DRAFT CONCEPT NOTE FOR THE THEME YEAR OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS AFRICA S AGENDA 2063

AFRICAN UNION UNION AFRICAINE UNIÃO AFRICANA Addis Ababa, Ethiopia P.O. Box 3243 Telephone 517 700 Cables: OAU, Addis Ababa MEETING OF THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE (PRC) 2 APRIL, 10.00 HOURS MEDIUM CONFERENCE HALL, AUCC ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA PRC/2(3-) Original : English DRAFT CONCEPT NOTE FOR THE THEME YEAR OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS AFRICA S AGENDA 2063 JANUARY- DECEMBER

Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION... 1 II. RATIONALE... 1 II. OBJECTIVES... 3 III.1 Specific objectives... 3 III. EXPECTED OUTCOMES... 3 IV. THEME AND SUB-THEMES... 3 V.1 Sub-Themes... 3 V. Making it Happen... 4 VI.1 Main Activities planned for the Summit preparation... 4 VII.1 Leadership, Organization and Management... 4 Annexes... 5 Annex 1: Events relevant to AU Summit and Year of Action... 5 Annex 2: List of Advisory group members... Error! Bookmark not defined.

PRC/2(3-) Page 1 I. INTRODUCTION 1. The African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government, during the 23rd Ordinary Session, held from 26 to 27 June 2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, declared as the Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa s Agenda 2063, marking the 20 th Anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and its Platform for Action (1995) and the 5 th Anniversary of the African Women s Decade (2010-2020) 2. After several years considering gender mainstreaming not as much more than a moral obligation, African countries made commitments to address gender equality based on international frameworks, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1979, Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) in 1995, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in 2000 among others. 3. As a continental player in promoting sustainable and equitable development, the African Union has been undertaking, by its own and in tandem with the international community and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and national institutions, diverse activities targeting gender mainstreaming. It took a more concrete step in 2003 with the adoption of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, the adoption of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa in 2004, the AU Gender Policy adopted in 2009, the African Women s Decade and the Fund for African Women, both adopted in 2010. 4. As part of its efforts to fulfill this mandate, the AUC created a Women Gender and Development Directorate () under the Office of the Chairperson. is tasked to catalyze gender mainstreaming and empowering of women as a collaborative investment through institutional capacity building with AU Members State, RECs, AU Organs, AUC Departments, Gender machineries and Partners. 5. Given the dynamic nature of gender relations and taking into account existing and emerging social, economic, political and cultural concerns that have direct and indirect impact on gender and social development, the African Union has embarked upon reviewing and assessing its existing Gender Policies and Strategies. The updated Policy Framework and Plan of Action will take stock of achievements, challenges and opportunities within Member States and at regional levels, to identify priority action areas focusing on practical solutions that are catalytic and transformational and setting the context for benchmarking Africa and comparing to other regions of the world. II. RATIONALE 6. Studies have shown that women constitute about half of Africa s poor by income and other measures related to GDP and social accounting. Women play critical

PRC/2(3-) Page 2 productive roles that directly impact Africa s developmental opportunities, but those activities are un-accounted. Moreover, they face Gender-specific constraints faced by Africa s women, notably limited access and control to the productive resources and have critical implications for broad-based, socio- economic development in Africa. 7. Since the Fourth World Conference on Women Beijing, China in 1995, empowerment of women and specific attention to the girl child, have emerged as important factors in sustainable and accelerated development in developing countries. There is now full universal recognition that mainstreaming and increasing the role of women in the development process is essential to propelling economic growth rates to levels that support stability and broad-based expanded opportunities for current and future generations. 8. Addressing persistent and ever increasing burden of poverty on women is pivotal to the Beijing Platform for Action as a basis for broad-based, economic transformation. It is also recognized as a causative lever as a cross-cutting issue to achieve the Africa Union s Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods that is shaped by seven goals (3ATGs) and MDGs. 9. Adoption of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA) by AU Heads of State in 2004 is the landmark commitment by Africa s leaders to report on progress made in gender mainstreaming. Further, the AU created the Fund for African Women (FAW) in 2010, with the intention of directly supporting and enhancing women s participation in the economic process as well as increasing African women s participation in economic decision making. 10. Key to operationalizing African leadership commitment to empowering women and promote gender equality, the African Women Decade (AWD) was adopted in 2009 with the overall theme: Grassroots Approach to Gender Equality and Women s Empowerment (GEWE). 11. The declaration of the year on a theme devoted exclusively to women's empowerment and development in Africa for the implementation of the Agenda 2063, reflects priority questions for Africa such as: a. What opportunities are presented by both the Africa Agenda 2063 and the Common African Position on Post- Development Agenda, for women s empowerment and gender equality in Africa? b. How can women s contributions towards achieving the Africa Agenda 2063 vision and goals and existing declarations that are being operationalized to accountably integrate Africa, be formalized and accelerated? c. What strategies of information, communication, legislation underpinned advocacy and awareness will the AU establish to allow African women co-own the successes of AU Agenda 2063?

