79. The consequences of not addressing the wide-ranging disparities affecting a large proportion of African women and children are becoming apparent. These large numbers of girls will carry their disadvan-taged situation into adulthood and the cycle of disadvantage will persist in future generations. Africa cannot afford to continue wasting the potential of more than half of its population, considering the critical roles they play as producers, mothers, citizens and social change agents of the present and future generations.
80. Women and girls constitute between 52 and 55 per cent of the populations of most African countries.
Girls between 0 and 15 years constitute between 40 and 50 per cent and those under 20 years nearly 60 per cent of the female populations. The sheer numbers of those affected by the array of disadvantages make the situation even more unacceptable. Some critical issues emerge from the analysis of the situation of the girl child in Africa. For example, the disparities and disadvantages suffered arise from the lesser social value accorded to the girl as compared to the boy. This is deeply rooted in the cultures of most African societies.
However, these societies have embraced changes in many sectors of social, economic, political and religious advancement, giving rise to the conviction that the situation of the girl child and the increase in her social value can change quickly, if the right interventions are made. The challenges lie in changing attitudes and influencing the socialization processes of both boys and girls through parent education, participatory educa
tion programmes for youth and all sections of society.A. Recognition of disparities
81. The range of disparities and disadvantages demand that gender concerns become part of every pro gramme initiative. Actions for the girls have to be taken at different levels, starting with the individual, family, community, national and global levels. The root causes and structural factors of gender-based dis advantages must be analyzed, acknowledged and tackled in a comprehensive and decisive manner. Girls must become active participants in the action and decision-making processes, to the greatest extent possible.
B. Actions for education
82. The education of girls is one intervention that has far-reaching impact, including changing the social
and legal status, improving health, empowering the individual, increasing economic worth, enhancing parti
cipation, increasing power of decision making and ultimately ensuring gender equality. Investing in the
education of girls is, therefore, one of the concrete and effective strategies for achieving gender equity. The
initiatives under way need to be strengthened and expanded in a sustained manner with specific interventions
for the retention and achievement of girls at all levels of education.
C. Special needs of girls
83. The possibility of the elimination of disparities between girls and boys is threatened by many factors, the most serious being those related to sexuality and reproductive role of girls. These include female genital mutilation, early marriage, unwanted pregnancies, abortions, STDs including HIV/AIDS and withdrawal
from school as a consequence. Most young girls are at risk of sexual abuse and exploitation which require
protective and development measures.84. The increasing number of girls in especially difficult circumstances, including those in situations of war and conflict, street girls and working girls, presents a major challenge in the struggle for gender equality. Although data on these is sparse, there is evidence that the numbers are growing. The invisibility of the girl child and the lack of awareness about her many facets of disadvantage makes her situation even more precarious. Efforts being made to meet the needs of children in difficult circumstances do not always include girls, even though it is clear that they face much higher risks than boys; where initiatives exist, they tend to be small and welfare-oriented.
85. The growing violence against girls demands special attention and actions of protection. While many countries have made the "commitment as signatories to the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child to protect women and girls, this has not translated into action. Newspaper stories, articles in women's newsletters and other media carry shocking news of violence against girls and women, with little evidence of any interventions. The diffi culties in gathering concrete evidence and the unwillingness of victims to bring out matters of violence com pound the problem even further.
86. The last two decades have witnessed the growth in policy and political commitments to girls and women which, if implemented, could dramatically change their lives. However, actions take much longer and the evidence from many countries shows that current actions are small-scale, scattered and unlikely to have major impact. The Women's Decade also raised the expectations of African women and girls. The period, however, coincided with the decline and deterioration of economic performance and the adoption of structural adjustment programmes (SAPs). Several initiatives exist that demonstrate how action for girls can become part of the efforts to offset the negative effects of SAPs and the challenge is to make the best use of these opportunities.
87. Since the 1970s, important lessons have also been learned. The need for setting priorities, objectives and actions that are realistic, time-bound with measurable gender-based indicators is one such lesson.
Another is the need to address the discrimination early in the life cycle of the women and design interven tions at each stage, both as a cross-cutting concern and as sectoral concerns in human development policies and programmes.
88. The development needs of girls can become a focus for action in the period leading to the fourth Conference on Women and beyond the Conference into the twenty-first century. The foundations exist, to some extent, in the actions for girls already started in the national plans of action and other programmes of governments, United Nations agencies and NGOs. The main challenge is to expand, extend and multiply these efforts for much greater impact. The positive results from the wide range of interventions demonstrate the enormous possibilities and opportunities that exist for change.
V. THE PLATFORM OF ACTION FOR GIRLS IN AFRICA
89. The Platform of Action for equality, development and peace should be based on selected priorities that are doable and of high impact, starting with action by women and girls themselves, moving to other levels. The girl child initiative should therefore focus on the key priorities in education, reproductive health and rights and the elimination of violence and all forms of discrimination. Actions should be designed in
the different stages of the life cycle, from birth to adolescence within the mainstream development and sectoral programmes and at all levels. A table summarizing such actions is included below.
