Table of Contents
Addis Ababa Declaration on the Dakar African
Platform for Action on Women
Declaration
I. Statement of Mission
II. Global and regional perspectives
A. Global perspective
B. Regional perspective
III. Critical Areas of Concern
A. Women's poverty, insufficient food security
and lack of economic empowerment
B. Insufficient
access of women to education, training, science and technology
C. Women's
vital role in culture, the family and socialization
D. Improvement
of women's health, reproductive health including family planning
and integrated population programmes
E. Women's
relationship and linkages to environment and natural resource
management
F. The
political empowerment of women
G. Women's
legal and human rights
H. Involvement
of women in the peace process
I. Mainstreaming
of gender-disaggregated data
J. Women,
information, communication and arts
IV. Strategic
Objectives and actions to be taken
A. Measures
required
1. Women,
poverty, insufficient food security and lack of economic empowerment
2.
Inadequate access to education, training, science and technology
3. Women's
vital role in culture, the family and socialization
4. Improvement
of women's health, including reproductive health and family
planning and integrated population programmes
5. Women's
relationship and linkages to environment and natural resource
management
6. The
political empowerment of women
7. Women's
legal and human rights and women with special needs
8. Women
in the peace process
9. Mainstreaming
of gender-disaggregated data
10. Women,
information, communication and arts
11. The
girl-child
B. Resource
implications and mobilization
C. Institutional
arrangements for the implementation of the African Platform
for Action
(a) National
machineries for the advancement of women
(b) Subregional
level
(c) Regional
level
(d) United
Nations
V. Follow-up
mechanism for the implementation and monitoring of the African
Plateform for Action
Resolution
: The Implementation of the African Platform for Action
ADDIS ABABA DECLARATION ON THE DAKAR AFRICAN PLATFORM FOR
ACTION ON WOMEN
We, the Heads of State and Government of the Organization of
African Unity, meeting in our Thirty-first Ordinary Session
in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 26 - 28 June, 1995,
Having undertaken a critical review of the Dakar African
Platform for Action : Africa's common position for the advancement
of women, in the light of the grave concern for the overall
peaceful, political, social and economic development of our
continent,
Committed to the principles and objectives of the Charter
of the Organization of African Unity, the United Nations Charter,
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International
Convenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International
Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the United
Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women, the African Charter on Human and People's Rights,
the Vienna Declaration on Human Rights, the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare
of the Child as well as the Declaration on the Right to Development
and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women
and all other conventions, declarations and resolutions relating
to affirmative actions to improve the status of African women,
Guided by the relevant provisions of the Treaty Establishing
the African Economic Community, in particular Article 57 on
Women and Development, and the primary objectives of the Nairobi
Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women to the
year 2000 as a framework for action to promote greater opportunity
for women based on the principles of Equality, Development and
Peace,
Noting with satisfaction that the African Platform for
Action is a positive synthesis of our national perspectives
and priorities which provides an indispensable Women and Development
strategy for committed and concerted action at the national,
sub-regional, regional, continental and international levels
for the accelerated achievement of our development targets in
the 1990s and beyond,
Reaffirming that the implementation of the African Platform
for Action and the objectives of the Cairo Agenda for Action
on Relaunching Africa's Economic and Social Development is the
Primary responsibility of African governments and peoples,
Gravely concerned that the situation of our Continent
remains precarious in spite of the courageous reforms instituted
by our States in both the political and economic fields to achieve
self-reliant and human-centred sustainable development based
on social justice and collective self-reliance,
Conscious that the commitment to promote popular participation
cannot be realized without the total and active participation
of women, who actually make up over half of the population,
Appreciative of the vital and crucial role of women
in an interdependent world.
