ECA/ADB Symposium on Gender Issues: Statement by K.Y. Amoako, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa

Abstract

Statement by K.Y. Amoako, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa at the ECA/ADB Symposium on Gender Issues. Mr. Amoako, on his remarks highlighted that, Investing in women is, first of all, a moral imperative. It is the fair thing to do. Investing in women is also essential for reducing poverty and promoting growth. The empirical evidence on the positive economic returns that result from gender balance is overwhelming. Supporting a stronger role for African women will boost the economy, reduce fertility, improve child survival and slow the population explosion. At the Economic Commission for Africa, our review of the decade since the Beijing Platform for Action was adopted, reveals that some progress has been made in closing the gender gap in Africa, as policies and institutional mechanisms which promote gender equality overall have been introduced in most countries.