African Gender Ministers Commit to 'Renew' and 'Intensify' Efforts to Empower Women

Abstract

African ministers responsible for gender and women’s affairs renewed their commitment to fully implementing international, regional and sub regional agreements on women’s empowerment and gender equality. Ministers made this pronouncement in the Banjul Declaration on the Strategies for the Acceleration of the Implementation of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action. The document was the final outcome of the week-long Eighth Regional Conference on Women (Beijing +15) review meeting, which took place 16-20 November in Banjul, The Gambia. Speaking on the last day of the conference, Dr Isatou Njie Saidy, Vice President of The Gambia, and Minister for Women’s Affairs noted that African women “are still facing violence and discrimination, harmful traditional practices and beliefs, hunger and poverty and unequal opportunities.” She said: “Reducing the burden of poverty and encouraging women’s economic empowerment are imperative for achieving the goals of the Beijing Platform for Action.”