1. Affirm our collective conviction that freedom, justice,
peace, equality, and dignity are legitimate aspiration of the
African women in their right to be effective partners in all
spheres of human endeavour for the development progress and
peaceful evolution of our continent ;
2. Are convinced that in spite of our individual and collective
efforts towards the peaceful resolution of all conflicts and
civil strife on our continent, as well as our commitment to
the democratic process of our societies, there are however still
some critical areas of concern in the development spectrum that
call for urgent action to promote the role of African Women
and their full participation in development and involvement
in the peace process;
3. Call for immediate consideration of all the critical areas
of concern as stipulated in the African Platform for Action
for Women; namely :
(a) Women's poverty, insufficient food security and lack of
economic empowerment;
(b) Inadequate access to education, training, science and technology;
(c) Women's vital role in culture, the family and socialization;
(d) Improvement of women's health including family planning
and population related programmes;
(e) Women's relationship and linkages to environment and natural
resource management;
(f) Involvement of women in the peace process;
(g) The political empowerment of women;
(h) Women's legal and human rights;
(i) Mainstreaming of gender-disaggregated data;
(j) Women, communication, information and arts;
(k) The girl-child.
4. Strongly resolved to chart a future based on equality, development
and peace, and declare our solemn commitment to the principles,
objectives and priorities enshrined in African Platform for
Action.
5. Call for regional and international cooperation and solidarity
in order to transform the present inequitable systems and commit
ourselves to work in concert by reactivating South/South and
North/South dialogue, so as to institute together a more equitable
international system which should also promote the advancement
of the African woman.
6. Renew our gratitude to donor countries, the United Nations
and other International organizations including Non-Governmental
Organizations for the invaluable assistance they provided to
African countries in the preparation and organization of the
Fifth Regional Conference on African women, and we appeal to
them to increase their technical and financial assistance for
the implementation of the Platform.
7. Express our gratitude to the Government and people of Senegal
for having accepted to host the African Regional Conference
on Women in Dakar from 11 to 23 November 1994.
8. Invite the Secretary-General of our Organization in cooperation
with the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa (ECA) and the President of the African
Development Bank to closely monitor the implementation of the
Platform and to submit periodic reports thereon to the Council
of Ministers and to our Conference.
9. Hereby endorse the Dakar Platform for Action on Women, and
affirm that it constitutes the ideal framework for the effective
promotion and advancement of African Women.
Adopted at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
28 June 1995
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DECLARATION
We, the Ministers and representatives of African Governments
participating at the Fifth African Regional Conference on Women
held in Dakar (Senegal) from 16 to 23 November 1994, for consideration
and adoption of the African Platform for Action, in preparation
for the Fourth World Conference on Women to be held in Beijing
from 4 to 15 September 1995,
Having reviewed and appraised the regional implementation
of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement
of Women to the year 2000,
Appreciative of the fact that there has been an overall
sensitization of African leaders, policy makers, development
agencies and women regarding the need to incorporate a gender
perspective in all activities of the development process,
Conscious that in spite of the progress made, obstacles
still remain in the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking
Strategies,
Reaffirming our commitment to the realization of the
Nairobi Forward- looking Strategies for the promotion and advancement
of women through accelerated action for equality, development
and peace,
Realizing that equality is not only the absence of discrimination
but also the equal enjoyment of rights, responsibilities and
opportunities by women and men,
Recognizing that there can be no equality and development
without peace and that peace can only be achieved with the full
involvement of women as equal partners with men at all levels
of decision-making, diplomacy and mechanisms for peace and conflict
resolution and reconciliation,
Aware that since the adoption of the Nairobi Forward-looking
Strategies, some African countries have undergone a series of
crises which combined with several other internal and external
factors to impede the effective implementation of the Nairobi
Forward-looking Strategies, especially political instability
related in particular to religious extremism, lack of resolute
political will and commitment, lack of resources, poor economic
performance due to unfavourable terms of trade and ineffective
policies, effects of structural adjustment programmes and heavy
debt burden, frequent natural disasters such as droughts and
famines and the absence of women in decision-making levels,
Recalling the "Abuja Declaration on Participatory
Development: The Role of Women in Africa in the 1990s"
which assessed the current situation of women in Africa within
the context of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies and which
noted that the condition of African women has in most cases
deteriorated particularly in the field of higher and technical
education, health, employment, decision-making and economic
empowerment,
Recognizing the crucial roles that women play in the
