© 2012 Economic Commission for Africa
Africa Celebrates the International Women's Day Under the theme Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for All.
United Nations, Addis Ababa: Since the United Nations Organization started commemorating International Women's Day in 1977, the day has become to symbolize different things and messages to different women and governments around the world. It is a celebration to and about women. It is a day for acknowledging women’s achievements in various fields, and their contributions to families and nations. We use the day to commend and celebrate progress made in individual countries and regions towards gender equality, equity and women’s empowerment. It is a day for raising awareness over the struggles that remain. Even when this matters should concern human kind on daily basis, this particular United Nations observance give us the chance to question why women continue to face inequalities and seemingly resolvable problems at all levels in areas like education, health, income, employment, political leadership and in families. It is a date for stocktaking on the progress achieved in the areas of women’s rights and empowerment and the challenges the lie ahead.
For 2010 the theme for International Women’s Day is Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for All. Five years separate us from the Millennium Development Goals target of 2015; fifteen years have passed after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995; and ten years after the UN Security Council resolution 1325 was agreed on. At the Africa Level, this year is the 10th anniversary of the AU Constitutive Act; the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa adopted on the year 2004 and it has been 5 years since the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa was adopted. This year is therefore especially opportune for AU member states, the AU itself, and the UN System, not only to reflect on where the continent is in terms of achieving gender equality and equal opportunities for all, but rededicate themselves to accelerating actions at all levels that the actors in society are involved to fight inequity and discrimination.
This year the United Nations System, in collaboration with the African Union Commission, is organizing a half day symposium on March 16, 2010 at the UN Conference Center in Addis Ababa. Speakers from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the African Union Commission, and the UN system will reflect on the current status of gender equality and equal opportunities for women; share good practices, and propose actions that can facilitated accelerated progress towards gender equality.
Present will be distinguished representatives of the government of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, members of the diplomatic corps, the AU Commission, the UN System, Civil Society Organizations.
:: Programme
For further information:
Daniel Almeida
daniel.almeida@unifem.org / 0920161469
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