Khartoum, Sudan, 25th November, 2015: Experts from AU Ministries of Gender and Women’s Affairs convened for the First Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Gender and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE), which kicked off, today 25th November 2015, in Khartoum, Sudan. The 1st STC is convened in implementation of the AU Heads of States and Government decision to establish the STC-GWE by 2015.

H.E. Mashaer Ahmed Al Amin, Minister of Welfare and Social Security of the Republic of Sudan, emphasized in her opening remarks that the 1st STC gives great importance to the decision of the AU Summit which decided that the sectorial Ministerial Conference of the AU should be transformed into a specialized technical committee.

The Minister noted that Sudan like other African Union member states, relies heavily on the success of this session to reach agreements on important topics in its agenda, and establish a solid base to support and promote the process of the AUC and its Member states in the field of gender equity and equality and empowerment of women.

In her opening remarks on behalf of the Chairperson of the AU Bureau of the Ministers of Gender and Women’s Affairs, Mrs. Abigail S.E. Damasane, Deputy Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development of the Republic of Zimbabwe, said “There is nothing that unites us all than the fight for women’s empowerment and the right for us to be treated as equal citizens of Africa and indeed the globe”.

She further noted that today marks the inaugural meeting of the First Specialized Technical Committee on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, “We are very honored to have Heads of States that are committed to gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Addressing the meeting, Ms. Leila Ben Ali, Acting Director of Women, Gender and Development of the Commission stressed the importance of the inaugural STC on Gender and Women Empowerment during 2015. She noted that the inaugural STC comes at an opportune time, considering that 2015 marks 20th anniversary of the UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, the Midterm Review of the African Women’s Decade and the Declaration of the Agenda Post 2015.

Organized by Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD) of the African Union Commission, the 1st STC-GEWE aims to consider the rule of procedure of STC on gender equality and women’s empowerment. The meeting will also consider and approve the projects under Fund for African Women (FAW), consider and adopt the report of mid-term review of the African Women Decade (AWD), the outcomes of the review of the Projects under the 2015 Theme of AWD “Education, Science and Technology”, the Plan of Action on the Implementation of the Declaration of the AU Heads of State and Government on the AU Theme for 2015 “Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development Towards Africa Agenda 2063”.

In addition, the Session will also consider Johannesburg Call for Action, the Concept Note and Framework of the AU Theme for 2016 “African Year of Human Rights”, update on the the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa and Protocol of the Women’s Rights Progress, and consider preparations for January 2016 Pre-Summit on Gender.

The Experts Session will end on Friday, and it will present its conclusions and recommendations to the Ministerial Session which will open on Saturday, 28th Nov 2015.

The 1st STC-GEWE outcomes will be forwarded to the forthcoming Summit of the AU Assembly to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2016.

For further information contact:

Ms. Rahel Fantay| Women, Gender and Development Directorate | African Union Commission I Tel: +251-115517700 E-mail: RahelF@africa-union.org

Media Contact:

Ms. Afrah Thabit| Directorate of information and Communication | African Union Commission Tel: +251-91120092 E-mail: Thabitma@africa-union.org

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