Women empowerment transforms Africa
Correspondent | Thursday January 12, 2017 16:07
The African Union (AU) has produced statutes which Member States have ratified and continue to domesticate as a demonstration of their commitment to the empowerment of women. For Africa, it has become a necessary challenge to effectively utilise what is undoubtedly our best natural resource, our people. In the SADC, proof abounds of successful community projects led by women.
Women also face the burden of negative cultural practices. If it is not genital mutilation, it is being forced into early marriage by families and being forced to leave school; unfavourable inheritance laws; or being subjected to physical, mental and emotional abuse by a husband for fear of being killed or economic dependence.
I have only one recommendation, EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION. Literacy is a fundamental prerequisite for the empowerment of women and their enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
To augment education, States must have strong machinery for the delivery of justice. Yes, laws exist and statutes have been signed and ratified, but until governments ensure timely administration of justice, the debilitating laws that have handed unfairness to women for centuries will continue to deny them their rightful place in society, to be fully empowered with equal treatment as provided by most constitutions and legislation.
Access to finance remains a very real challenge for many African women, most notably in remote or rural areas. Innovation and access to finance then becomes paramount. Why? Not for the mere localised concept of financial prosperity, but because, much like education, access to sustained finance and funding for women has a domino effect. It means access to dignity, security, and self-sufficiency. This benefits families, communities and generations to come. Studies from the World Bank show that when income is in the hands of the mother, the survival probability of a child increases by about 20 per cent in Brazil. In Kenya, a child will be about 17 per cent taller, because mothers invest more of their income in health and nutrition.
This means to empower women in their households ultimately contributes to the growth of healthier individuals who will perform better in the workplace. A healthier workforce in turn makes for a more productive economy and prosperity across nations. We are fortunate in Africa to have a cultural compass that places many women at the fore and in the seat of power. We have stood up to recognise the important role women have to play in transforming economies, communities and nations. What remains, however, is for us to make more long-term, sustainable investment in further harnessing that potential; for us to move from conversation and dialogue to sustainable action.
*Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi is Botswana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic and AU chairperson candidate. She was discussing the investment needed to further harness the potential for women on the African continent in transforming their societies (Edited for space)