critical areas that enhance their advancement particularly in
culture, the family and in the socialization process; ensuring
their reproductive rights and improving their health status;
in the protection and management of the environment and natural
resources; in the quest for peace and in conflict prevention,
resolution and management; in their political empowerment and
in the realization of their legal and human rights particularly
women with special needs,
Determined to implement recommendations for the accelerated
advancement of women and the girl-child emanating from recent
world conferences, inter alia, the World Conference on Children,
the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
the World Conference on Human Rights and the International Conference
on Population and Development,
Aware of the recent major political changes in Africa,
particularly the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa as
well as other processes of democratization taking place in the
continent,
Aware also of the fact that African women have become
more active participants in the development process in various
capacities,
Determined to support women fully so that they can contribute
to and participate more effectively in all the political and
economic changes now taking place in Africa,
1. Declare our commitment to forge a new ethic for sustainable
development based on the equal and active participation of women,
men and youth as agents of change at family, community, national
and international levels;
2. Commit ourselves to integrating women's concerns in:
(a) Balancing political, economic, cultural and social policy
options;
(b) Harmonizing and reconciling economic growth with social
equity;
(c) Emphasizing the interdependence and partnership of women,
men and youth of Africa, in an atmosphere of peace and well-being;
3. Recognize that women have great potential which if mobilized
and harnessed will make it possible to overcome the obstacles
which have impeded the full and effective implementation of
the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies since 1985;
4. Uphold the fact that the African Platform for Action is
the outcome of a regional country-based review of the progress
of the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies,
and broad consultations at national, subregional and regional
levels, with inputs from grass-roots communities;
5. Recognize that the African Platform for Action provides
the African Common Position on the advancement of women, as
well as a framework for committed and concerted action at regional,
subregional and national levels for the accelerated achievement
of the objectives of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies
during the rest of the 1990s and into the twenty-first century;
6.
6. Adopt the African Platform for Action as a renewed commitment
by African Governments and as a blueprint to further accelerate
the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies
in line with the Abuja Declaration on Participatory Development;
The Role of Women in Africa in the 1990s, the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,
and declarations at international and regional levels;
7. Calls upon the United Nations institutions and international
development partners and NGOs to commit themselves to the successful
implementation of the African Platform for Action.
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I. STATEMENT OF MISSION
1. The African Platform for Action is a synthesis of regional
perspectives and priorities and a framework for action for the
formulation of policies and implementation of concrete and sustainable
programmes for the advancement of women. It is developed in
consonance with the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies, the
Abuja Declaration and the Kampala Action Plan. The Platform
for Action aims to accelerate the social, economic and political
empowerment of all women at all levels and at all stages of
their lives under the guidance of the following principles:
(a) The operating principle of the African Platform for Action
is the integration of the gender perspective in all policies,
plans and actions directed towards the achievement of equality,
development and peace. The underlying assumption is that international
instruments that have been developed for human rights should
be applicable to all sectors of society. To this end, this
African Platform for Action aims to establish/strengthen sustainable
mechanisms including information systems at all levels for
the promotion of legal literacy and the advancement of women;
(b) Equal partnership between women and men is the ultimate
goal of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies, the Convention
of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women and all other relevant regional and international policy
instruments on human and women's rights;
(c) To this end, it is important to ensure a fuller and more
active participation of women in policy formulation and decision-making
processes of government;
(d) There is need to achieve/accelerate the economic, social
and political empowerment of women at all levels, enabling
them as citizens, on an equal footing with men, to participate
at the level of decision-making, becoming active contributors
to and beneficiaries of all aspects of national development;
e) The imperative of a successful search for peace which
is crucial for the African region cannot be overemphasized.
Women and children are the major victims of ethnic and civil
strife including religious extremism and in the ongoing process
of conflict prevention, management and resolution, women should
be closely and actively involved and consulted at the national,
subregional and regional levels;
(f) Priority action should be taken for protecting the human
rights of girls and ensuring that they get nurture, care,
education and opportunities for achieving their full potentials
equally with their brothers.
