Commission describes African women as untapped resource
Commission describes African women as untapped resourceBy Chibaula Silwamba
Monday September 01, 2008 [04:00]
THE Danish government-spearheaded African Commission has said women are Africa's untapped source of economic potential that have to be involved in the development of the continent.
In a media statement at the end of a women's conference in Maputo Mozambique, over 100 participants that attended the conference recommended that African governments must create better conditions for female entrepreneurs in Africa.
"All African women must be allowed to own land and be assisted to access the means to utilise it effectively.
The numerous female entrepreneurs and start-ups headed by women must have better access to banking and micro-credits," they stated. "Investments in infrastructure that can help shorten women's long working hours at the household-level must be fast-tracked."
The Africa Commission stated that the conference was attended by more than 100 participants, including over 20 ministers and heads of states, who spent the whole day discussing ways to improve women's access to employment.
The African Commission stated that participants observed that African women on average work 10-15 hours more per week than men, but they own only around one per cent of the continent's overall economy of US$650 billion.
Danish minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Toernaes said women's participation in economic activities would help Africa's development.
"Advancing women's employment would not only improve the living conditions for the women and their families. It will also be a catalyst for Africa's growth and ensure that the continent will not be left behind in the globalisation process," said Toernaes.
Brenthurst Foundation director Greg Mills said inequality between women and men in Africa was detrimental to Africa's development.
"Clearly the current situation is unfair and unsustainable, and not only for Africa's women. It is fundamentally to the detriment of Africa's economies," said Mills.
"We cannot uplift Africa without finding the means to give those that work hardest in these economies, the rural African woman, full access to economic opportunities. This conference has identified ways to do exactly that."
The Africa Commission was launched by the Danish Government in April 2008 with the aim to present new and creative strategies, thereby revitalise and strengthen international development cooperation with Africa.
Labels: DENMARK, DEVELOPMENT, WOMEN
posted by MrK @ 3:59 PM
1 Comments:
Who would describe 'women' as 'a resource' - someone who does not want us to look at land and water as untapped resources instead? This emphasis on women comes from outside Africa and in my opinion is at best a distraction from actual development and economic growth that involves all the people. At worst, it has more sinister purposes.
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