Press Release Nº009/2014

Gender Ministers urge AU to mainstream gender into African position on Post-2015 agenda

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 7 February, 2014: Gender Ministers of African countries attending the African Regional Consultation on the upcoming 58thCommission on the Status of Women (CSW) have urged the African Union to mainstream gender into Africa’s common position on the Post-2015 agenda, and make it the 6th pillar of the global consensus. The Ministers made the case on Friday, 7 February 2014, in an audience with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.

The AUC Chairperson met with the Ministers to brief them on the outcomes ofthe just ended 22nd Summit of Heads of State and Government. In her briefing, Dr. Dlamini Zuma highlighted 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security; Africa’s common position on the Post-2015 agenda, which will be finalized at the end of February in Ndjamena; and the Agenda 2063 framework, processes and next steps.

She encouraged the gender Ministers to actively participate in national consultations to be organized by member states, andaimed at garneringnational inputs to inform and refine the Agenda 2063 framework document before June 2014, when it will be presented to Heads of State and Government for final adoption.

Regarding their quest to mainstreaming gender into the Africa position on the Post-2015 agenda,Dr. DlaminiZumapromisedto engage withthe Chairperson of the High Level Committee to both consider mainstreaming gender as well as considering the stand-alone priority for women. Nevertheless, she tasked the Ministers to begin engaging their various Presidents to prepare and rally their support before final adoption of the agenda at the end of February in Ndjamena, Chad.

The AUC Chairperson also promised to organize, ahead of the June Summit, a meeting of Women and Gender Ministers to look at the annual theme of Food Security and Agriculture, and Agenda 2063. Such a meeting will enable the gender Ministersto prepare for both these issues, so that they are not left behind by the time the Summit considers the document.

The Ministers expressed their gratitude for the meeting, and pledged their support for her leadership in championingthe huge continental transformation agenda. Gender Ministers attending the meeting with the AUC Chairperson came from Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sudan, South Africa, Mali, Rwanda, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Djibouti, Uganda and Ethiopia.

JEE/wzm

For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dinfo@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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