G. Thematic assessments of the Implementation of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action (agenda item 5)

51. Representatives from ECA, national machineries, national and international NGOs, universities, and from UN specialised agencies participated in the thematic assessments. The summaries of the preliminary assessment reports were used to facilitate discussions in the twelve parallel full-day workshops. These workshops addressed the critical areas of concern in the African Platform for Action.

52. There was consensus that functional institutional mechanisms, contextually relevant programmes, realistic resource allocation, clear policy frameworks, and the development of tools for audits and monitoring were critical to the implementation of strategic actions. Participants expressed concern about the negative impacts of the HIV/ AIDS pandemic, the civil conflicts and the globalisation process that limited the capacity of countries to translate intentions and declarations of the African and Beijing Platforms to practical applications. They underlined the importance of effective gender mainstreaming as an institutional strategy with a twin-track approach. The first approach was to focus on specific and targeted interventions that aimed to empower women along particular thematic areas. The second approach would ensure systematic institutional policy analysis from a gender perspective.

53. Approximately 44 per cent of Africa's population, whose great majority are women, were living below the poverty line of $US39 (per capita) per month. The disproportionate burden of poverty shared by women on the continent had continued to increase since 1995 in both absolute and relative terms. Macro and micro-economic policies and programmes and development strategies had rarely been designed to take account of their impact on women and girl-children, especially those living in poverty. Even in countries where national indicators had shown improvement, many urban women, and the majority of rural women continued to live in conditions of economic underdevelopment and social marginalization. There was consensus at the workshop on Women, Poverty and Economic Empowerment that women had a key role to play in the economy and in the fight against poverty. Participants stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of actions aimed at poverty reduction by developing macro and micro economic policies and programmes that support women. Furthermore, laws and administrative practices for the equal enjoyment of rights and access to resources should be enacted and enforced. The workshop underlined the need to strengthen institutional capacities to enable effective application of gender-based methodologies for poverty reduction.

54. Africa had the lowest literacy rate in the world, at 50 per cent, with a persisting higher rate for women. Women and girls' participation and visibility in science and technology was also reported to be marginal. Participants at the workshop on Women, Education, Training and Access to Science and Technology noted that national constitutions recognised education as a human right and an essential tool for achieving the goals of equality, development and peace. Countries were, increasingly emphasising policies and programmes that accentuate the teaching of science and technology in schools, especially for girls. However, discrimination in girls' access to education persisted. This is due to negative customary attitudes, gender-biased teaching and educational materials, and inadequate human, financial and physical skills and resources. Participants stressed the need to promote an active and visible policy of mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes. An analysis must be made of the differential impact on women and men of the following areas: skills acquisition, curricula, access and retention, the mass media and resource allocation.

55. The socio-economic and cultural context within which African governments, national, subregional, regional and international organisations strategized to implement the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action presented a number of challenges. The participants at the workshop on Women, the Family and Socialisation underlined the central role of the family in promoting achievement of gender equality and equity objectives. As the basic unit of society, the family remained a critical agent of socialisation and of the creation of power relations between women and men. The workshop stressed the need to enhance the stability of the family as an institution. Participants also emphasised the need to raise awareness of the internalised values of male dominance, which reinforce the subordination of women, both in the private and public spheres. Programmes that demonstrated equal respect for women and men should be given priority. These included the provision of legal frameworks and family codes, media coverage and participatory research.

56. African governments had already ratified human rights instruments including CEDAW and CRC and adopted the relevant protocols. Participants in the workshop on Women's Legal and Human Rights identified enactment of progressive constitutions and laws and establishment of improved policy frameworks in a number of countries as significant achievements. Subregional initiatives also demonstrated effective and efficient legislative and policy frameworks for implementation of the PFA. However, de jure and de facto discrimination against women continued to exist. This was due to a combination of factors, including dual and triple legal systems and insufficient political will to implement the Dakar and Beijing Platforms. It was noted that a number of countries had not submitted reports to the monitoring bodies. Effective and sustainable protection of women's human rights called for adequate resources and synergistic support. Participants called for enhanced implementation of gender-responsive legislation and policy frameworks. They also called for the removal of reservations on human rights instruments.

57. Generation and dissemination of gender-disaggregated data and information for planning and evaluation were critical to the effective implementation of gender-responsive policies and programmes. Participants at the workshop on Gender-Disaggregated Data noted that gender statistics go beyond merely drawing a category between women and men. The focus should be on issues of particular relevance to women and men, girls and boys and their different roles and positions in society. There was consensus that statistics related to individuals should be collected, compiled, analysed and presented by sex and age and should reflect problems, issues and questions related to women and men in society. These included a systematic progression from the baseline to the national accounts. It was also necessary to provide legislative and policy frameworks that could draw on the capacities of the national statistics bodies, centres for women's studies, research organisations and international organisations. Interventions should address the development and testing of appropriate indicators and research methodologies for the purpose of strengthening gender analysis and monitoring and evaluating implementation of the goals of the PFA. The provision of adequate human and financial resources was also a key requirement.

