The fight for gender equality requires the collective contribution of every woman working in unison to overcome the strong forces that perpetrate gender inequality, said the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) President H.E Chief Fortune Charumbira on the occasion of the celebration of International Women’s Day in Midrand, South Africa.
Held under the theme, “For an Inclusive Digital World: Innovation and Technologies for Gender Equality,” International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated annually across the globe on the 8th of March as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to the progress made on gender equality in all its manifestations, including, reproductive rights, gender-based violence, abuse against women and economic rights, among others.
The celebrations came at a time when the PAP is holding the ongoing sittings of the Permanent Committees of the sixth Parliament of the PAP which is being held under the African Union Theme of the Year for 2023, “The Year of AFCFTA: Accelerating the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area”.
“While this is a day to celebrate achievements and progress, it is also a day for all of us to take stock of what must still be done to achieve equal rights and equal opportunities for women,” said HE Chief Charumbira.
“This day should be a sobering reminder to all of us that the women’s struggle is everyone’s struggle. In fact, gender issues should permeate the programmes of every Committee at the PAP without duplication. For instance, the Committee Sittings are being held under the African Union Theme for 2023, “The Year of AFCFTA: Acceleration of AFCFTA Implementation.” The Committee on Trade, Customs and Immigration Matters has a pivotal role to play in ensuring that AU Member States ratify the AFCFTA and deliberately tailor-make their programs to empower women to actively participate in trade on a larger scale and enact gender-responsive policies biased towards improving women inclusion in international trade and access to trade information, services, finance, ICT and market opportunities. The inclusion of women in the mainstream economy will have a huge impact on addressing traditional practices that relegated women to the domestic space and limited their contribution.”
HE Chief Charumbira also mentioned that PAP places a high premium on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
“The PAP has leveraged on Rule 85 of the Rules of Procedure, to establish the Women’s Caucus to play a complementary oversight role on women’s rights and gender issues. Our clarion call is for the Bureaus of the Committee and the Caucus to engage and find ways of working together to advance women’s causes. The fight for gender equality requires the collective contribution of every woman working in unison to overcome the strong forces that perpetrate gender inequality,” added HE Chief Charumbira.
The President also underscored that the PAP should take note of the important role played by women in guaranteeing food security and nutrition on the continent.
“In most African economies, women account for 90% of unpaid domestic labour which is less valued in the present-day capitalist society. The burden of subsistence farming in rural areas is borne by women yet they do not own the land on which they strive and thrive. Bearing this in mind, as the PAP we must play a definitive role in pushing for the empowerment of women to own the means of production and participate on equal footing with their male counterparts in enhancing food self-sufficiency on the continent.”
He further expressed concern about violence which has engulfed some parts of Africa.
“In enquiring into the various conflicts on the Continent, we must look at the differential impact of conflict on women and the girl child. In times of war, women are invariably victims of an upsurge in sexual and physical violence while women also often bear the sole responsibility and risk of getting their families and themselves out of harm’s way. According to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, more than half of the planet’s 80 million displaced people are women and children. Given this background, therefore, it is inevitable that the PAP should consider women’s plight in looking at issues of conflict on the Continent,” he added.
Meanwhile, HE Chief Charumbira disclosed that the PAP is in the process of finalising the development of the Model Law on Gender Parity which will be used as a benchmark by the AU Member States in improving national legislation to ensure that it promotes, protects and upholds gender equality.
-Ends-