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II. GLOBAL AND REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES
A. Global perspective
2. In accordance with the proclamation of the United Nations
General Assembly, 1975 was designated as International Women's
Year (IWY), when the first intergovernmental Conference on Women
was convened in Mexico City with the themes of Equality, Development
and Peace. The Declaration of Mexico on the Equality of Women
and their Contribution to Development and Peace and the World
Plan of Action for the implementation of the objectives of International
Women's Year were the major outcomes of the Conference. Since
the 1970s, all United Nations agencies have been mandated by
their governing bodies to incorporate a gender perspective and
gender responsible policies and plans as a priority area in
their programmes. The United Nations declared 1976-1985 as a
Decade for Women to be devoted to effective and sustained national,
regional and international action to implement the World Plan
of Action and related resolutions. In 1979, the United Nations
adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women. In July 1980, the second World Conference on
Women was convened in Copenhagen to assess the progress made
since the first World Conference and to outline actions to be
taken during the second half of the Decade for Women. Three
sub-themes were added to the theme of equality, development
and peace, namely education, employment and health. To mark
the end of the Women's Decade, the United Nations convened the
third World Conference on Women in Nairobi in July 1985. The
Nairobi Conference adopted the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies
for the Advancement of Women up to the year 2000.
3. Since the adoption of Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies
for the Advancement of Women in 1985, major political, economic,
social and cultural changes have taken place. These have had
both positive and negative effects on women and it is against
the backdrop of the impact of these global changes on the African
region that this Platform for Action has been formulated.
4. The gender perspective and its incorporation in all policy
decisions is of paramount importance in engendering equality,
development and peace. Overall, many Governments have globally
adopted strategies for the enhancement of women's status and
skills, their mainstreaming and their involvement in key decision-making.
However, what is still lacking in most countries, is the total
political commitment and the necessary resource allocation without
which the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies will remain unfulfilled
aspirations.
5. The expectations for greater global security and a just,
equitable and non-discriminatory international economic order
have not been realized. In addition, international financial
institutions and new world trade arrangements and agreements
have assumed larger roles in global affairs and have failed
to halt the economic decline in many African countries. There
has been a reduction in external assistance flow and the depressed
demand for African primary commodities have significantly reduced
export earnings. In addition, the heavy debt burden has exacerbated
the already depressed economic situation. Regrettably, the interdependent
world economy continues to be marked by uncertainty, imbalance,
recessions and eventually this has led to the continuing marginalization
of developing countries. Numerous interrelated global factors
therefore impinge on the lives of women in Africa, affecting
both their productive and reproductive roles. The emergence
of the political democratization process has ushered in competitive
multi-party system whose positive impact on women is yet to
be felt.
B. Regional perspective
6. The first Regional Conference on the Integration of Women
in Development was held in Nouakchott, Mauritania in 1977 to
review progress made by African member States, intergovernmental
and non-governmental organizations operating in Africa in the
implementation of the Regional Plan of Action adopted at the
World Conference on Women in Mexico City in 1975. The second
Regional Conference for the Integration of Women in Development
was held in Lusaka, Zambia in 1979 to review the progress made
for the Integration of Women in Development and to prepare for
the second World Conference on Women in Copenhagen, Denmark,
in July 1980. The third Regional Conference on Women was held
in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania in 1984 to review and
appraise progress achieved and obstacles encountered in attaining
the goals for women; to adopt forward-looking strategies for
the advancement of women in Africa to the year 2000; and to
arrive at a common African position for the forthcoming Nairobi
World Conference on Women.
7. The fourth Regional Conference on Women was held in Abuja,
Nigeria, in November 1989 to provide a forum for a thorough
review and assessment of the extent of implementation of the
Arusha Strategies by Governments, United Nations bodies, NGOs,
etc.; consider emerging socio-economic problems that are affecting
the lives of African women, and to reassess the priorities stated
in the Arusha Strategies and make appropriate recommendations
for the future. It adopted the Abuja Declaration on Participatory
Development: The Role of Women in Africa in the 1990s whose
objectives aimed at defined targets to be achieved in various
sectors by the year 2000 in the areas of education, science
and technology, agriculture and food production, environment,
decision-making and mainstreaming, population issues, women
and culture, etc.
