African women moving forward!/Les femmes africaines vont de l'avant!(Conference news)

• Author: Niyondiko, Therese

It is a tradition within the African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) and a requirement of the Network's Constitution to hold a Programming Conference and General Assembly (PC/GA) every three years. Although FEMNET's vision and mandate have remained unchanged over the years, its organisational structure and workings, as well as its programme and project interventions have adapted over time through the PC/GA in order to respond to emerging areas of concerns within the African women's movement.

Indeed, the objective of the PC/GA is twofold: on one side, it is a planning process to reflect on critical issues for African women and to strategise on how FEMNET can and should respond to them over a three year period and on the other hand, it stands for an evaluation mechanism, presenting a unique opportunity for members and partners to share their work experiences across the region and to review FEMNET's governance and management performance.

This time around, the PC/GA was convened in Nairobi, Kenya in September from 26-29 2007 and was opened officially by Prof. Collette Suda, a representative of the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services, Kenyan Government. The Conference brought together FEMNET members from over twenty African countries, representing women organisations working on a wide range of women's human rights issues. Both participants and guest speakers were drawn from various parts of the continent, which gave the conference a valuable continental character.

Why hold the PC/GA under the theme "Enhancing African Women Leadership?"

Access to leadership positions continues to be a big concern for African women. Despite progress made since the Beijing meeting in 1995, where governments agreed to apportion 30% of posts in decision-making to women, and the subsequent adoption and ratification of the African Protocol on the Women's Rights in Africa, women's participation in leadership positions is still modest. The PC/GA was thus timely in assessing the gains made and to strategize on how African women leaders can better contribute to the fully realization of women's rights in their different constituencies. It was also seen as a kind of support and encouragement to our Kenyan sisters as the Conference took place at the time when the Kenyan women were pushing for the affirmative action to get 50/50 representation at the Parliament level as well as preparing for the general elections scheduled for December 2007.

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It was gratifying to hear from our guest speakers and...