What: African Union  - Civil Society Organizations Consultation  on the Impact Of COVID-19 On Geneder Equality And Women’s Empowerment (GEWE)

When: 30th June, 2020 from 2.00pm to 5.00pm Addis Ababa time.

Where: Virtual consultation. Register through the following link [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OErniEMyMqgfp8c-lNff9oDgOZWHxLmdgm2yikB...
 
Who: Convened by the African union Commission, Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD) with the support of Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC).

Speakers:

• H.E. Amira El-Fadil, Commissioner, African Union Commission, Department of Social Affairs.
• Ms. Victoria Maloka, Acting Director- African union Commission Women, Gender and Development Directorate.
• Mrs. Martha Muhwezi, President - Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) and Executive Director, Forum for African Women Educationalists
• Ms. Eunice Ipinge, President, Pan-African Women's Organisation (PAWO)
• Dr. John N. Nkengasong, Director, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)
• Ms. Julie Kone, Chairperson, Gender Cluster Committee of ECOSOCC
• Ms. Aya Chebbi, African Union Youth Envoy.

Background

The world is facing immeasurable health, economic and social crisis due to coronavirus. The situation is further exacerbated in Africa with limited health and economic infrastructures and existing social, political and environmental vulnerabilities. The impact of COVID-19 on African women and girls who continue to face structural, social, cultural and economic injustices is significant and overwhelming. The pandemic has added to the existing structural injustices creating a far deeper social, economic and humanitarian threat. Women in conflict setting, IDPs camps, and health sector are facing an extraordinary risk. According to WHO brief an increase in the number of domestic violence has been recorded during pandemic. Increase cases of stigma and discrimination have been reported. The report forecasts a downturn in access to sexual and reproductive health services. It notes women & girls are to be disproportionately affected due access inequities of access to information, prevention, care and financial and social protection. Addressing these challenges often reveal gender and human rights issues that either increase women and girls’ risk or keep them away from receiving the services they need. So all COVID19 responses must adopt a gender lens every step of the way. Country and sub-national processes that meaningfully engage women and girls in responding to these issues are more relevant, effective, and sustainable.

With this in mind the African Union Commission, Women, Gender and Development Directorate (AUC-WGDD) in partnership with AU Office of the Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, UN Women, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)  have organised different webinars on the impact of COVID-19 on gender equality and women’s empowerment. With the Bureau Members of Specialized  Technical Committee on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment,  AU Ministers in charge of gender and women’s affairs , AU Female Ministers of Foreigner Affairs and with African Women Leaders Network (AWLN). Inputs from the consultations have informed the AU Guidelines on Gender Responsive Response to COVID-19.
 
In an effort to expand the scope of these participatory consultations, the AUC-WGDD with the support of Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Network, the Virtual Consultation with Civil Society Organizations on the Impact of COVID-19 on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) will provide a platform for CSOs to review and consolidate a common position on the gender responsiveness of AU and Member States COVID-19 response strategies. The deliberations are to identify gaps, provide recommendations and offer a space for strategic engagement with Member States, between/among CSOs and other key stakeholders.
 
For further information please contact:

Ms. Kayitesi Jeanne Flora, Programme Officer, Women, Gender and Development Directorate: kayitesijf@africa-union.org

Doreen Apollos, Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission | E-mail: ApollosD@africa-union,org | www.au.int|Addis Ababa | Ethiopia