An overview of achievements and challenges in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in Africa since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for action in 1995: draft

Abstract

This paper deals with an overview of achievements and challenges in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Africa since the adoption of the Beijing platform for action in 1995. The Platform for Action (BPFA) and the Beijing Declaration that came out of the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China in September 1995 have become the blue print for promoting gender equality and women's empowerment in the whole world. The first review of achievements made and the remaining and emerging challenges in the process of translating the promises and commitments made in Beijing was carried out in June 2000 through the Beijing Plus Five (United Nations General Assembly Special Session "Women 2000: Gender, Equality and Peace for the 21st Century") process.