African Union Summit Faces Challenges on Gender Equality

Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, addressing an African American History Month forum in Detroit on February 28, 2009. (Photo: Cheryl LaBash)
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

African Union Summit Faces Challenges on Gender Equality

Global economic crisis disproportionately effects African women

by Abayomi Azikiwe
Editor, Pan-African News Wire
Commentary

Delegates convened in Sirte, Libya for the 13th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, a meeting of head-of-states from July 1-3. The theme of this year's meeting was "Invest in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security."

Over the last two years Africa has been severely effected by the downturn in the world economy resulting in 53 million more people being thrust into poverty. As a result of the legacy of colonialism and neo-colonialism, the prices of exports from the continent have gone down while the costs of food, fuel and other commodities imported into Africa has increased drastically.

According to Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, the United Nations Under Secretary and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the AU Executive Council, which met prior to the meeting of the heads-of-state, has an essential role to play in ensuring that the continent speaks with one voice on international questions involving the economic and financial meltdown as well as the post Kyoto negotiations related to climate change. Janneh noted that political stability was largely dependent upon economic stability.

Janneh mentioned in his address that the economic rate of growth in Africa was 6% last year and could possibly drop to 2% by the end of 2009. In addition, Janneh appealed to the upcoming G20 summit to be held in Pittsburgh in the United States in September, to fulfill its promises of assistance made four years ago at the gathering in Gleneagles, Scotland, where billions of dollars were promised to foster economic development in Africa.

Women appeal to leaders on gender issues

Leading up to the AU Summit, advocates for women's rights stressed the necessity of implementing existing protocols on gender equality on the continent. In a two-day pre-summit on women, the AU Agricultural Commissioner Rhoda Peace Tumuslime delivered a report on the status of gender equality on the continent.

Tumuslime discussed some aspects of the history of women's status in Africa and stressed the necessity of the AU to effectively address these issues with specific reference to agricultural production and food security. In many African countries women are responsible for the production of 80% or more of the food supply, yet women's decision-making authority falls far short of their overall economic contribution to society.

"The women have always been there and they starve in order to feed their husbands. They starve in order to feed their children, and they starve in order to look after the sick, to look out for the HIV people in the hospitals. Without women, I don't think, we would be anywhere," Tumuslime stated in her address. (VOA, June 18)

The AU Agricultural Commissioner also examined why the existing initiatives aimed at development have not done nearly enough to guarantee women's equality. "We need to look at approaches that have been used in the past in trying to improve the status of rural women, build on what has worked and change strategies that have not worked." (VOA, June 18)

At the same time other delegates to the AU pre-summit meeting on women's affairs reported that the efforts launched to improve gender equality have made gains in Africa. For example Geebile Ndlove of Swaziland noted that even though equality has not been realized, "The good work that happens at the community level, it is women who are taking the lead. And then, of course, in some southern African countries, there are more and more women getting into political positions like parliament. I can't say much for Swaziland, but it's improved from what it was five years ago." (VOA, June 18)

In the west African state of Nigeria, which has the largest population of any other country on the continent, Luisa Ono Ellchomun told the AU gathering that there has been an increase in awareness along with new laws that protect the rights of women.

"In Lagos state where I live, there's this law on domestic violence to protect the rights of women in marriages. Prior to this time, there has not been any law on that when a woman is battered she goes to the police she will not get redress because we only have a law on assaults. And no woman wants to send here husband to jail, so it's like the flood gates are open now for every woman. You can go to the police, you can go to the courts, you get a restraining order restraining the abuser. And if he breaks the restraining order, he can go to jail," Ellchomun said.

A delegate from Malawi Helen Chasowa said that the government has a goal of achieving 50% representation for women in most state institutions and agencies, including the vice-presidency. "For the past elections we had, we made sure we must have at least 50-50 in parliament--in all leading organizations. So we are coming up, we have achieved something."

However, with the worsening economic situation in most African states, activists feel that the gains that have been made could be reversed during the present period. Even though goals related to the achievement of gender parity look good on paper, these initiatives have been largely funded through government programs that are supported by multi-lateral donors.

