Date: 26 June 2024
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Venue : Zoom Online (Register Now)

Topic: Empowering women in Central Africa: Effective strategies for action

Background                                                                                                       

Women’s empowerment, defined as the process by which women acquire the power to make strategic decisions that enable them to gain greater control over resources (income, assets, knowledge, domestic power, health and mobility), is widely recognized as a key factor in economic development. In fact, women make up more than half of the population, and their full participation in economic, social and political life is essential for the prosperity of all.  However, women in Central Africa continue to face many obstacles to their empowerment, including discrimination, violence, lack of access to education and healthcare, and limited economic opportunities. Indeed, according to World Bank, in 2021, the labor force participation rate for women in Central Africa was 38.4%, compared with 54.6% for men. Women are also over-represented in the informal sector, where they hold insecure, poorly-paid jobs. In 2021, their literacy rate, representation in parliament and the proportion living below the poverty line were 60%, 12% and 70% respectively, compared with 75%, 88% and 60% respectively for men. In addition, women are victims of sexual and gender-based violence at an alarming rate. In 2021, 33% of women in Africa have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime by their intimate partner (WHO, 2021). Despite notable progress, a number of effective action strategies can be implemented to empower women in Central Africa. These strategies need to be multidimensional, taking into account the different contexts and challenges facing women in the region. With this in mind, the Nkafu Policy Institute, a Think tank of the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation  is organizing a webinar on the theme: “Empowering women in Central Africa: effective strategies for action” to reflect on the ideas, practices and strategies that promote women’s empowerment in Central Africa.

Objectives:

The main objective of this discussion is to explore strategies to promote women’s empowerment in Central Africa and the benefits for women and society as a whole. More specifically, it will :

• Define and conceptualize women’s empowerment;
• Identify women’s empowerment practices;
• Identify practices that empower women that are the responsability of men, the state; think tanks, civil and religious society, NGOs and international organizations;
• Propose policies that promote women’s empowerment;

Target Audience

This webinar is planned for Women leaders, researchers, and leaders from ECCAS think tanks and independent research centres.

Expected outcome

Practical and realistic proposals are formulated by the panel with a view to promoting greater empowerment for women.

Logistic

The webinar will be held virtually via the Zoom platform and will be held in French and English. It will be live-streamed on the Fondation Foretia & Nkafu Policy Institute websites and social media platforms.

Contact

Email: [email protected] / Tel: (+237) 654 86 72 54.