Climate change theme crops up
Climate change was not at the top of the agenda but the issue raised some keen debate when it featured in one of the parallel sessions. The ECA presentation (given by Dr. Josué Dioné) on "climate change, food security and gender" formed the backdrop for interventions from country delegations and international organizations. The session covered the evolving and future impacts of climate change on Africa and how this would affect women on account of the current roles they play in African countries. Degrading natural resources, water stress, energy shortages, shifting disease patterns and food insecurity were some of the areas in which gender disparities would expose women to disproportionate burdens from climate change impacts. The presenter also drew attention to the impacts of climate change induced disasters on women and children, as well as effects on
them of conflicts over degrading natural resources.
Climate change disrupts social equity and balance and thereby exacerbates gender disparity, in this case worsening the position of women where there is great dependence on natural resources (for example
time spent fetching or looking for water and firewood). Interventions from the floor pointed to the need for climate change adaptation strategies to factor in gender considerations, specifically the disadvantage of women and the intensification of hardship in their traditional roles. It is important in this respect to measure and quantify all the impacts so that commensurate measures can be taken that fit the scale of the problems, Dr. Dioné concluded.
On the food crisis, the ECA presentation argued that food insecurity in Africa has been around for decades but had now been compounded by new triggers operating at a global scale. Lingering problems of African agriculture include low levels of investment (mostly well
bellow the 10% of GDP agreed target) and minimal value addition to agricultural products. Like climate change, food insecurity affects women and men differently.
Key addresses
In remarks at the opening of ADF-IV, the Executive Secretary of the ECA Mr. Abdoulie Janneh stated that even though Africans continue to grapple with gender related challenges, some progress has been witnessed in the continent. He noted that Africa
has seen the election of its first female President, Ms. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, while Rwanda is among leaders in terms of female representation in parliament, among other things. However, there was still a lot of room for improvement, and the theme of the ADF VI was timely and relevant especially as Africa continues in its path to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). He also noted that women’s advancement is crucial for achieving sustainable and inclusive development and reaching the goals of the MDG’s. He saw the forum as a chance for Africans to take stock of what has been done in line with MDG goals in relation to women. He stated that despite efforts by various countries manifest in the form of legislation aimed at promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment, the implementation process was still lagging behind. He thus, emphasized that we in Africa come up with an effective and well thought-out Action Plan designed to address the three sub themes of the forum, which were gender equality, women’s empowerment and ending violence against women.
The ADB President Mr. Donald Kaberuka said the forum should see action on MDG-3, which is on gender and women’s empowerment, as related to that on
MDG-8 which is on development of global partnership for development, because that will help bring resources for development and help solve some of the gender related challenges. He offered ADB support in addressing gender related challenges, and suggested that Africa should step back and examine what could have been done better in addressing women’s empowerment. More importantly, Mr. Kaberuka bemoaned the negative effects that the current global financial crisis will have on Africa, as it will take away attention from issues such as those of poverty elimination, women’s empowerment and gender equality. He urged delegates present to speak out loud and clear to the G20 to open its doors to wider voices, most of them poor women, mostly in Africa.
The AUC Chairperson Mr. Jean Ping reflected on
this year’s theme, and stated that it offered an opportunity to reflect on progress and evaluate it at all levels, be they national, sub regional or regional. He affirmed that a number of provisions, such as the Constitutive Act, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, were testament to the continent’s commitment and efforts at addressing the problems and challenges faced by women. He acknowledged that there were still significant challenges in this battle and emphasized that this forum was, among other things, designed to come up with practicable decisions to accelerate the fight. He welcomed the fact that Africans have embraced the idea of women’s empowerment as key to development.
The Danish Minister Mrs. Ulla Tornaes urged
African delegates to take seriously the issue of financing for gender equality, highlighting the advantages of doing this as gateways to increase economic growth and accelerate the achievements of all the MDG’s. This would be consistent with honouring and investing in human rights in accordance with African and international political commitments. She also urged delegates and leaders to utilize effectively the upcoming "Financing for Development" meeting in Doha and push for the financing of gender initiatives, so that women get at least an equal share of the pie as men. She suggested the Paris Declaration principles on aid effectiveness are a reference point on promoting and accelerating gender equality issues, while the Accra Agenda for Action will also be useful in this regard.
In his keynote address President Girma Wolde-Giogis reminded the delegates that the forum had to produce achievable plans and real results that are practicable immediately as time is running out, or face the prospects of failure. He said that the growth witnessed by several African countries has not impacted on poverty reduction or the achievement of the MDGs.
