Establishment of sub regional machinery to enhance the role of women in the process of economic and social development in the East African sub region and to promote and guide the activities of the ECA training and research centre for women

Abstract

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), since its establishment in 1958, has increasingly been concerned that all available human resources for the development of African countries are fully utilized. To this end, ECA recognized in its programme as early as 1960 the great potential of women in Africa to accelerate the pace of national and Africa Regional Development. This recognition is based on a realization of the critical roles women play in health, nutrition, population, agricultural production and the increasing responsibilities they have for the general welfare of entire households. In a developing region such as Africa, where mass poverty, disease, malnutrition, hunger and ignorance act as serious considerations on national development, any input into the raising of living levels of the people becomes at once an economic instrument and a goal desirable in itself.