Women recognized for role in economic development in Africa at Africities summit
Women were on the spotlight during The Women’s Day at the Africities 9. Improving women’s rights till the continent achieves gender equality is achieved, is one of the main ambitions of UCLG Africa.
During the proceedings session by the Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA), the participants agreed that ensuring land ownership to women across the continent is one of the ways to achieve this objective. This is a critical factor for the social and economic empowerment of African women, whether they live in urban or rural areas. Women’s role as actors in the economic and sustainable development of territories has to be confirmed. And this approach is part of the REFELA’s campaign, “Women’s Economic Empowerment”
“Agriculture is the largest sector in most of our economies contributing over 20% to the GDP and it heavily relies on women for labour, trading and processing of agricultural products. Therefore, if you really want to emancipate women and be inclusive in development, it is important to address the fundamental right to land for women. When women know they own the land they can make long term impactful decisions about it. One of the ways to do this is to ensure that there’s harmonization amongst laws like traditional laws, marital laws, land laws and the constitutions to avoid any conflict and ensure that the constitutions which guarantee land rights for women” said Joan Kagwanja, Chief of the Land Policy Initiative, United Nations Economic Commission For Africa.
During the Women’s Day, the REFELA presented the “Charter of Local Government on Gender Equality in Africa” which is intended to be a political instrument in favor of strengthening women’s rights at the sub national and local governments in Africa. This Charter commits the territories to fight all forms of discrimination against women to guarantee their inclusion in the development programs of the cities and territories of Africa. This response from African local governments deserves consideration beyond mere membership.
