ABUJA, Nigeria — The statistics on maternal deaths, HIV/AIDS, lack of gender equality, and reproductive health issues in Africa are disturbing and should galvanise women to action. This was the view of experts speaking at the GlobalPower Women Network Africa Second High Level meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, from 27-28 June.
At the high-level meeting attended by the First ladies of seven countries, Members of Parliaments, and Non-Governmental Organizations from 42 countries across Africa, they called on women in particular to champion the cause of girls’ and women’s empowerment in Africa, especially in relation to these issues.
The conference was opened by Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who said that an opportunity should be provided for women in decision-making positions to make changes on issues affecting women. He said that intelligence, hard work and creativity were not the exclusive preserve of a particular gender – hence girls and women must be given access to education and economic opportunities. The Nigerian government had demonstrated gender equity by appointing the highest number of women in the history of Nigeria to positions of power, he said.
Nigeria would initiate a special programme where testing for HIV/AIDS is rewarded with money, in an ongoing effort to get people tested and prevent spreading the disease, he said. He pledged to make this programme more sustainable.
The President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, said the time to act on the challenges confronting women in Africa was now, and action should be taken by all women.
The Patron of GlobalPower Women Network Africa (GPWNA), Malawi’s President Joyce Banda and her husband called for unity among women to speak with one voice, and urged them to see the need for working with men. She said there is a need to change harmful cultural traditions in Africa, and said women in Africa would be better off for it. “I will continue to dedicate my life to the commitments of women’s issues,” she said. She alsopledged her support to the fight against HIV & Aids.
UNAIDS Executive Director Dr. Michel Sidibé commended Nigeria its effort against HIV/AIDS, especially the provision of anti-retroviral drugs. “Despite these strides, the statistics are still looking grim for sub-Saharan Africa, where 66 per cent of adults infected with HIV are women, and eight million people are currently on treatment. The GlobalPower Women Network Africa must work to reverse the trend and address gender inequality and exclusion,” he said.
At the conference, presentations were made by South Africa, Liberia, Gambia, UNAIDS, and the United Nations Population Fund. UNFPA’s Dr. Margaret Anyetei, Koffi Kouame, Dr. Naseer Nelkholy, Chinwe Ogbonna, Nkiru Igbelina-Igbokwe and Dr. Godwin Asuquo participated. The meeting resulted in recommendations and resolutions in the form of a communiqué.