In a paper published leading up the AU Summit, Hilary N. Ervin and Caroline Muthoni Muriithi, point to the effects of the world economic crisis on Africa and its specific impact on women.

Both women state that "The slowdown in growth will likely deepen the deprivation of the poor and the large number of people clustered just above the poverty line, who are particularly vulnerable to economic volatility and temporary slowdowns." (The World Financial Meltdown: What Now for African Women?, Pambazuka, Issue 439)

The authors go on to say that "This is particularly true for African women who for a long time have been the face of poverty in Africa. In Africa many women are already struggling daily against an entrenched patriarchy, enforced through formal and informal social, cultural, political and economic practices. They often face rampant sexual and psychological abuse, which is further exacerbated by the numerous conflicts on the continent. (Pambazuka, 439)

Ervin and Muriithi calls for the adoption and implementation of the AU's Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, which has only been accepted by less than half the state structures on the continent. The protocol is a bold document that demands fundamental rights for women in society.

The Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa calls for the "elimination of female genital mutilation, the rights of widows, the rights of women to property and inheritance; calling on states to invest in social programmes for women; the right to food security and housing; a right to sustainable development; the prevention of early marriage for girls; and sexual and reproductive health rights among others."(Pambazuka, 439)

In the same paper, with specific reference to the U.S.-backed government in Kenya, it says the fact that this "government has yet to ratify the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa is indicative of the culture of male dominance that dictates many social and cultural practices in the nation. In Kenya reproductive health is not a government priority and provision of services are extremely limited with respect to family planning and maternal health."

In an attempt to chart a way forward, Ervin and Muriithi stress the significance of state strucutres investing in the improvement of the social conditions of women. "Sound policy choices now, which adquately account for women, will have both short-term and long-term positive impacts on development and economic sustainability--for example the inclusion of women in national budgets and all investment policies."

The authors also illustrate the importance of enhancing the status of women in overall plans to foster economic development. "History demonstrates that investment in women's economic security and their place within the workforce helped pull the United States out of the Great Depression and aided the stabilization of the Latin American economies during the regional economic crisis of the 1990s. However, a focus on the massive wealth of resources available on the continent and responsible adjustments that focus on the human development and specifically women's socio-economic empowerment is important during this period of economic turmoil."

Women Liberation Hampered by Capitalist Crisis

It is important that advocates for gender equality in Africa are placing emphasis on the impact of the economic crisis on the status of women. Western capitalist financial institutions, whose policies have prevented the full realization of national independence on the continent, have been responsible in many ways for the failure of development programs to adquately address the necessity of abolishing inequality for women which has been inherited from the legacies of slavery, colonialism and neo-colonialism.

In those African states where revolutionary national liberation movements and efforts to build socialist societies have occured, there have been the greatest achievements in regard to the enhancement of the status of women. In South Africa for example, women have achieved over 30% representation in parliament as well as their representation in the executive branch of government. In addition, the educational achievements of women have been mandated by legislation passed during the post-apartheid political era.

During the period of the revolution in Ghana under Kwame Nkrumah, the nation led the continent with participation of women in government and civic affairs. Great accomplishments took place in regard to education and the rights of women in family and community life.

However, the full equality of women can only be achieved under a socialist system. During the early period of the Russian Revolution led by V.I. Lenin and the Bolshevik party, some of the most sweeping resolutions and laws related to gender equality and women's emancipation were adopted. Under the Soviet system during the 20th century women made tremendous gains in the areas of labor force participation, education and involvement in government.

In analyzing the current economic crisis and its impact on Africa, it is quite obvious that the existing capitalist relations of production must be done away with in order for women to realize their rightful place within society. It is only with the full emancipation of women that society as a whole can reach its ultimate potential of productivity and equality for working people and the oppressed.
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Abayomi Azikiwe is the editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The author has been following the African Union Summit in Sirte, Libya and its deliberations on the status of women on the continent.
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