African Woman Conference (AWC), an initiative of Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja, was borne out of the realisation that African women have a lot to offer towards the growth and development of the continent. Having successfully held three previous editions plans are at the final stage for the fourth edition in Kigali, Rwanda, with the theme: Women’s participation In Building An Inclusive And Sustainable Post-COVID Economy. CHIZOBA OGBECHE reports.
As countries of the world continue to rally following the harrowing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, African women and other stakeholders from across the continent are set to converge in Kigali, Rwanda, to chart a course for the next phase of the socio-economic empowerment of women in Africa.
The women, professionals, politicians, political office holders, police makers and influencers and other stakeholders, are converging under the auspices of the African Women Conference (AWC), an initiative of The Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja.
The fourth edition, AWC, is scheduled to hold to hold from November 23-25, 2021, Marrioth Hotel Kigali, Rwanda, with the theme:Women’s Participation In Building An Inclusive And Sustainable Post-COVID Economy.
The conference is expected to create the platform through which the stakeholder collaborate and build partnerships to empower not just themselves but also every woman in their communities.
Blueprint Weekend reports that other sub-theme for the conference include: Leveraging on Digital Connecting For Post COVID-19 Recovery And Wealth Building; Women Participation In Reducing The Tide of Violent Conflicts And Insurgency In Africa; as well as Inclusive Global Economic Growth: Empowering African Women For Impact.
Expected at the conference include the Minister of State, FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjiani Aliyu; Karima Rhanem, President, The International Centre For Diplomacy, as speaker; Mac Della Cooper, as keynote speaker; Dr Assane Gueye, Asst Prof, Carnegie Mellon University Africa, as panellist; former Nigerian parliamentarian, Senator Binta Massi Garba, as panellist; and Wife of Sokoto state Governor, Mario Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, member AWC executive committee.
Also expected include: Dr Hauwa Mainoma, Director, Gender Studies, Nassarawa State University, as panellist; Dr Tamara Alqolaghassi,
International Force for Development and Peace, as panellist; Ms Marian Khan, Global Women Development Network; Dr. Teresa Ukatta-Meremoth, ABA therapist and author; Gene Adams, social worker, activist, social justice advocate and director of Collborative Education, CUNY BCC, New York.
About the conference
AWC is an annual gathering of African women with support of professional advocates, experts, institutions, corporate organizations and individuals promoting the growth, stability and development of African women, to further advance their course and encourage the institutionalization of gender parity in the all spheres of Africa life.
The conference was birthed at the eve of the United Nations NGO CSW62 in March 2018 taking advantage of the presence of delegates to drum support and set agenda through which stakeholders in the African polity can realise the potentials of women, which have remain largely untapped, for the sustainable development of the African continent.
According to the organisers, “Over the past three decades, issues of gender inequality have taken the centre stage in the development process and democracy in Africa. For so many years, women and girls have to grapple with the realities of discrimination in all ramifications in contrast with their male counterpart in the African societies.
“Until the recent past, women and girls have to content with their social status as dictated in norms, cultures and traditions, of pervasive gender discrimination from generations to generations, and in different forms and dimension.
“The result being an uneven distribution of wealth (economic and social benefits) which necessitated advocacy for gender balance and has thus, thrown up space for new areas of studies in the Social Sciences while providing platform for gender activists to raise their voices against any form of gender discrimination.”
Information the conference website further indicted that, “AWC recognises the contributions of women towards the growth and development of Africa and encourage women to do more.
“AWC Support the campaigns for the protection of the rights of women, children, aged, disabled and other vulnerable people in Africa and also networking with successful entrepreneurs, policy makers, scholars and professionals who are influencing development across Africa.
“The most imperative things about AWC is that it promote African goods, services and brands on a global stage through International exhibitions.”
Previous editions
The quest for gender equality and women empowerment has continued to dog most African countries including Nigeria. This is as different groups and organisations have continued to champion economic independence and political liberation of the African woman.
The 3rd edition of the Africa Women Conference (AWC), convened by the Helpline Foundation for the Needy Abuja, Nigeria; Echoes Africa Initiative, New York, USA; and International Centre for Diplomacy, Morocco; with the theme: Building A Coalition To End Gender Inequality In Africa, in Marrakech, Morocco, provided a platform to identify challenges affecting the African woman, interrogate causes of action to solve such challenges and proffer sustainable solutions.
The conference which had participants from different parts of the continent featured paper presentation and experience sharing on various themes including: Inclusive Governance and Women Participation in Politics; Policy Option to Accelerate Bridging the Gender Gap in Africa; Role of Women in Ending Gender Inequality in Africa; Building Sustainable Partnerships for the Socio-Economic Growth of Women in Africa; and Public Private Partnership to Eradicating Gender Inequality in Africa.
AWC 2019 had over 150 participants, from across the region, among who were top government functionaries from Nigeria and Morocco.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, Ambassador Baba Garba; Minister of State, FCT, and President, Council for African Political parties, Mrs. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social development, Otunba Adewumi Onanuga; and Wife of the Governor of Sokoto, Mrs. Maryam Aminu Tambuwal; and former member of the National Assembly, Senator Binta Garba, were among the lead delegates from Nigeria.
From the Moroccan side, the Mayor of the City of Marrakech was represented by Hon. Mrs. Aouatif Berdai, who is the vice president in charge of International Relations and Decentralised Cooperation, Communal Council of the City of Marrakech; who led other dignitaries and delegates.
Other participants included top female functionaries of the FCTA; women rights groups, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs); Nollywood actresses and actors; He for She activists; leaders and members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and a host of other individuals and interest groups.
2020 edition
In a bid to avoid its vision being truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic the conference adopted an electronic version for the year 2020.
Speaking to journalists on the outcome of the webinar with the theme: Deploying ICT in Repositioning Women in Media and Entertainment Industry for Growth, the Co-conveners of the AWC and Founder, Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Abuja, disclosed that panellists at the conference agreed that certain steps should be taken to address issues affecting women in the continent.
She stated that women must take advantage of information dissemination through the media and ICT as it was imperative to advance any cause related or tailored towards women and girl child development.
“During the deliberations panellists also agreed that training and equipping the Girl Child on ICT at a young age is imperative as the merit of ICT knowledge could boost their careers.
“Africa women must take advantage of various online media platforms in getting information and also making extra monetary gains for those in the media sectors,” she noted.
Speaking further she said, “For African women to be relevant in the media and entertainment sectors, she must be ICT compliant.”
Other issues raised at the conference she said included that “ICT has created room for self-development and capacity building in other online courses and African women should be encouraged in taking advantages of various online course platforms.”
The women and girls right advocate said the conference, however, noted that though ICT has made online marketing of good and services easy for women, but warned that women should be advised on the negative aspect on ICT such as scammers, online ritualists, fraudsters among other vices, while calling on NGOs and CSOs to encourage and support rural women and the girl child on ICT trainings, provisions of ICT equipment and ICT mentoring.
The conference therefore called on women to be extremely smart and report all forms of abuse by individuals taking advantage of ICT tools, noting that despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on all sectors the ICT remained standing as the most sought after sector.
