UNECA presentation at dialogue of the executive secretaries of the Regional Commissions with ECOSOC

The achievement of gender equality is a sine qua non to the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals. The existence of MDG 3 on Gender Equality notwithstanding, the success of poverty reduction, universal basic education, child health, maternal health, the eradication of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability and global partnerships depend on the achievement of gender equality. Examining the regional perspectives are important within the African context as the 2009 Africa Review of the Beijing Platform for Action reveals both major accomplishments and challenges in this field.

While successes have been identified in the fields of primary education, women’s human rights and political advancements, the Region suffers from limited success rates in efforts to reduce maternal health, women’s participation in conflict prevention and resolution, high rates of violence against women and girls, limited access to productive resources and continued negative stereotypical tendencies towards women. In the light of evidenced-based research which demonstrates positive linkages between gender empowerment measures and economic growth, issues of gender equality and the empowerment of women must be given the needed prominence to make this possible.