On the occasion of its
fortieth anniversary, ECA organized an International Conference on gender from 28 April -
1 May 1998. The theme of the Conference was "African Women and Economic Development: Investing In Our Future", and it sought to develop strategic
actions to speed up the socio-economic development of Africa by integrating gender issues
into development policies, plans and programmes. It also emphasized the importance of
forging partnerships to enhance the implementation of regional and global conventions
adopted to raise the status of women in Africa, in particular, the Dakar and Beijing
Platforms for Action.
1000
participants registered for the Conference. However, an overwhelming 2600 attended, from
high-level policymakers to representatives of civil societies, African subregional and
regional organizations and the international community.
Activities comprised thematic plenary sessions,
working group sessions, panel discussions and a special Forum of Heads of States and
Government. At the occasion, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan,
inaugurated the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC).
This Web Site serves as the source of
information on the Conference, as well as the site of the summaries
of a thematic virtual dialogue that ran before, during and after the meeting.
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