Events
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July 08, 2016 to July 09, 2016
“The Contributions of the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights in Achieving Gender Equality in Africa: Stocktaking, Opportunities and Accountability”
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March 08, 2016Celebration of the International Women’s Day at the African Union HeadquartersAUC Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma emphasises the importance to celebrate the determination of women around the world for equal rights and have their voices heard
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March 08, 2016Celebration of the International Women's Day Under the African Union Theme: "2016: African Year of Human... -
January 17, 2016 to January 18, 201627th Pre-Summit Consultative Meeting on Gender Mainstreaming in the African UnionMEDIA ADVISORY / 26th AU Summit
27th Pre-Summit Consultative Meeting on Gender Mainstreaming in the African Union
INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA
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January 17, 2016 to January 20, 20168th African Union Gender Pre-Summit on 2016 African Year of Human Rights, with Particular Focus on the Rights of Women...MEDIA ADVISORY / 26th AU Summit
8th AFRICAN UNION GENDER PRE-SUMMIT ON 2016 AFRICAN YEAR OF HUMAN RIGHTS, WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON WOMEN RIGHTS
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November 25, 2015 to November 29, 2015
INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA
When: 25 –29 NOVEMBER 2015
Who: The Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD)
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March 10, 2015
MEDIA ADVISORY
High-Level Side EventContext:
As the 24th summit of the Heads of States and Governments of the African Union (AU) adopted the Agenda 2063 as the African transformative agenda and to support the decision of the AU Summit to declare 2015 as the Year of “Women Empowerment in the context of the agenda 2063”, the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) is utilizing the 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women to organise a High-Level Side Event on the theme: “Ensuring the Emerging Leadership of Africa’s Young Women & Girls Towards Agenda 2063” in cooperation with the African Union, the United Nations Development Programme Regional Bureau for Africa (UNDP/RBA), the Department of Public Information (DPI), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the World Young Women's Christian Association (World YWCA) and Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS).
When and Where:
Wednesday 11 March from 1.15 to 2.30 pm in United Nations Headquarters in New York (Conference Room 11, General Assembly Building).
The event will be webcast on http://webtv.un.org.Who:
High-Level Moderator:
*Ms. Harriette Williams Bright, Advocacy Director, Femmes Africa Solidarité,
High-Level Panellists:
*Mr. Maged Abdelaziz, Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa,
*H.E. Mr. Tete Antonio, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the UN
*H.E. Ms. Hasna Barkat Daoud, Minister of the Promotion of Women & Family Welfare & Social Affairs,
Republic of Djibouti,
*H.E. Ms. Bibiane Marie Ouedraogo/Boni, Minister of Women’s Empowerment, Burkina Faso,
*Mr. Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, Assistant-Secretary-General and Director (UNDP/RBA)
Discussants:
*Ms. Naisula Lesuuda, Senator and Vice-Chair of the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association,
*Ms. Afua Sarkodie-Kupka, Associate Partner, Dalberg Global Development Advisors,
*Mr. Joannes Paulus Yimbesalu, 2015 Winner of Queen Elizabeth II's Young Leadership Award,
*Ms. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, General Secretary, World YWCA,
*H.E. Ms. Mounia Meslem Si Amer, Minister of National Solidarity, Family and the Status of Women,
Algeria,
*Ms. Leila Ben Ali, Acting Director, Women and Gender Development Directorate, AU Commission will deliver a speech on the “The Way Forward – Ensuring the Voices of Young Women & Girls are Heard”.Purpose:
To reach concrete recommendations on how the African Union and United Nations (UN) can address the priorities of young African women and girls in the AU Agenda 2063 and its first 10-yearImplementation Plan, as well as in the post-2015 development agenda.For media non-accredited to the UN wishing to participate in the event, please send your request by Friday 6 March (noon, New-York time) to Mr. François Charlier, Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, e-mail charlier@un.org, tel. + 1 212 963 03 59 as well as for any other information or interview request.
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March 06, 2015
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March 05, 2015
INVITATION TO THE JOURNALISTS
AUC TO CELEBRATE THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Addis Ababa, 5 March 2015 - The African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the Africa Ambassadors Spouses Group (AASG) and UNWOMEN will on 7 March 2015 organise commemorative activities to mark the International Women’s Day celebrated on 8th March every year.
The event at the AU headquarters will fall in line with the Year’s Theme: “Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development”.
Holding at the Multipurpose Hall of the African Union New Conference Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, activities will feature the following:- Slide show of pictures of AASG’s Activities
- Welcome Remarks by the Chairperson of the AASG
- Statement by the Representative of Chairperson of the AUC
- Presentation on Best practices on women’s economic empowerment
- Donation to Fistula Hospital and Ebola Cases
- Signing of the Heforshe Campaign by UN WomenAttached is the draft program of the event.
Media representatives are invited to cover the Event at 12:00 on 07 March 2015.
