Opening of AU/ ECA Joint Conference of Ministers of Gender and Women's Affairs
Coordination and Partnership to Overcome Common Challenges

Addis Ababa, 21 August 2008 (ECA): In a unique gathering, twenty-seven African Ministers of Gender and Women's Affairs attended today the Joint AU/ECA Conference scheduled to last until Friday 29, August 2008. Participants included also three Deputy Ministers, five Representatives, over sixty-five experts from gender ministries, sixteen resource persons, twelve delegates from various UN agencies, in additions to representatives of the media and civil society organisations.

In her opening address, Ms. Rukia Nakadama Isanga, State Minister for Gender in Uganda and former Chair of ECA's Committee on Women and Development (CWD) underlined the timeliness of this joint initiative taken by both the African Union and the Economic Commission for Africa . She recalled the role and mandate of CWD and commended the work that has been undertaken by the Commission's African Center for Gender and Development with the guidance of the Committee. “‘ The programme carried out by the Center, she said, gives us great pride, however, much more needs to be done for the full achievement of gender equality and Women's empowerment in Africa”.

In the welcome remarks, which she delivered on behalf of Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Ms. Lalla Ben Barka, Deputy Executive Secretary, noted that this Joint conference was convened in compliance with the African ministers recommendation at the first joint AU /ECA meeting (Dakar 2005) to see both organizations join forces on gender equality issues in Africa.

Despite improvements achieved in this area, gender inequalities still remain, noted the Deputy, and “statistics continue to show that access to resources is not equitable between men and women across the continent. Moreover, “violence against women and girls in conflict and situations of insecurity is reaching an alarming stage”.

Ms. Ben Barka urged the Meeting to “ move beyond rhetoric to concrete action for the benefit of women on the ground”. She also emphasized the need to build on what pioneer women and forerunners like Ms. Astou Koite and her Pan African Women Organization, created in 1962, have already achieved.

While stressing the importance of gender issues, Ms. Ben Barka cautioned against the tendency to “understand the gender concept and mainstream it through imported lens, because this concept is deeply rooted in culture,” she said”. Notions such as participation in power and decision-making, access to land and financial resources, leadership, etc should be analyzed in light of the values and principles of our African societies. Women have always proved to have strong qualities and capabilities, insisted Ms Ben Barka, and “we should seek to think over and develop adequate strategies to consolidate such assets, which we have often undermined or neglected”.

Opening officially the joint Conference on behalf of the African Union Commission, Mr. Erasmus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson, welcomed participants and reiterated the Commission's commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA), he stressed, “constitute bold moves that provide enlarged opportunities for involvement of civil society organizations and other stakeholders for active participation in the implementation of various African instruments on gender equality. “

Talking about the AU Gender Policy under consideration by the Joint Meeting, the Deputy Chairperson announced that the review of this policy and its timely adoption will “prepare the ground for the AU envisaged Africa Women's decade proposed for 2010-2020, while the Action Plan will provide a solid basis for operationalisation of the African Women Trust Fund.”

Underlying the mission of the AU Women, the Deputy Chair called upon “Member States, Regional Economic Communities, Civil Society Organisations and other partners to support the Directorate's work and its efforts in gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment”.

Mr. Erastus Mwencha ended his speech by acknowledging ECA's support for the preparation of AU Gender Policy and commended the role it played to organize and ensure the success of the Joint Meeting.

The Joint Conference adopted the new Bureau to the Conference and to the Committee on Women and Development as follows:

Lybia: President
Mali : 1 st Vice President
Ethiopia : 2 nd Vice President
Lesotho: 1 st Rapporteur
Chad: 2 nd Rapporteur