Addis Ababa , October 28th 2019 - Ethiopia: The Experts Meeting of the 4th African Union Specialized Technical Committee (STC) on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment opened on 28 Oct 2019, at the AUC Headquarters, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “Realizing Women’s Rights for an Equal Future”.

Organized by the AUC WGDD, in cooperation with UN Women and UNECA, the meeting will focus, among other things, on the review of the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+25 Review), which will mark its 25th anniversary in the year 2020, underscoring commitments made at global, regional and sub-regional levels to end discrimination, promoting women’s rights and advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Annie Rebecca Kenda Bakajika, STC Bureau Chairperson from DRC highlighted the primary purpose of the 4th STC is to evaluate and report on progress made in implementing our global and continental commitments such as Beijing (BPfA). She then declared the Experts Meeting open.

Ms Lehau Victoria Maloka, Ag. Director, the Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD), in her introductory remarks highlighted that the 4th STC on GEWE, is special as it will review African Union Member States' implementation of the commitments made twenty (25) years ago when adopting the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. She also highlighted that 2020 coincides with other milestones in the GEWE Calendar such as the African Women’s Decade and the UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Ms. Letty Chiwara, UN Women Representative to Ethiopia, the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa in her remarks, mentioned that the Beijing +25 Review is taking place in a landscape marked by the 2015 adoption of the 2030 Agenda of the SDGs and the 2013 adoption of Agenda 2063 by African Leaders. She underlined that the two agendas are mutually reinforcing and guide the Africa’s aspiration for an inclusive, prosperous and peaceful continent, while leaving no one behind.

Ms. Thokozile Ruzvidzo Director, Social Development Policy Division Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in her remarks recalled that this Beijing+25 review intends to track progress in African countries on their commitments made in Beijing 25 years ago as well as harness experiences and lessons from the AU Member States to accelerate sustainable development under Agenda 2010 and Agenda 2063. She underscored that the outcome of the meeting is a strong and bold political messages.

Over three days, the Experts Session of the 4th STC on GEWE will consider and adopt the Africa Beijing + 25 Review Report, documents and decisions to support accelerated implementation of the AU GEWE Agenda commitments, and activities to create public-awareness campaign through high-level media attention across Africa about the Beijing+ 25 review process and the AU GEWE Agenda in general.

In addition, the meeting will consider Reports of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA), update on the, African Union Pan-African Women’s Awards (PAWA), Coordination of AU Side Events at the 64th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW64), advocacy missions for the ratification, domestication and implementation of the Maputo Protocol, African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) and African Women Leaders’ Fund (AWLF), African Women’s Decade and Fund for African Women.

The Opening ceremony was attended by AUC officials, experts and senior officials from AU Members States Ministries in Charge of Gender and Women’s Affairs, the Regional Economic Communities, representatives from CSOs, UN Agencies, the development partners, international organizations and Beijing veterans.

The Experts Session will conclude on Wednesday, 30 Oct, and will present its conclusions and recommendations to the Ministerial Session, which will be held from 31 Oct to 1 Nov 2019.

For media enquiry and interview requests please contact:

Ms. Afrah Thabit / Communication Officer / Directorate of Information and communication E mail; Thabitma@africa-union.org Tell : +251911-200922
Ms. Susan Nyabena/ Junior Programme Officer/ Women Gender and Development Directorate. Email: nyabenaS@africa-union.org Tell : +0944-083113