58. Women's equal participation in political life and decision-making played an important role in the general process of the advancement of women. There was consensus in the workshop on the Political Empowerment of Women that equality in political decision-making performed a leverage function without which it was highly unlikely that government policy-making would undertake a real integration of the equality dimension. Participants noted that power relations that prevented women from leading fulfilling lives in politics operated at many levels of society, from the personal to the public. It was stressed that strategies for increasing women's participation in politics such as quota systems, affirmative action and constitutional and legal reforms worked best when they were accompanied by capacity building and enforceable measures applicable to government and all political parties. Critical issues to address in this regard included the effective management of programmes to ensure access, participation and the transformation of operational and legal frameworks.

59. Five years after Beijing, Africa as a continent had a peculiar need for women-specific health strategies. Participants at the workshop on Women, Health, Reproduction, Family Planning and Population noted a number of gaps that existed in health policies, programmes, resources and institutional arrangements at the national level. There was consensus that the accelerating rate of maternal mortality and the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic continued to deny African women enjoyment of the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health. In this regard, participants underlined the need for non-discriminatory policies and practices, as well as multi-sectoral programmes to secure women's right to optimal health throughout their life cycle, on an equal basis with men.

60. The years of protracted intra-state conflicts in Africa had brought devastating effects on the continent's population and socio-economic infrastructure. The cycle of civil violence had left behind a legacy of deep social, political and psychological wounds. Women and children had borne the major brunt of the increased conflict, the ethnic and religious prejudices and the increasing sense of insecurity at household and community levels. Of the 20 million estimated refugees in the world, 35 per cent were found in Africa, with women and children constituting at least 80 per cent of the refugee population. The workshop on Women and Peace observed that this trend was reversing decades of economic progress, increasing the rate of poverty, particularly among women, and impeding sustainable development. However, African women had begun to play an important role in peace initiatives and structures. The African Women Peace Committee, through its representatives, all of whom are women, was a case in point. There was consensus that if African women are to play an equal role with men in securing and maintaining peace, they must be empowered politically and economically. They must also be adequately represented at all levels of decision-making.

61. African women have an essential role to play in the development of sustainable and ecologically sound production patterns in natural resource management. This was underlined in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and follow-up conferences. The Women and the Environment workshop noted that African women depend almost totally on the environment and natural resources for their livelihood. As environmental degradation continues to become a major problem in Africa, women also continue to suffer, particularly in relation to agricultural production and home management. There was consensus that it is necessary to ensure that the experience and skills women possess in the management and use of natural resources are exploited in formulating policies for the protection and rehabilitation programmes. Women must also be involved in decision-making at all levels.

62. The Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action placed heavy responsibilities on governments in activities relating to implementation, co-ordination and follow-up. The workshop on Institutional Mechanisms defined the national machinery as a single structure or combination of structures established by a country to advance gender equality. Participants noted that most national machineries formalised in the post-Beijing era had varying degrees of impact. It was agreed that the efficiency and effectiveness of national machineries had been constrained by a number of factors. These included their location and status, the shift in government priorities due to economic crisis, and inadequate financial, human and skills resources. The absence of monitoring mechanisms with time-bound targets to ensure implementation was also seen as an impediment. In this regard, national machineries needed to address all policy and programme requirements essential to the successful adoption of mainstreaming as an institutional strategy.

63. The communication, information and arts sectors in Africa provided potential networks that could be used to contribute to the advancement of women. There was consensus at the workshop that these networks should be used to influence public policy and private attitudes and behaviour, especially among young adults and children. Participants identified major constraints as the shortage of resources, high illiteracy rates, and little ownership of media and communication channels by women. They expressed concern at the continued projection of negative and degrading images of women in media communication, although some progress had been recorded in this regard. Participants called on the key partners to strengthen both public and private organisations. This should be done in an inclusive manner through mobilisation of resources, formulation of adequate legislative and policy frameworks and promotion of gender-responsive programmes and activities. Training and capacity building, involvement of the private sector and development of networking were important strategies for empowering women through information and communication systems.

64. The interventions that have been put in place in a number of countries since 1995 demonstrated a greater understanding of the special needs of the girl-child in Africa. However, the workshop on The Girl-Child articulated concern that the available indicators continue to show discrimination against the girl - child from infancy to adulthood. There was consensus that harmful attitudes and practices that put the girl-child at risk and which must be urgently addressed include sexual harassment and exploitation, and threats to her health and wellbeing, in particular, HIV/AIDS. Participants stressed the need to ensure that policy and legislative frameworks adequately address the concerns of the girl-child in different circumstances. Appropriate programmes and activities should be developed and effectively implemented through partnership. It was agreed that the needs of the girl-child with disabilities should receive special attention because of her double disadvantage.