A. Policy and programme actions 90. The strategies for policy and programme actions are:
(a) Commissioning studies, research and ensuring gender disaggregated data banking at all
levels, and especially in the key sectors of health, education, economy, law and employment;(b) Promoting the use of gender-sensitive indicators for measuring and assessing achievement
of goals in all sectors of development;
(c) Creating a women's empowerment movement in which every girl and woman is an active participant because empowerment must start with the individual and the self. This should be based on the identification of issues on which individuals want to act, to change or improve their situation. Issues of health, education, economies, legal, political and social status present some of the key areas of action;
(d) Mobilizing men and boys to support women's empowerment and to work towards equal partnership between women and men, girls and boys into the twenty-first century. Gender-sensitive and
responsive males can be effective advocates for gender equality;(e) Advocacy for governments, societies and nations to be accountable for the disadvantages
suffered and commitments made to girls and women and to take action. There are certain basic commit ments, for example, the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child which should be followed by explicit plans
of action for implementation. In doing so, women and girls will only be asking for a return in investment, on all the international, regional and national meetings and conventions of the last 20 years;(f) Advocacy for increased resources and investment in the programmes and actions for girls;
(g) Creating mechanisms for collective responsibility among all nations through the United Nations, for accountability and the allocation of the necessary resources to support the movement for change;
(h) Enlisting the political will and commitment to support action for girls in order to achieve the goals of equality, development and peace;
(i) Mobilizing and involving women and girls as leaders, active participants and advocates in
seeking solutions to political conflicts and ensuring lasting peace.B. Education
91. The strategies for education include:
(a) Reviewing education policies to ensure greater gender sensitivity and response to the urgent issues of girls' education;
(b) Increasing the investment in girls' education at all levels;
(c) Strengthening research, information-sharing, access to data and dissemination of research findings to improve the data base on girls' education and inform policy and planning functions at all levels;
(d) Improving girls' performance, achievement, attainment, aspirations and access to oppor
tunities in formal and informal education;(e) Strengtheningthequality of education through teacher training, curriculum revision, tutorials, education and life skills, participatory approaches and special classes for girls, incentives and improvement in the working conditions of women teachers;
(f) Improving the role and status of women and girls and removing all discriminatory laws and
regulations;
(g) Improving networking and communication at national, regional and international levels to build solidarity and increase support for girls' education;
(h) Increasing advocacy tor the education of girls at family, political, policy and other
levels-and
(i) Reviewing, the curriculum, textbooks and teaching methods for removal of gender stereo
types.
C. Health
92. The strategies for health include:
(a) Expanding and promoting the education and information of girls on reproductive health issues
and rights;
(b) Advocating and ensuring legislation against harmful traditional practices, especially female genital mutilation, early marriage, child labour, sexual violation and abuse;
(c) Initiating special programmes for the empowerment and protection of girls from STDs, HIV/AIDS and other problems related to their sexuality;
(d) Expanding and initiating support programmes and services for adolescents, including coun selling, contraceptive services for those requiring them and support adolescent mothers;
(e) Promoting labour-saving technologies to ease heavy workloads; and
(f) Promoting and expanding gender sensitization and advocating male support in sharing family
responsibilities.
D. Social, legal and economic status
93. The strategies for social, legal and economic status of girls include:
(a) Reviewing policies, laws and regulations that discriminate against girls in all sectors and at
all levels;
(b) Recommending and supporting change in the above as appropriate and essential for removal of gender-based discrimination;
(c) Promoting gender sensitization to eliminate discrimination and increase the social value of
girls;
(d) Supporting programmes for street girls, working girls, those in situations of war and conflict
and other specially difficult circumstances;
(e) Training and skills development for out-of-school girls;
(f) Initiating and extending special programmes for education for empowerment for girls includ ing assertiveness, self-defence, confidence building, self-actualization and promoting peer support groups;
(g) Extending and promoting youth-to-youth programmes to provide support, develop leadership, build youth constituencies and promote equal partnership between girls and boys;
(h) Promoting girls' participation in decision making and including them in local, national and international fora on issues relating to development, politics and policies; and
(i) Encouraging and supporting the participation of NGOs, women's groups, voluntary social
organizations in all of the above actions.
