AU Worried over Gender Disparities

Wallace Mawire (The Zimbabwean)-- In a move reflecting recognition of the important role women play in African societies, the African Union (AU) is planning to adopt a new gender policy to promote women’s empowerment and non-discrimination.

The initiative is being conducted against a backdrop of rampant gender disparities in member states. A statement in the draft gender policy recently released by AU notes that, regardless of a high level of commitment, many national development plans still display strong gender disparities. There is also low representation of women in key areas such as decision making, politics and power sharing, as well as in economic issues, trade, agriculture, health and domestic energy. The AU is also concerned at the small numbers of women in cabinet positions in several countries and believes the low representation of women in parliament and judiciary is a major concern requiring immediate attention.

The goal of the new policy is to achieve the enforcement of human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment at international, continental and member states level. The policy also aims to promote women’s access to and control over resources, knowledge, information, land and business ownership and as well as services such as education and training, healthcare, credit and legal rights. Policy, institutional mechanisms and processes are due to be in place by 2010 and the AU is striving to achieve adoption in AU organs, member states and regional economic communities by the year 2020.

<< Back to main