Interview: AU official says women empowerment a key priority

The empowerment of African women is a key priority to accelerate sustainable development across the continent, a senior AU official said Thursday.

Leila Benali Kraiem, Acting Director of Women, Gender and Development Directorate of the African Union (AU) Commission, said that implementation of projects that advances gender equality has gone overdrive.

"The empowerment of women is at the heart of Africa's transformative agenda. We have made progress in gender equality as the AU's women's decade enters the final phase this year," Kraiem said.

During an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the AU ministerial summit in Addis Ababa, Kraiem said that African women have benefited from affirmative action though challenges remained.

"We have made progress in gender parity but it has not been adequate given that women and girls still lack access to education while early marriages and female cut violates their rights and dignity," said Kraiem.

Kraiem said that AU's agenda 2063 recognizes the critical role of women to accelerate Africa's renaissance.

"The year 2015 marks a critical milestone as the Africa's women decade comes to a close. We are taking stock of progress achieved in key areas like eliminating gender violence and discrimination," Kraiem added.

She revealed that an estimated 150 projects have been implemented across Sub-Saharan Africa to improve women's living standards.

Strategic interventions are urgently required to reduce high maternal deaths in Africa.

Kraiem urged the international community to rally behind efforts to promote maternal health in Africa.

"The international community should offer technical and financial support to boost research on the root cause of high maternal deaths in the continent," Kraiem said.

She hailed China's support towards programs that advances maternal health in Africa.

"The intervention from China is critical. We received medical equipment from China that was deployed to countries with a high burden of maternal diseases and deaths," Kraiem told Xinhua.

Outdated practices like female genital mutilation and early marriages have worsened violation of women's rights in Africa.

Kraiem said that female cut is still rife in many African communities while tough legislation and robust advocacy were key to eliminate the practice.

"Countries must develop laws that criminalize female genital mutilation. It is a retrogressive practice sanctioned by culture to control women," said Kraiem. Endi