E. Recommendations for action
94. The following are the recommendations for action:
(a) Family and community:
(i) teach equality, shared responsibility and peace in the home, family and community;
(ii) strengthen communication between children and parents on sexuality, equality and
gender relations;
(b) National level:
(i) sensitization and advocacy on issues of girls and women;
(ii) gender-responsive national development planning;
(iii) policy directions and affirmative action for girls and women;
(iv) multi-sectoral policy approach to the health, education, economic, legal and social
status of girls;
(v) promotion of science, mathematics and technology programmes for girls;
(vi) promotion of positive images of women and girls in the curricula, materials and
mass media;
(vii) setting of targets and time-frames for achieving objectives;
(viii) qualitative and quantitative data, disaggregated by gender to inform policy and pro
gramme planning;
(ix) improved networking among agencies in research, education, health, legal and social
development;
(x) ratification and implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child;
(xi) implementation of national plans of action for the survival and development of
children;
(xii) priority actions for girls: national studies on the situation of girls; affirmative action to remove disparities in access, performance, achievement and types of education girls participate in; and education for living for girls and boys at all stages of life;
(c) Regional level;
(i) promotion of cross-country studies on the girl child;
(ii) information networking between researchers, education, health and legal profes
sionals to support the girl child initiative;
(in) advocacy on the review of economic policies that hurt women and girls;
(iv) inter-country networking to fight violence against women and girls;
(v) linking research, programme and action groups to generate and effectively use data
for policy advocacy, programming and activism;
(vi) women's organizations must participate in peace initiatives and interventions;
(vii) study the gender perspectives of war and conflict resolution;
(viii) create fora for girls to speak out on their issues, hopes and aspirations;
(ix) advocacy for shifting funds from military expenditure to development;
(d) Internationai level:
0) support regional and national level programmes for girls;
(ii) advocacy and regulatory systems for governments to be accountable for global and
regional commitments;
(iii) enforcing gender-responsive criteria in all development assistance;
(iv) advocacy at international fora and with governments especially on issues of peace;
(v) build a global women's movement to tackle the priority issues of health, education
empowerment, legal, social and political participation;
(vi) promote initiatives for young women and girls and encourage a global movement.
F- Empowering girls: the kev to the advancement of women in Africa
95. The empowerment of girls should follow the life-cycle framework to ensure that appropriate actions
are taken to move her up the empowerment ladder. Sensitization of parents on the value of girls would lead
to their equal status and opportunities from the womb to the tomb. Information is a source of empowerment and girls should have access to relevant and appropriate information as they grow. Parents, teachers and counsellors must be educated and supported to provide relevant information to girls as they move through different stages in life. They need to learn to be assertive and to speak out, starting within the family, the school, the community and the nation.
96. The increasing levels of violence against women and girls demand that they learn self-defence, including mental, psychological and physical tactics. In addition, girls should be sensitized and taught to recognize and speak out about abuse from very early age. Speaking out is a powerful way of self-empower ment and for seeking support from those around, whether parents, peers, teachers or family members. Peer sharing and support based on factual information and knowledge is another way of building solidarity and empowering girls. This method has been successfully tried in various programmes with young people especially through NGOs, religious and community programmes.
97. The challenge to involve young people in advocacy, problem solving, negotiating and in decision making on issues that affect them has been widely posed by young people especially through their organiza tions such as Y-Teens (of the Young Women's Christian Association), Girl Guides and Scouts, World Assembly of Youth and other national level groups. This challenge should be taken seriously because generally young people resent being told what not to do and would benefit more through dialogue and exchange. Involving girls in seeking solutions to their problems and in reaching out to others helps to build their confidence and their skills for negotiation, assertiveness, persuasion and communication.
98. In this regard, girls should be involved in key activities such as national action planning, conferences and other regional and global fora. The fourth World Conference on Women and the NGO Forum 95 will provide new opportunities for governments and United Nations agencies to promote the empowerment of girls and their involvement in matters that are critical to them. Strategies for empowering girls should be based on the perception that they are highly resourceful, energetic, potential and the key stake holders to the future. Education is the most powerful tool for the empowerment of girls and women. Education for better living should therefore be a strategy in every activity in which they participate at home, school, in the community and work place.
99. The 1990s can usher in a new future for girls and should be a time for action. The Platform of Action must include time-bound strategic objectives to allow effective monitoring and evaluation of achieve ments. Governments should strive to keep the promises made. NGOs should become real advocates for girls and create mechanisms for partnership, action, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation of progress towards greater equality and empowerment of girls.
GENDER-BASED ISSUES AND ACTIONS IN THE LIFE CYCLE
Issue
Low social value of the girl child
Poor health and nutrition
Fight against harmful traditional practices
Reducing the high inci dence of early sexuality, teenage pregnancies and related problems
Protection and prevention against STDs, HIV/AIDS
Empowerment of the girl child
Bridging the gender gap in education Advocacy for the girl child
Gender sensitization at all levels
Community action for the protection of the girl child
Sensitization to change the division of labour and eating habits Promotion of labour-saving technology
Advocacy with men and boys to share household responsibilities Legislation to outlaw harmful practices
Community education on health consequences of harmful practices Education and empowerment of girls and women
Promoting alternative sources of incomes for traditional practitioners of female circumcision
Protection for girls who are banished by their families Teach sex education to girls and boys
Peer counselling and support programmes
Contraceptive services for sexually active teenagers Legislation and action against violators of young girls Train teachers to teach sex education
Teach girls to say "no" to pressure for sexual relationships Parent/teacher education on sex education and counselling
Legislation and community action against early marriages and community pressure on offenders
Teach sex education to girls and boys
Teach reproductive health issues and rights from early age Promote safe sex among sexually active youth
Teach reproductive health issues and rights from early age Promote safe sex among sexually active youth