Africa’s First Ladies unite to promote gender equality
At the recently held Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OPDAD) Conference, First Ladies from different African countries came together to discuss and exchange on gender equality in Africa. Under the theme “We are all equal: Closing the gender gap in Africa”, the First Ladies addressed various topics such as education, maternal and child health, women’s economic empowerment, the fight against gender-based sexual violence and female leadership.
Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi, First Lady of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Vice-President of OPDAD, stressed the importance of respecting commitments made to close the gender gap in Africa. She called for collective accountability, so as not to sacrifice these commitments on the altar of inaction. Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States of America, also participated in this conference and joined forces with the First Ladies of Africa to fight against all forms of discrimination against women.
This conference provided an opportunity to review the unifying campaign for gender equality in Africa, which took place in several African countries. The First Ladies shared their experiences and actions taken in their respective countries, while considering new perspectives to further promote gender equality on the continent.
OPDAD thus continues to play a key role in the development of Africa, by highlighting the potential of women and working together to build a more egalitarian and inclusive future. The First Ladies of Africa thus demonstrate their commitment to gender equality and their determination to advance the rights and opportunities of women on the continent.
To find out more about this conference and OPDAD’s actions, you can consult the following article: [link to the article on the blog].