitization
and training, enhancing gender networking, and enhancing women's
contribution the peace process, engendering the SADC HIV/AIDS
strategic framework and programme, promoting women's access
to and control of land and providing advisory services in gender
mainstreaming.
The summary also captured the key issues raised during the
presentation of IGOs activity reports of AU, ADB, ECOWAS, COMESA,
ECCAS, EAC, and the SADC Parliamentary Forum. The reports of
IAC and AWDF were also highlighted by the rapporteur.
The Ministers commended ECA for responding positively to requests
for technical support. They expressed concern over the absence
of reports from the other three SRDCs. They advised that in
future all SRDCs should submit their women/gender activity reports
to CWD which should be read out irrespective of the absence
of their representatives.
The Ministers noted with regret the absence of a SADC report
in the meeting. The Secretariat informed the Ministers that
a report was received too late for distribution to the Expert
meeting but would be made available. ADB was requested to advise
on how to access the World Bank resources referred to in the
Beijing Platform for Action. The proposed women's forum was
clarified to refer to a meeting for women in civil society movements.
The delegates appreciated the recommendations that modalities
have to be worked out carefully. They underlined the need for
UNECA to work with UNFPA to establish how they can collaborate
and coordinate the proposed meeting of Ministers of gender /women
and parliamentarian in order to avoid duplication. The African
women's forum should consider working with the Pan African Women's
Organization (PAWO) as a way of strengthening the organization.
Recommendation:
The Minister recommended that:
1. Given the responsibility and importance of SRDCs, ECA should
strengthen the gender component to enable them to play their
role.
2. The Bureau of CWD should inform the Chairpersons of the AU
and the Commission of AU that CWD is calling for the Gender
Unit to be upgraded to a Directorate of Women, Gender and Development
in the Office of the Chairperson of the AU.
3. There is need to follow-up on the implementation of the decision
of the AU Heads of State and Government regarding the 50/50
men/women representation in the selection of AU Commissioners
in order to ensure that this is respected in practice.
4. A meeting of the African Ministers in-charge of gender/women
and Parliamentarians should organized through the Chairperson
of the African Union Commission in collaboration with ECA/ACGD
to deliberate on pressing issues regarding gender equality and
equity on the continent.
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AGENDA ITEM 5: RENEWAL OF CWD MEMBERSHIP AND BUREAU FOR
NOVEMBER 2002 - NOVEMBER 2004
The Rapporteur summarized the modalities for the renewal of
CWD membership and Bureau. He explained that there were three
categories of membership to the CWD namely: 21 member States,
13 NGOs and 5 resource persons. Representation is by country
and the language balance is also an important consideration.2/3s
of the membership is renewed while 1/3 is retained through elections
to preserve continuity. The Bureau comprise five member States
that occupy the positions of the Chairperson, First Vice-Chairperson,
Second Vice-Chairperson, First Rapporteur and Second Rapporteur.
Countries chairing the AU summit and the Regional Conference
on Women also constitute the Bureau as ex-officio members.
The Ministers encouraged the Secretariat to be flexible in
the criteria for membership of the NGOs particularly the size
to become eligible for membership in CWD.
The Ministers proceeded with the endorsement of the new Members
of CWD and the Bureau as follows:
The new members of CWD November 2002 - November 2004 are:
· North Africa: Algeria, Libya and Egypt
· West Africa: Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Benin and Nigeria
· Central Africa: Central African Republic, Equatorial
Guinea, Congo and Gabon
· East Africa: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo,
Tanzania and Eritrea.
· Southern Africa: Lesotho, Mauritius, Madagascar, Zambia
and South Africa.
The new CWD Bureau November 2002 - November 2004 are:
· Egypt - Chairperson
· Burundi -First Vice-Chairperson
· Ghana - Second Vice-Chairperson
· Lesotho -First Rapporteur
· Gabon - Second Rapporteur
· Congo - Ex-Officio (Chairperson Sixth Regional Conference
on Women)
· South Africa - Ex-Officio (Chair of AU)
Recommendations:
The Ministers recommended that:
1. The Secretariat should provide member States with information
on the history of the membership of CWD as well as information
on the duration of the mandate of each country to the extent
possible.
2. The name of the Committee on Women and Development (CWD)
should be changed to the Committee on Women, Gender and Development
(CWGD).
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AGENDA ITEM 6: ANY OTHER BUSINESS
The Minister of Gabon, Honorable Mrs…….presented
a summary of the draft letter addressed to the Minister of Family
and Child Welfare of Cote d'Ivoire, by the Committee on Women
and Development, expressing its solidarity and hopes for peace
in Cote d'Ivoire. Some amendments were made in the letter submitted
to the attention of the meeting.
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AGENDA ITEM 7: ADOPTION OF THE REPORT
The draft summary of recommendations of the meeting of the
CWD ministers was presented for adoption. After exhaustive discussion,
the Summary was adopted on condition that the amendments would
be incorporated.
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AGENDA ITEM 8: CLOSING OF THE MEETING
The Minister of Tanzania, Honorable Dr. Asha Rose Migiro (MP),
made the closing remarks. She acknowledged the high level of
attendance and the fact that the meeting was focused on substantive
issues. She highlighted that these issues were pertinent to
the challenges facing the African continent with respect to
sustainable development. Honorable Migiro congratulated the
outgoing Chairperson, Zimbabwe, the outgoing Bureau and welcomed
in-coming members of CWD and the Bureau. In conclusion, she
thanked the host country, South Africa and congratulated the
Secretariat for the technical backstopping that they provided
during the meeting.
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