II. OBJECTIVES PRC/2(3-) Page 3 The overarching objective of the Year of Women Empowerment is to define strategic actions to fully support women capacity building and access to resources in order to ensure their full participation to political and economic decision making. III.1 Specific objectives a) Recall Heads of State and Government for full implementation of the five AU Gender Architecture namely, the Maputo Protocol (2003), the SGDEA (2004), the AU Gender Policy (2009), the African Women s Decade (2009) and the Fund for African Women (2010) b) Facilitate mutual learning and experience sharing among countries and regions, with a view to strengthening and deepening country and Regional Economic Community engagements and ownership of advancing women empowerment toward Agenda 2063; c) Facilitate dialogue, mutual learning and accountable enhancing of participation and representation of women in democratic plural governance, crisis prevention and recovery, as well as peace building process; d) Enhance women s participation to economic development and growth through capacity building, education and access and control to resources as well as information and technology. III. IV. EXPECTED OUTCOMES a) Reinforced political commitment by African Leaders, and all stakeholders for sustaining women s empowerment; b) Increased engagement and actions of all stakeholders on women empowerment, growth, investment, and development; c) Enhanced capacity and commitment of women to the self-driven impact; d) Improved platforms for multidisciplinary and multisectoral actions at national, regional and continental levels and; THEME AND SUB-THEMES 12. The proposed theme is Year of Women Empowerment and Development Towards Africa s Agenda 2063. V.1 Sub-Themes 13. The sub-themes are the core eight focus areas of 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration on Agenda 2063 which align the 10 sub-themes of the African Women s Decade 2010-2020. The area of women in mass communication is included as a subtheme, recognizing that the media industry is critical to the transformation process. The following sub-themes can be addressed to add the value to the Agenda 2063:

PRC/2(3-) Page 4 a) Women and Agriculture, Food Security and Environment; b) Women Economic Empowerment& entrepreneurship c) Women and Political Leadership, Governance and Democracy; d) Women and Peace and Security; e) Women and Education, Culture, Science and Technology; f) Women and Health; g) Women and regional integration h) Women s human rights and Gender-based violence (GBV can be social, economic, and/or political, with each contributing to violation of women s human rights.) i) Women and media: How to mainstream gender equality and women empowerment in African s media (getting the balance right: awareness). V. Making it Happen VI.1 Main Activities planned for the Summit preparation a) An awareness and advocacy campaign, underpinned by HOS commitments and legislative action will be launched throughout the year targeting various audiences at continental, regional and national levels. b) Development of knowledge tools, brochures, publications, materials on women s empowerment and gender equality VII.1 Leadership, Organization and Management Successful planning and implementation of the multi-dimensional, multi-sectoral AU Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa s Agenda 2063 will be managed through key teams comprising: a) Policy Advisory Group: to provide overall policy advice and guidance on strategic, integrative and emerging policy issues on Women s Empowerment and development towards Africa s Agenda 2063. b) Steering Group: established by the Bureau of the Chairperson composed of different focal persons of AUC Departments and representatives of RECs presents at the Headquarters to provide overall guidance of the actions leading to, and during. c) Technical Oversight Group: co-led by the Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security and the Acting director of, will oversee the organization and planning of the activities leading up to, during, and after each of the key events. d) Technical Management Group: to ensure engagement and involvement of RECs in the planning and management of actions leading up to, during, and after the key events; and, e) an Operational Secretariat: composed of a team of 4-6 selected experts to provide technical support to all the relevant groups and conduct technical preparations for the meeting.

PRC/2(3-) Page 5 Annexes Annex 1: Events relevant to AU Summit and Year of Action WORKPLAN Sub-themes Events and activities Responsible department 1. Women Economic Empowerment & entrepreneurship 1.1 Organization of Gender Pre-Summit for CSO on the selected theme, January ; 1.2 Launch of Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa s Agenda 2063 during the January AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; BOC/ Calendar 20-21 January January Cost estimation ($) 120,000-1.3 Involvement of partners and stakeholders in the implementation of the Theme (ECA, UNWOMEN, UNICEF, UNDP, ILO, FAO, Japan, Turkey, China, India, League of Arab States, ASA, Korea, ) 1.4 Men s Forum on women s empowerment and nutrition(can be also a capacity building workshop on gender perspective and its importance) /all Dpts January- December TBD - 50,000 1.5 Organization of the Africa-Arab Parliamentary Women Meeting, 1.6 Evaluation of the Fund for African Women (FAW) Implementation, Meeting of the Steering Committee and Ministerial C10; 1.7 Organization of the joint AU-Commonwealth Ministers Meeting in merging of the 59th CSW Meeting, 1.8 Organization of Dinner for Head of States and Government, AUC Chairperson to debate Theme; /Intern al Audit Dpt Chairperson Office/WGD D BOC/ February January- September 13-15 March 90,000 20,000 60,000

