THERE COULD HAVE BEEN NO better place to host a global gender summit than in Rwanda, a country hailed for its gender-friendly policies and majority representation of women in government.
Late last year, the rolling hills of this beautiful East African nation drew some of the most powerful women in business, politics, and life for three days to the sparkling Kigali Convention Centre to confer on some of the most important issues facing women’s advancement on the planet, and to spark conversations that would propel the African gender dialogue to the global stage.
This was the first time the Global Gender Summit was being held in Africa.
Organized by the African Development Bank (AfDB) with other multilateral development bank partners, the biennial event, held from November 25 to 27, had decision-makers from politics and policy convene under the theme, ‘Unpacking Constraints To Gender Equality’. The topics discussed ranged from scaling up innovative financing and fostering an enabling environment, to climate change, the digital revolution, and human capital development.
The private sector was also out in full force. “Women are an asset worth investing in. The political will and leadership are key when it comes to social and economic transformation. We are engaging in unlocking women’s access to finance in Africa,” said Polo Leteka, co-founder of IDF Capital from South Africa, at the summit.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame called on the men to be more conscious of gender if more developmental strides were to be made.
“Narrowing the gender gap is everybody’s responsibility,” he said at the event’s opening ceremony.
Kenya’s first lady, Margaret Kenyatta, said she has committed to supporting initiatives removing structural barriers to ensure that the rights of women and girls are protected.
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Forbes Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Forbes Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
TRACK, WATCH, BEFRIEND
IN THE PRISTINE WILDERNESS OF GABON ARE THE MAJESTIC AND GENTLE WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS. A FIRSTHAND REPORT FROM OUR TRAVEL WRITER ON WHAT GOES INTO HABITUATING THEM.
CHALLENGING BUT NECESSARY: THE AI BALANCING PROBLEM
Artificial intelligence (AI) continues transforming many industries, providing unprecedented opportunities for innovation and efficiency. However, these advancements bring complex challenges that necessitate a delicate balancing act.
BEYOND ACADEMIA: THE SOCIETAL IMPACT OF MULTILATERAL EDUCATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
The great poet William Butler Yeats once said, \"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.\"
The Business Of Dance: Embracing One's Individuality And Style
In the dynamic world of street dance, passion and perseverance pave the way for success. Living out this ethos is South African born B-girl turned businesswoman, Courtnaé Paul.
COMPASSION FATIGUE: THE DANGEROUS DESCENT FROM HELPING TO HURTING
It is a workplace reality that caring too much for your colleagues can hurt you.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN MORE CRITICAL TO FIND OUR NICHE
Have you found your niche? I received a lot of advice when I set up my company, but perhaps the most important consisted of just three words: Find Your Niche.
HOW TO MAKE AFRICA WIN OFF THE FIELD TOO
When all else fails, try sports. It's good for the soul.
BEAN THERE, DONE THAT
British author Roald Dahl tapped into every chocoholic's imagination when creating Willy Wonka's bizarre chocolate factory in his 1964 children's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN WORKING WITH AL PACINO ON BROADWAY'
Arnold Vosloo Actor
BLENDED FINANCE: BRIDGING THE GAP IN EMERGING MARKETS IN SUPPORT OF THE SDGS
Amid the widespread global support for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there was an underlying concern among economists and financial advisors in the emerging and frontier markets: public sector and donor funds were stalled, if not regressing, and the funding gap to realize the SDGs was increasing.