8. Other regional milestones that have impacted upon the political,
socio- economic and cultural status of women in Africa have
included, inter alia:
(a) The Lagos Plan of Action and Final Act of Lagos (1980);
(b) The Kilimanjaro Programme of Action on Population and
Self-Reliant Development (1984);
(c) The African Charter on Popular Participation and Transformation
(1990);
(d) The Abuja Treaty establishing the African Economic Community
(1991);
(e) The Dakar/Ngor Declaration on Population, Family and
Sustainable Development (1992);
(f) The Ouagadougou Declaration on the Education of Girls
(1993);
(g) The Regional Conference on Women and Peace, and the Kampala
Action Plan on Women and Peace (1993) which was adopted by
the Council of Ministers of OAU at its sixtieth session held
in Tunis in June 1994;
(h) Resolution CM/Res. 1550 (LX) on the preparation of the
fourth World Conference on Women adopted by the Council of
Ministers of OAU at its sixtieth session held in Tunis in
June 1994;
(i) Resolution CM/Res. 1551 (LX) on population and development
adopted by the Council of Ministers of OAU in July 1994.
9. In most of Africa, technological backwardness, natural disasters
especially drought, disruptions from civil wars and political
conflicts have contributed to the depressed economic activity
and growth resulting in low per capita incomes. As a result,
more countries have been pushed into the least developed country
(LDC) category with extremely low income levels. Economic growth
has also been constrained by external debt which at the end
of 1993 stood at US$ 285.4 billion, with interest on arrears
representing nearly 40 per cent. The debt structure has hardly
changed over the last five years. The impact on economic growth
has been mixed due to the inadequacy of external support and
internal conflicts which have derailed the attainment of these
objectives, resulting in their failure to reflect long-term
development goals and the neglect of regional planning. This
has adversely affected income levels and distribution and the
capacity to deliver basic services.
10. These recurrent crises have affected the tempo and level
of all economic development of Africa. Women more than men tend
to bear the disproportionate burden of such crises, and they
become greatly disadvantaged in participating effectively in
any development ventures because of some negative practices
emanating from traditional, cultural, religious and attitudinal
constraints. Women, who make up more than 50 per cent of the
populations affected by these crises, must contribute effectively
to solving the numerous problems posed by these adverse conditions.
11. Indications of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade
Negotiations which were finally concluded in December 1993 and
adopted and signed in April 1994 are that it will have negative
effects on Africa's economic performance, depending on the region's
ability to manage change and optimize technology for more efficient
use of factors of production in an effort to raise its competitive
status in international markets. It is also certain that agricultural
subsidies will increase the food import bills of African countries.
This will greatly affect the socio-economic status of women
because of their total involvement with agricultural sector
activities. The emergence of trade blocs and regional markets
could also make it more difficult for the African region to
maintain its traditional relationships with its European partners
for much-needed resources. Accordingly, it is imperative that
African Governments develop and adopt strategies to address
this situation.
12. Economic decline, recession and the resultant economic
restructuring in the face of external debt have led Governments
to focus on the more pressing and immediate problems often to
the neglect of longer-term issues that have direct bearing on
the advancement of women. At the same time, pre-existing conditions
of inequality between men and women, inter alia, in health and
nutrition, levels of literacy and training, access to education
and economic opportunity, and in participation in decision-making,
have sometimes been exacerbated both by the crises and by the
policies adopted to cope with them. In other words, such policies
have compounded further the already disadvantaged situation
of the women because they do not take account of their specific
roles and concerns. They will also impact most adversely, the
younger generation of women who will inherit this legacy. The
policies do not effectively address the impact of restructuring
on women and their multiple roles.
13. There is a democratization process sweeping the whole continent
and women have been active participants as candidates for election,
as voters and as observers of the election process in many countries.