PRC/2(3-) Page 6 WORKPLAN Sub-themes Events and activities Responsible department 1.9 Women in Parliament (WIP) Summit 1.10 Organization of the 2nd High Level Panel on Gender Equality and Women s empowerment to review progress and synthesize lessons for way forward; BOC Calendar January 23-25 March Cost estimation ($) 120,000 1.11 Organization of the 2nd Forum of Turkey-Africa Businesswomen to explore business opportunities for African women entrepreneurs; 1.12 Organization of the 1st Session of the STC on Social Development, Labour and Employment, with substantive agenda items and papers on female domestic workers, women in the informal and rural economy, older women, and girls and women with disabilities; /DEA/ DTI Social Affairs March April 70,000 150,000 1.13 The July AU Summit and Pre-Summit, which theme will focus on the Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa s Agenda 2063 BOC/ June 2. Women and Agriculture, Food Security and Environment; 3. Women and Peace and Security; 2.1 Focus on Women in the Informal and Rural Economy, July Extraordinary Summit Programme on Employment, Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Development; 3.1 High level Panel discussion on the gendered dimensions of fragile states AUC-AfDB 3.2 Fund raising to support the Fund for African women for DSA/DREA July PSD/AfDB March

PRC/2(3-) Page 7 WORKPLAN Sub-themes Events and activities Responsible department the quick impact projects on women in conflict and post conflict countries and countries affected by Ebola Calendar Cost estimation ($) 4. Women and 4.1 Assess education accreditation and applied science Education, Culture, and enforcement of sanitation facilities for the girl child, with Science and special focus on education facilities for students in the 9-18 Technology; year old group. 5. Women and Health; 5.1 Organization of the 1st Session of the STC on Health, Population and Drug Control with substantive items on Maternal, New-born and Child Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, African Women incarcerated in prisons world-wide for drug trafficking; HRST Social Affairs April 6. Women and regional integration 6.1 Consultation on the AWD and FAW assessment at national, regional and continental level; June 150,000 6.2 Organization of the Africa-Arab Parliamentary Women Meeting; BOC/ February 10,000 6.3 Capacity building workshop on strengthening AU organs, RECs AND MS on gender mainstreaming in their programs; /REC s/ms October 150,000 6.4 At regional level, REC s will take lead to organize events on the theme. Member States will be also sensitized and supported to organize events on Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa s Agenda 2063. RECs/MS/W GDD TBD 10,000

PRC/2(3-) Page 8 WORKPLAN Sub-themes Events and activities Responsible department 7. Women s human rights and Gender-based violence (Because GBV can be social, economic, and/or political and these all violations contribute to violate women s human rights.) 8. Women and media: How to mainstream gender equality and women empowerment in African s media (getting the balance right: awareness) and how to specifically involve African women journalists in the implementation of Agenda2063 s priorities Calendar 7.1 Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the UNSCR 1325 PSD/ October 8.1 An awareness and advocacy campaigns will be launched throughout the year targeting various audiences at continental, regional and national levels; 8.2 Development of tools, brochures, publications, materials on women s empowerment and gender equality ICD ICD TBD TBD Cost estimation ($) 10,000

PRC/2(3-) Page 9 9. Cross-cutting 9.1 Organization of a Consultation with Ministers of Gender parallel to the Gender Pre-Summit on Gender, January ; BOC/ 22 January 80,000 9.2 Joint consultation AU and UNWOMEN with Ministers on UNRSC 1325 + 15; BOC/ /UNWOMEN 23 January 9.3 Mid Term assessment of the African Women Decade (AWD); January- April 90,000 9.4 Meetings of the Steering Committee for the Fund for African Women; 9.5 Development of the Compendium of the SDGEA reports of Member States; February and July January- May 75,000 15,000 9.6 Organization of regional debate on the 6 themes of the SDGEA; January- December 5,000 9.7 Celebration of the International Women Day; 8 March 10,000 9.8 Organization of Ministers of Gender and Women s affairs consultation in merging of 59th CSW Conference 9.9 Organization of the 1 st STC on Gender to debate on theme and sub-themes and formulate declaration for consideration by the AU Policy organs; 9.10 Capacity building workshop for countries that have never report on the SDGEA, 9.11 Development of tools, brochures, publications, materials on women s empowerment and gender equality BOC/ March May TBD January - December 35,000 95,000 30,000 20,000