24TH GIMAC PRE-SUMMIT CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN THE AFRICAN UNION 19 - 20 JUNE 2014 MALABO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA 1 What is the Gender is my Agenda Campaign ? GIMAC MEMBERS AND CO-ORGANIZING PARTNERS The GIMAC consultative meetings and other activities are organized through the contributions of The Gender is my Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) is a leading African women’s civil society network celebrated practitioners in women’s rights and members of each focal point of the thematic areas. coordinated by Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS). The GIMAC network brings together more than These include H.E. Ellen Jonhson Sirleaf, President of Liberia; H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, 55 civil society organizations promoting gender equality and accountability for women’s rights. Chairperson of the African Union Commission; H.E. Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland The GIMAC was launched in 2002 in Durban, South Africa and has since held bi-annual pre-summit and Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region; Ms Bineta Diop, Founder and President of Femmes consultative meetings in advance of AU Summit meetings to engage AU Member States on African Africa Solidarité. women’s rights, issues and concerns. The GIMAC is organized around the themes related to the The GIMAC focal and thematic members include, but are not limited to: Governance:African operating articles of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA- 2004) namely Leadership Forum (ALF); Peace and Security: Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS), Isis-Women’s human rights, governance, peace and security, economic empowerment, education and health. International Cross Cultural Exchange (ISIS WICCE) and African Centre for the Constructive The GIMAC also monitors emerging issues such as climate change. Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD); Human Rights: Women in Law and Development in Africa The GIMAC network tracks, advocates for, and monitors the implementation of the SDGEA, which (WILDAF) and African Center for Democracy and Human Rights (ACDHRS); Health: Ipas Africa is the AU reporting mechanism for women’s rights. The United Nations Economic Commission for Alliance, AIDS Research Alliance/Social Aspects of HIV (SAHARA) and Society for Women and Aids Africa (UNECA), as one of the leading supporters of the GIMAC, and in collaboration with Femmes in Africa (SWAA); Education: Forum for African Women Educationists (FAWE) and African Women Africa Solidarité (FAS) and the GIMAC, has developed the Solemn Declaration Index (SDI), as the Development Fund (AWDF). first ever civil society monitoring tool to assess progress on the implementation of gender equality Regional Focal Point members are: in the Southern region, the Foundation for Community in Africa. Development – (FDC), in the Eastern region, Abantu for Development and in the Western region, The GIMAC network members are leading practitioners in women’s rights and development and African Women’s Association (WAWA) over the years, the network has registered key successes in contributing to the adoption of the AU gender parity principle, the Maputo Protocol and the SDGEA. The GIMAC recommendations have been reflected in the outcome documents of the AU Summit and advocacy campaigns for a female Chairperson for the African Union and the appointment of a Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security have been successful. GIMAC PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS The AU Commission and AU organs are key partners of the GIMAC. Officials of the AU have often engaged in the Pre-Summit Meetings, chairing sessions and actively participating during the debates. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s (UNECA) African Centre for Gender is an invaluable partner in lending logistical and technical support to the Pre-Summit Consultative meetings. Among other partners, organizations that have supported the GIMAC network over the years include the Government of Norway, the Government of Finland, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Urgent Action Fund-Africa, UN Women, the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Open Society Initiative (OSI), Nobel Women’s Initiative, the Agencia Espanola De CooperationInternational, the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and the World Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). 2 3 Introduction Contents The 23rd Ordinary Session of the African Union Women, Peace and Security, African Ministers for (AU) Heads of State and Government took place Gender, and Gender focal points from Regional on the 26th and 27th June 2014, in Malabo, Economic Communities (RECs), the New What is the Gender Is my Agrenda Campaign?............................................................................ 2 Equatorial Guinea under the theme “Agriculture Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 5 and Food Security”. Prior to this the 24th Gender the African Development Bank (AfDB), the is my Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Pre-Summit United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Consultative Meeting on Gender Mainstreaming (UNECA), the United Nations Development Day 1 in the AU, organized on the margins of the AU bi- Programme (UNDP) as well as over 60 GIMAC annual Summits, was held on 19-20 June 2014, representatives from Africa and the Diaspora. Opening Ceremony ..................................................................................................................... 6 at the Sipopo Conference Center in Malabo, During the meeting, the framework of Agenda Equatorial Guinea. The meeting focused on the 2063 consisting of the AU vision and program Session I : Women and Youth Initiatives in Enhancing Agricultural Production and Promoting 24th AU Summit theme of Agriculture and Food to define “The Africa We Want” in 50 years, was Food Security ............................................................................................................ 9 Security with a focus on rural women and youth presented by Mr. Mandla M. Madonsela, the AUC in agribusiness. In addition, it deliberated on Director for Strategic Planning. The 24th GIMAC Session II : Agricultural Sector Financing- Calling for newed commitments to promote African Women’s Initiatives ..................................................................................................13 women’s participation in Beijing+20, the Post participants produced recommendations to put 2015 Agenda, Agenda 2063 as well as emerging forth to the AU Heads of State and Government, Session III : Women Promoting Agribusiness for Economic Empowerment and Food Security .. 16 conflicts on the continent and their impact on civil society and the international community, women and girls. on strengthening African women’s participation in the above areas. The 24th Pre-Summit Day 2 The Pre-summit was attended by H.E. Consultative Meeting was co-organized by Dr.Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson for Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS) and Women in the African Union Commission (AUC), Ms. Bineta Presentation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and Gender Ministers’ meeting ..................... 20 Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF). Diop, the AUC Chairperson’s Special Envoy for Session IV : Women’s priorities for the Post 2015 Agenda Beijing +20 and the 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women ........................................................... 26 Session V : Emerging conflicts on the African Continent ........................................................... 29 Session VI : Implementation of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa and GIMAC way forward. ...............................................................................................31 Closing remarks ....................................................................................................................... 32 Advocacy activities ....................................................................................................................33 Outcomes .................................................................................................................................33 Recommendations ....................................................................................................................35 Chairs and speakers ...................................................................................................................37 H.E. Dr Dlamini Zuma, African Union Commission Chairperson, African Gender Ministers and some members of the Gender is My Agenda Campaign. 4 5 DAY 1 by accelerating the ratification of international Women’s Economic Empowerment and Political conventions. Participation in Africa”. The programme was Opening Ceremony initiated by the Chairperson to benefit African Mr. Heileman quoted World Bank figures for women and the Special Envoy stated that 2013 which highlighted the fact that 60% of Ms. Harriette Williams Bright, Advocacy Director, conflicts in Africa, and recent developments the 24th GIMAC recommendations would