A good number of women have entered parliament through their
own efforts, affirmative action and through the support of women
and men, women's groups, non-governmental associations and organizations
of women. Unfortunately, the number of African countries in
political crisis, extremism and turmoil is on the increase.
In addition, African Governments have yet to undertake comprehensive
and concrete steps to promote pragmatically the integration
of women as equal partners, particularly in politics, in popular
participation and in key decision-making. There is need therefore
to monitor the impact of democratization on women locally and
nationally and to ensure that there are provisions for women's
education and sensitization at all stages of their life, for
more effective political participation.
14. Despite the commemoration of the International Year of
the Family (IYF) in May 1994, the integrity of the African family
is being seriously undermined by persistent socio-economic crises.
The massive rural-urban migration and brain drain, consisting
mostly of young men and women, has severely affected the socio-psychological
and financial security of many families. In many African rural
and urban communities, the number of female-headed households
has steadily increased to a regional average of around 35 per
cent. Rural-urban migration has also increased crime and violence,
drug abuse, homelessness, unfavourable environmental conditions
and sexual exploitation of women, young girls and boys.
15. Women's health and reproductive rights are central to the
realization of their potential. The improvement of their health
and their ability to exercise control over their fertility is
a major step in enabling them to make the necessary choices
in the other areas. African women's inability to control their
own fertility is associated with the unacceptably high levels
of infant, child and maternal mortality through a variety of
appropriate, affordable and accessible services and the persistence
of traditional mentalities hampering contraceptive practices.
16. African Governments are faced with new development challenges
represented by the adolescent population. By the year 2000 there
will be some 170 million youth - those aged 15-24 - in Africa.
In some African countries, nearly two thirds of the cases of
septic abortions come from the 15-19 age group. Adolescent sexuality
and fertility is high risk from the health standpoint. It contributes
significantly to girls' inability to attain high levels of education,
and to unsafe abortion which leads to maternal mortality and
morbidity. The hidden costs of adolescent sexuality and fertility
are also enormous and they strain many health service delivery
systems of many African Governments. This situation should be
addressed urgently with appropriate policies and services.
17. The unprecedented increase in the number of refugees and
displaced persons in the region is one of the major consequences
of the protracted internal strife, civil wars and political
instability in many countries of the region. According to UNHCR,
the current refugee population in Africa is estimated at 7 million
out of a world total of 20 million most of whom are women and
children and there are also 25 million internally displaced
persons.
18. Women form a large percentage of refugees and displaced
persons in the Continent. Refugee and displaced women are particularly
vulnerable and special attention should be paid to their protection
needs. They also represent a useful resource whose potential
should be tapped in the search of durable solution to the refugee
problems. The refugee women's and girl's access to health, education
and shelter should not be affected as the result of their need
to flee from the areas of conflict.
19. Women's health should be viewed within a global approach
dealing with all the health problems affecting them in their
life cycle. Mortality problems relating to malaria, malnutrition,
anaemia, tuberculosis, maternal ailments and sexually transmitted
diseases such as AIDS, still remain preoccupying. World wide,
AIDS is a health, social, economic and political issue. Africa
is in the front line of the world-wide epidemic, with its younger
generation being most at risk. The full dimensions of the epidemic
in the region are still uncertain but it is already a grave
problem in many countries in East, Central and Southern Africa.
According to WHO, the number of new HIV infections among women
in most African countries outnumber men by six to five, and
more than 6 million women of child-bearing age have been infected.
One out of every three pregnant women attending antenatal clinics
in some major African urban centres is infected. Thus young
women are being most seriously debilitated by the impact of
the AIDS pandemic. The economic and social consequences of AIDS
affect women the most with serious repercussions on the elderly
women who are left to care for orphans when they are least capable.
The subordinate position of women and adolescent girls, with
younger women being the least empowered, and their lack of access
to information, education and communication, health facilities,
training, independent income, property and legal rights make
them particularly vulnerable to the AIDS infection. They lack
knowledge about the disease and the measures that have to be
taken to protect themselves against HIV infection in spite of
the key role they play and will continue to play in their response.
