AU on a mission to empower women

The African Union (AU) Commission has inaugurated an internal committee on the Fund for African Women to revitalise women empowerment.

The committee will be crucial in developing sustainable and comprehensive strategy on the transition of the Fund for African Women (FAW) into a Trust Fund for African Women and oversee the implementation of the proposed activities for the fund to ensure transparency and efficiency.

Speaking during the installation of the new members of the committee in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last week, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission Ambassador Kwesi Quartey said the committee will be a game-changer for the commission and union to optimise the contributions from member States.

Member States normally makes a one per cent contribution, which provides continuous and sustainable financial resources through a Trust Fund for the Africa Women, which is then topped up with the 0.5 per cent contribution from the AU operational budget.

Great opportunity

“I believe together, we are going to find great opportunities and best solutions to unlock the potential of the African Union to fulfil its commitment to empower our African women and young girls, as a prerequisite for sustainable development and a practical demonstration of the recognition and importance we place on women in our society,” said Mr Quartey.

The ambassador said he is pleased that the project is one of the great projects his team will have set in motion, adding that he believes his successor will ensure the work of the committee is fruitful.

Victoria Maloka, the acting Director of the African Union Commission Directorate of Women, Gender and Youth observed that as the FAW is phased out in preparation for the trust fund, it is important to conduct an evaluation of the entire FAW and propose an effective mechanism to manage the new trust fund.

This, she said, will ensure there are no or very few implementation challenges to have African women and young girls continue to benefit and move from micro to macro business projects and enterprises.

Agenda 2063

“This fund is also being aligned to Agenda 2063 with a particular focus on the implementation of key priorities of AU Strategy for gender equality and women’s empowerment including the African Women Decade,” said Ms Maloka.

The inauguration of the new committee is seen as a demonstration of the commitment by the union to advance its quest for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Economic Empowerment is central to the creation of gender equality, social equality, and obtaining the vision of creating vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities. Women’s empowerment remains a prerequisite for sustainable development and pro-poor poverty reduction, and the recognition of women in their society.

However, due to the limited sources of both private and public financing for women economic empowerment in Africa, coupled with the inadequate financing from national and international public funds, it became imperative for the AU to establish a trust fund to compliment governments and international efforts in funding women economic programs in Africa.

Vital in development

The committee will be vital in developing the union’s resource mobilisation objectives for the Trust Fund for African Women and overseeing the implementation of the activities. Its mandate also aligns with the framework of the AU financing of the union decision and the financial rules and regulations that expects us to ensure reliable and sufficient resource mobilization as well as prudent management of the resources to have a positive impact on the African citizenry through the projects and activities of the union.

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