CWD session calls for an end to violence against women, presents UNiTE Campaign and interregional project on data collection

Abstract

The ongoing 7th Session of the Committee on Women and Development (CWD) dedicated its afternoon session on Thursday to current initiatives that strive to end Violence against Women and Girls (VaW&G) in Africa. Tikikel Tadele, Program Officer at the UN Women Liaison Office to the African Union (AU) and ECA, gave a presentation on progress made and challenges faced with regards to the Africa UNiTE Campaign on Violence against Women which was launched at the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2010. The four-day meeting of the CWD, which will end on Friday, is being held at the ECA’s headquarters in Addis Ababa and aims to discuss gender equality and the empowerment of women on the continent, according to ECA’s Information and Communication Service. Tadele emphasized that progress has already been made in West Africa where a consolidated strategy for the implementation of the Campaign throughout the ECOWAS region has been developed, and in Southern Africa, where two major consultations have been taken place and a Kilimanjaro Climb, that aims to serve as a mobilization initiative, is planned for March 2012.