Consequently, it is necessary to place emphasis on decreasing
women's vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. The young of Africa not only
face a bleak economic future, but are at present at risk from
the spectre of the AIDS pandemic which continues to take a tremendous
toll on those below 25 years of age. Education and information
campaigns which target the sexual and reproductive health of
the young must be increased and strengthened, made more accessible
and culturally appropriate. However, besides HIV/AIDS, Africa
continues to experience high mortality rates caused by other
diseases such as malaria, sickle cell anaemia, tuberculosis,
and ailments related to malnutrition.
20. During the last decade, African Governments have slowly
started to show an increasing tendency to see the political
and socio-economic participation of women as a key factor and
catalyst in the processes and linkages that engender and encourage
equality, health and development and peace for the accelerated
advancement of women. In this respect, practically all Governments
have established and given support to national machineries to
discharge their responsibilities of coordinating and monitoring
the incorporation of the gender perspective in overall national
development activities. In addition, most African countries
have enacted legislation against discriminatory practices with
regard to education, employment as well as legislation in favour
of paid maternity leave for women. Very few countries have adopted
relevant legislative framework to ensure fair share of family
responsibilities between men and women as stipulated in International
Labour Convention No. 156 on Workers with family responsibilities.
21. Overall therefore, despite regional and individual efforts
made by member States, the international community and local
and international NGOs to improve the status of African women,
only modest progress has been made and critical gaps still exist
in several areas. The more glaring gaps are in relation to,
inter alia, gender disparity in access to education, employment,
health services, access to - and control of - productive resources
and technology; underrepresentation in particular in the higher
political, economic, social and decision-making levels; inadequacy
of national machineries, policy and programmes for the enrichment
of the women's cause; lack of availability and use of gender-disaggregated
data; de jure and de facto discrimination with respect to employment
opportunities; marital and family status; lack of awareness
on the part of both women and men regarding the issue of women's
legal and human rights; and lack of understanding of the legal
and administrative systems and mechanisms for redress. A more
detailed analysis of these gaps is given in the following section.
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III. CRITICAL AREAS OF CONCERN
22. In the regional review of the process and progress of implementation
of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies, several gaps and
critical areas of concern have been identified at the national
and regional levels. Others have been identified through technical
workshops convened at national, subregional and regional levels,
with inputs from grass-roots communities, women and women's
organizations, national and international NGOs, intergovernmental
bodies and United Nations agencies. The intention is to reflect
a broad-based consensus on the critical areas of concern as
well as the criteria used in the process of identifying these
areas. They constitute the core of the African Platform for
Action, namely:
(a) Women's poverty, insufficient food security and lack
of economic empowerment;
(b) Inadequate access to education, training, science and
technology;
(c) Women's vital role in culture, the family and socialization;
(d) Improvement of women's health, reproductive health including
family planning and population-related programmes;
(e) Women's relationship and linkages to environment and
natural resource management;
(f) Involvement of women in the peace process;
(g) The political empowerment of women;
(h) Women's legal and human rights;
(i) Mainstreaming of gender-disaggregated data;
(j) Women, communication, information and arts;
(k) The girl-child. It should be noted that these critical
areas of concern are interdependent in terms of how they affect
the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies.
Further, the order of presentation reflects the concerns of
women in the African region but they are all of equal priority.
A. Women's poverty, insufficient food security and lack
of economic empowerment
23. Poverty in Africa manifests itself in various forms and
has its essential origin in lack of income, exclusion from the
market and social and political life, unequal distribution of
wealth and income from global, regional, subregional to local
levels, economic recession, drought and other disasters, heavy
debt burden, structural adjustment programmes that are incompatible
with sustainable development, rapid population growth, armed
conflicts and civil strife and these in turn are linked to the
general political, economic and social conditions of a given
country.
