14 February 2014
African Ministers Support Stand-alone Gender Goal
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Consultations for the Africa region, held in preparation for the 58th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 58), have concluded with a Ministerial Declaration voicing “unequivocal support” for a stand-alone goal on achieving gender equality, women's rights and women's empowerment in the post-2015 development agenda and mainstreaming gender equality across all goals.

UN-Women-AU-UNECA12 February 2014: Consultations for the Africa region, held in preparation for the 58th UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 58), have concluded with a Ministerial Declaration voicing “unequivocal support” for a stand-alone goal on achieving gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment in the post-2015 development agenda and mainstreaming gender equality across all goals.

The consultations took place from 6-8 February 2014, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Addressing the meeting, Ngone Diop, Chief of Gender, UNECA, said the “gender gap” costs Africa up to US$255 billion per year.

Recommendations in an outcome document focus on women’s economic empowerment, governance, institutional frameworks, peace and security and social transformation. On economic empowerment, ministers recommended: strengthening women’s role in trade; increasing women’s access, control and ownership of land and resources; facilitating women’s access to information and communications technology (ICT), markets and networking; and leap-frogging the gender digital divide.

On social transformation, ministers recommended that the post-2015 framework: address ending violence against women and girls; and provide for women’s and girl’s sexual and reproductive health, rights and services. Participants also agreed that ending early, forced marriage and pregnancies and ending female genital mutilation are essential for the education, empowerment and health of the girl child.

Participants also pledged to intensify efforts to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2015 by mobilizing new investments in gender equality, renewed political commitment and social mobilization.

UN Women organized the consultations with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). [UN Women Press Release] [CSW 58 Website] [IISD RS Story on LAC Consultations]

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