[AU-Monitor] Civil society to meet on gender mainstreaming at the African Union summit

[Firoze Manji]

Civil society to meet on gender mainstreaming at the African Union  
summit

Several civil society networks will convene in Addis Ababa under the  
aegis of the “Gender is my Agenda” campaign for a consultation on  
gender mainstreaming in the African Union. This 9th Pre-Summit  
Consultative meeting on gender mainstreaming in the African Union is  
scheduled for Addis Ababa between January 23-24, 2007.

The consultation is supported by the Open Society Initiative for West  
Africa (OSIWA) and is co-ordinated by femmes Africa Solidarites  
(FAS). It runs on the margins of the Heads of State Summit scheduled  
for January 25-30 January, 2006.

Its key aim is to bring together the focal points of the “Gender is  
my Agenda” campaign and other organisations committed to Women’s  
rights in order to strenthen monitoring and reporting on the  
implementation of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa  
adopted by African Heads of State and Government in 2004.

The Addis Ababa consultative meeting takes place at a time of renewed  
commitment to gender equality in Africa. In 2004, African Heads of  
State and Government adopted the solemn Declaration on gender  
Equality in Africa.
The Declaration sought to promote and protect women’s rights at all  
levels. It identified some key priority issues including: HIV and  
AIDS, recruitment of child soldiers and the implementation of gender- 
specific economic, social and legal measures.

Women’s civil society networks have since focused on advocacy and  
campaigning in implementing the Declaration. This has involved  
defining thematic focal points, reporting guidelines and strategies  
for advocacy and lobbying on women’s rights.

Civil society organisations working on women’s rights recognize the  
challenges of implementing gender parity in the AU and at national  
levels. Besides the solemn Declaration, civil society have emphasised  
the importance of Protocol of the African Charter on Human and  
Peoples’ rights in securing the rights of women in Africa.
The forthcoming consultative meeting in Addis Ababa is important in  
affirming the role of civil society in monitoring and in evaluating  
the commitment of governments in implementing the Solemn Declaration.  
Advocacy will continue to emphasise the role of   civil society in  
measuring the commitment of governments in implementing the  
Declaration. The incorporation of the African Women Committee on  
Peace and Development (AWCPD) into the mechanisms of the African  
Union indicates the success of civil society advocacy in monitoring  
women’s rights.

The launch of the “Gender is my Agenda” campaign in Banjul in June  
2006 and the stated commitment to strengthen monitoring, reporting  
and advocacy strategies reiterates a continued determination by civil  
society to engage the various actors working on gender mainstreaming.

In addition to these efforts, attention needs to focus on:
•	Effective implementation of the mandates of various organs such as  
the African Women Committee on Peace and Development (AWCPD) which  
are charged with advocacy and oversight in implementing the various  
recommendations made by women.
•	Facilitating continued dialogue between civil society and the AU on  
strategies towards gender mainstreaming.

For more information on the 9th Pre-Summit Consultative Meeting on  
Gender Mainstreaming in the African Union please contact: Femmes  
Africa Solidarite, Fax: +221 860 2047 email: fas-ong at sentoo.sn cc:  
info at fasngo.org