24. More than a third of the people of Africa live in abject
poverty and are unable to meet their most basic needs. In 1991,
this number was estimated at about 250 million. Notably, the
poor are usually associated with high levels of malnutrition,
illiteracy, poor sanitation and limited participation in socio-economic
activities. For example, in 1993, infant mortality rate in sub-saharan
Africa averaged 103 per 1,000 live births as compared to 71
per 1,000 for all developing countries. In the same year, under-5
mortality rates were estimated at 160 per 1,000 live births
in sub-Saharan Africa. Between 1985 and 1990, only 51 per cent
of urban population in Africa had access to sanitation facilities
compared to 16 per cent for the rural population. During the
same period, access to safe water covered only 68 per cent in
the urban areas and 26 per cent in the rural areas. For all
Africa, calories per capita per day averaged 2,100 in 1993 while
protein per capita per day was 53 grams compared to a world
average of 2,600 calories and 71 grams respectively. The agricultural
sector can contribute up to 50 per cent of the GDP, while the
agricultural population can make up to 85 per cent of the total.
There is also a big gap between urban and rural areas, as regards
incomes, food intakes, etc.
25. The heavy burden of poverty falls disproportionately on
women especially female-headed households whose proportion is
increasing and is now around 35 per cent. Feminization of poverty
has therefore become a reality. Although women constitute more
than half of the population, have limited access, ownership
and co-ownership to land and housing, they nevertheless provide
60 to 80 per cent of the food supply.
26. In formal employment, they are concentrated in low pay,
low grade sectors with poor promotion prospects. Women are the
backbone of both cash crop and subsistence farming, yet their
non-marketed productive and reproductive activities are neither
marketable nor recognized as economic outputs. They are thus
denied the tools and means of sustainability and still
27. confront considerable discrimination that constitute a
major obstacle to increased productivity. 27. To compound all
this, many African countries are also experiencing critical
situations in terms of food security, accessibility and distribution.
Once a net exporter of food, since the 1980s the region has
become a net importer and hunger and malnutrition continue to
be a critical issue, affecting women and children. Since 1960,
the population in Africa has increased at an annual rate of
3 per cent while food production grew by only an average of
1.8 per cent with the food self-sufficiency ratio dropping from
100 per cent in 1960 to 81 per cent in the 1990s. Approximately
25 per cent of food requirements are imported including food
aid, with the annual food imports being equivalent to roughly
30 per cent of Africa's agricultural export earnings. The scarce
exported agricultural products are marketed at very low prices
while the limited foreign exchange earnings accruing from such
commodities are diverted from more important uses to pay for
food imports. Security and self-sufficiency are therefore not
related to food alone, but to the general and pervasive problem
of poverty, unequal distribution of income, weaker purchasing
power and unfavourable terms of trade as well as the burden
of external debt servicing.
28. Women in Africa, as the main providers and traditional
managers of food at the family and household level, can play
a key role in the equitable distribution and redistribution
of scarce resources. Strengthening of women's potential for
management of food and food aid resources can ensure that women's
priorities, and their families' well-being, are better served.
This increased food security at household level would, in turn,
contribute to the global aim of national food security.
29. Women in Africa must be empowered to participate in economic
structures and policy formulation and in the productive process
itself. It is now recognized that the contribution of rural
women in Africa is critical in development. The African Platform
for Action, in line with the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies
and the Abuja Declaration, emphasizes the economic empowerment
of women through stimulating, consolidating and coordinating
the entrepreneurial spirit and skills of African women and providing
adequate access to both formal and informal sector resources.
Women's empowerment will enhance their capacity to realistically
alter the direction of change for their well-being as well as
of society as a whole. It is also crucial to engage the younger
generation of women as active partners for change. Consequently,
strategies and actions are needed in order to move away from
the current welfare orientation to address the economic empowerment
of women, and in particular strengthen and support their participation
in trade and industry; stem the growing disparity between rural
and urban conditions; and move towards environmentally sustainable
actions for poverty alleviation through sustainable development.
The actions proposed by the Platform are based on the recognition
of women's own responses to increasingly difficult and changing
productive and economic circumstances based on their know-how,
initiatives and capacities.