Plenary sessions
T
he first of eight plenary sessions focused on "Effective and creative enforcement measures and tools for ending violence against women". In this session discussions centred on issues such as trafficking, which has seen a lot of African women of low-income status being the victims. They are used for sexual and economic exploitation especially within the West and Central African regions. The issue of women’s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS through domestic abuse was also raised, with a personal testimony from woman from Zambia who is living with HIV/AIDS she acquired from her bed-hopping husband. She has struggled to fend for her family and herself while facing the stigma associated with the disease. She highlighted the importance of free access to treatment.
The issue of violence against women in conflict
situations was also raised with a suggestion that violence against women in such situations needs a paradigm shift in terms of how post-conflict reconstruction is understood. The current paradigm on reconstruction works on the premise that the same structures that existed prior to the conflict should be replaced when in fact they were themselves deficient in the first place in terms of protecting women’s rights. In this sense reconstruction ends up replicating the same flawed structures instead of being an opportunity for transformation, including the sphere of justice where existing instruments of law are enforced on a localised level in order to be responsive to the afflicted people. International instruments are too far away from the women who may not be aware they exist to protect them.
The second day of ADF-VI focused on "Gender and Socio-economic, Socio-cultural and Political Rights". The Vice President of the Gambia AJA Dr. Isatou Njie-
Saidy and the Queen of the Buganda Kingdom in Uganda, Her Royal Highness Sylvia Nagginda were among key participants. The VP told participants that the time had come for action, for which women have waited too long. She also stated that men should be included in the debate and battle for women’s rights otherwise the battle will be too much of an uphill task. HRH Sylvia Nagginda focused on the role of traditional leaders in promoting reproductive rights and health .She made recommendations to the effect that government and NGOs should work closely with traditional leaders when promoting programs in reproductive health as well as promoting development in Africa.
Women’s autonomy and women’s health
A key participant in the ADF was the AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Advocate Bience Gawanas, whose talk on "Gender and Health" covered many of the core issues. She emphasized that women face many vulnerabilities because of their low social autonomy that exposes them to diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS. She argued for a gender centred approach to healthcare that will ensure positive responses from both healthcare and public policy institutes. On the same theme, another presentation focusing on "Gender and Reproductive Health" by Belkis Wolde Giorgios stressed the need to, "perceive women’s health as they perceive it, to use channels for delivery for services where they can
access it, and to define quality from their perspectives and worldviews".
Women’s empowerment underpins sustainable development
The UN Deputy Secretary General Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro’s attendance and address ensured that the ADF ended on a high note. She told the conference that gender equality and women’s empowerment are development goals in themselves and therefore key to promoting sustainable development in Africa. Due to this, she said it is of paramount importance that we all take a concerted effort to confront the challenges in front of us, or else Africa will remain underdeveloped as a continent. Recent trends show that even as many African countries are experiencing positive growth rates, women remain on the fringes of this success. Glaring disparities can still be seen in terms of access to health, education, employment and empowerment when it comes to women, and this has the long-term effects of making Africa as a whole a failure in terms attaining some of the MDGs. She further pointed to the fact that as the world is experiencing the commingled
crises of climate change, global financial mayhem and high prices of both fuel and food, women are the most at risk. This therefore has the potential to not only derail current efforts at empowerment, but can altogether deepen the existing gender disparities. She proposed that Africa should gather domestic resources to avert the effects of the multifaceted crises, thus deepening African ownership and sustainability of development.
Maasai women’s rainwater harvesting project
For the second time, the Rainwater Harvesting Project in the Rift Valley in Kajiado District of Kenya took part in ECA’s ADF. This time Kenya Airways sponsored the travel of three women and one male member of the group whose stall at the exhibition was among the most colourful and popular. These ambassadors of the project, started by EarthCare Africa with UNEP support and Swedish funding, easily stood out because of their colourful apparel and used this visual advantage to explain the dynamics of their project and how it has become a node for additional initiatives and improved standing of women in their area. They also took part in the cultural show staged at the ADF reception at Hilton Hotel.
"Who answers to women"? Report launched
One of the highpoints of side-events during
the ADF was the Africa launch of the flagship report on women’s progress by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). The report, "Progress of the World’s Women 2008/2009: Who answers to Women?" was launched in an evening reception at the Delegates Lounge of the UN Conference Centre on 20 November by UNIFEM in collaboration with the African Union. The global launch had taken place in New York on 18 September, but it had been decided to have an Africa launch to coincide with the ADF in order to reach Africa’s leaders, gender equality advocates, development partners and UN participants who would be at the ADF. It was hoped too that the messages in the report would complement the action plan that would come from the ADF-VI process. Ms. Florence Butegwa the UNIFEM Representative to the AU and UNECA summarised key messages from the report before the AU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Advocate Bience Gawanas, launched it at the packed event.