The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) is a feminist, pan-African organization established in 1988 to amplify African women’s voices and advance women’s and girls’ rights and gender equality. As a membership organization, FEMNET is a network of over 600 members, both individuals and women’s rights organizations working across African continent and diaspora to realize gender equality and women and girls’ human rights.

The Economic Governance documentary was produced by FEMNET with support from Trust Africa. It highlights some of the challenges African women traders experience (especially Kenya, Egypt, Zambia, Rwanda & Uganda). It also captures some the best practices that gender lobby groups or governments at regional and national levels are using to successfully mainstream gender in trade arrangements as well as the gaps that hinder mainstreaming of gender in trade agreements.

The African Women’s Development and Communication Network has issued a press statement in observance of the campaign, appealing to ‘all African leaders to ensure that they uphold all international and regional instruments that protect women which they have ratified.’

Once again, millions of African citizens face famine and the destruction of their livelihoods. At this moment, 12 million men, women and children are in dire need of food, clean water and basic sanitation. The crisis is set to worsen and expand over the coming months. This suffering flies in the face of commitments made in continental, regional and national policy frameworks and human rights conventions.

The centenary year theme for International Women’s Day, ‘Equal access to Education, Training and Science and Technology: Pathway to decent work for Women’, could not have come at a better time, says FEMNET, as ‘limited access to quality education and training opportunities continues to hinder women’s equal participation in decision making, leadership and in the economy.’

The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) condemns in the strongest term the stoning to death of Aisho Ibrahim Dhuhulow a Somalian woman after an Islamic Sharia law court found her guilty of adultery.