Roundup: Empowering women is key to eradicate poverty in Africa: experts

Empowering African women and girls is a key contributor to economic development which ultimately reduces poverty and hunger in Africa, says experts at the African Union (AU) high level panel on gender equality and women's empowerment in the Rwanda Capital, Kigali.

Rwanda is hosting the 3rd AU high level panel on gender equality and women's empowerment ahead of the 27th AU Summit scheduled from July 10 to 18 in Kigali.

"Investing in women in agriculture is key to ending poverty across the developing world. If rural African women farmers are given the same access and opportunities as men they can be much productive," said Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, chairperson African Union Commission (AUC).

She added tat women and girls are Africa's greatest untapped resource that will be the foundation for solid, sustainable and equitable progress.

Dlamini-Zuma emphasized the importance to empower the determination of African women for equal rights and have their voices heard.

"By empowering women, we also need to pay more attention to the situation of adolescent girls. More than a third of girls in Africa are married before reaching the age of 18 at the expense of their education, health and social aspirations."

The two-day event is held under the theme: "The Contributions of Maputo Protocol on Women's Rights in Achieving Gender Equality in Africa: Stocktaking, Opportunities and Accountability."

The meeting has brought together about 400 participants including AU ministers responsible for gender equality and women affairs, AU commissioners, Civil society organizations, private sector, members of academia and UN agencies representatives among others.

According to Dr. Diane Gashumba, Rwanda minister of gender and family promotion, empowering women brings immense benefits to families which contributes to improved livelihoods and incomes in households.

"Women are essential to ending poverty and hunger across the world. Strengthening women's roles as leaders, entrepreneurs, consumers and economic stakeholders will transform our continent for the better," she noted.

At the meeting participants concurred that Africa's political leaders and policy makers need to find ways to enforce laws that empower women economically, socially and financially.

The high level forum seeks to assess the state of implementation of the Maputo Protocol, with a view to generating ideas and identifying strategies to achieve greater execution of commitments by Member States.

Maputo Protocol, guarantees comprehensive rights to women including the right to take part in the political process, to social and political equality with men, to control of their reproductive health, and an end to female genital mutilation.

it was adopted by the African Union on July 11 2003, in the form of a protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights in summit in Maputo, Mozambique.

According to organizers the meeting will provide a platform for knowledge based sharing on how to leverage lessons of increased gender parity in Africa

Mahawa Kaba Wheeler, director of women, gender and development at AUC said that Africa remains the region in the world most affected by HIV and AIDS, which afflict our women and girls so disproportionately.

"Social and economic barriers keep women farmers from reaching their full agricultural production potential, and these obstacles represent a loss for their families and communities. When empowered, they can bring positive changes, with benefits that go beyond simple economic growth," she noted.

This 3rd AU high level panel on gender equality and women's empowerment is aligned with 27th AU Summit which is under the theme of the " African year of Human Rights with a particular focus on the Rights of Women." Endit