For any inquiry, please contact:
Mrs. Esther Azaa Tankou, Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission; Tel: +251911361185; e-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org
For further information:
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
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March 18, 2014
Press Release Nº052/2014
Addis Ababa Fistula hospital to benefit from International Women’s Day celebration fundraising
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 18 March, 2014: A five thousand US dollar ($5,000) donation has been pledged to the Addis Ababa Fistulae treatment hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. NkosazanaDlaminiZuma made the pledge through the African Ambassadors Spouses Group (AASG) on 18 March 2014, during a fundraising lunch, as part of an extended celebration of the 103rd International Women’s Day. At the fundraising eventthat was held at the multipurpose hall of the AU headquarters, Dr. DlaminiZuma made an instant donation of one thousand US dollars ($1,000).
Announcing the donation, while condemning the practice of female genital mutilation, Dr. DlaminiZuma said, “Female genital mutilation is not only a health and human rights issue; it is also a social issue. When women develop fistulae, they face many social problems, abandoned by their husbands, families and communities and often left destitute and live as outcasts. We must therefore intensify the campaign until female genital mutilation is completely eradicated across the world,”she appealed.
Amongst other issues, the AUC Chairperson called for the exercise, respect and protection of girls’ rights, if Africa must develop, grow and realize its full potential.
Guests at the fundraising lunch also listened to a brief, but emotional presentation by a representative of the UNFPA Ethiopia country office, Berhanu Legesse, who brought out startling statistics of the extent and consequences of the harmful practice. He noted that “more than 125 million girls and women have been subjected to FGM, 86 million girls born between 2010 and 2015 are at risk of being cut before 2030, and another 30 million girls are at risk of being cut in the next decade, with an average of 8,000 girls daily.”
While noting ongoing policy, legal, traditional and religious efforts to arrest the situation, he said more and urgent and multifaceted initiatives and sustained actions are still needed.
Appreciating the efforts of guests and members who turned out to grace the fundraising lunch, the President of the African Ambassadors Spouses Group in Addis Ababa, expressed gratitude for the full support of the African Union Commission in general and the leadership of the Commission’s Chairperson, H.E. Dr. NkosazanaDlaminiZuma.
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March 07, 2014
PRESS RELEASE N.040/2014
CAMEROONIAN WOMEN IN ADDIS ABABA (CAMLADIES) TO CELEBRATE WOMEN’S DAY WITH CHILDREN IN ORPHANAGES
Addis Ababa, 7 March 2014- Following the celebration of the International Women’s Day observed on 8 March every year, women from the Cameroonian community in Addis Ababa (CAMLADIES) will tomorrow, Saturday 8 March 2014, join the rest of the women in Africa and worldwide, to commemorate the day through different humanitarian activities.
CAMLADIES members will gather at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as from 2 pm before proceeding to some orphanages where they will interact with the less privileged girls and boys, distribute food items and clothes and sensitize them on the theme chosen by the African Union Commission for the Day: “Stand-Alone Goal on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Post 2015 Agenda”.
The women will also engage on issues of interest to the young orphans and gather their views on the Africa they will want to see in the next 50 years as well as give the orphans hope for a brighter future.
The CAMLADIES will later converge in the residence of one of its members to discuss and exchange views on ways to make their stay in Addis Ababa more enjoyable and comfortable. The meeting will take place in the presence of invited women from other African communities in Addis Ababa. The women will share traditional dishes and entertain themselves with dance and music reminiscent of the different tribes in Cameroon, referred to as “Africa in miniature”.
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March 07, 2014
AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Addis Ababa, 7 March 2014- The African Union Commission on Friday 07 March 2014 commemorated international women’s day at the AU head quarters in Addis Ababa under the theme “Stand-Alone Goal on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Post 2015 Agenda”. The International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated on 8th March around the world is a celebration dedicated to salute all women for their achievements.
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma recalled that women have been fighting for equality for over a century. African women, she observed have been an integral part of this global movement since the days of anti slavery, anti colonialism and liberation movements, until today’s struggle for Africa’s development, peace, integration and prosperity.
In the statement delivered the Director for Women, Gender and Development Mrs Litha Musyimi Ogana, Dr Dlamini Zuma urged transformation of the continent in order to meet its development objectives.
“As we celebrate the 103rd International Women’s Day this year, the world and Africa are moving towards finalising the post-2015 development agenda. That is why we have made transformation as the foundation of the Common African Position on the post-2015 development agenda. Part of this transformation agenda is the mainstreaming of gender and women’s empowerment throughout all pillars and goals of the development agenda, with specific goals on gender equality and women’s empowerment”, the Chairperson noted.The president of the AU Staff Association Mr Salla Sidig Hammad also addressed the ceremony. He said the association “joins African women in calling on our member states to expedite the ratification and implementation of the Protocol to the Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, which guarantees comprehensive rights to women including the right to take part in the political process, to social and political equality with men, to control of their reproductive health, an end to female genital mutilation and meaningful participation in peace and security matters”. Mr Sallah also applauded the fact that Africa as a continent has 3 head of states and that the Chairperson of the African Union Commission is a woman, “something we haven’t seen in the other parts of the world and this is a lesson to be learnt from Africa”, he added.
The celebrations were also addressed by the Head of the UN Women in Ethiopia, Mrs. Lettie Chiwara.
The objective of the celebration of International Women’s Day is to review past progress of women’s development and more importantly, to look ahead at the opportunities of women in Africa and also to acknowledge the steps taken by the AU to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment .
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