- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – President of the Republic of Liberia
- Joyce Banda – President of the Republic of Malawi
- Catherine Samba-Panza – Interim President of the Central African Republic
There is progress here and there on the continent regarding women's rights . We must go much further to ensure greater gender equality in Africa. It is not just a matter of justice....When women take their rightful place at the negotiating table, in the parliament and in leadership positions across society, we can unleash Africa’s enormous potential..." UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
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Source: Premium Times
President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged by the Federal Capital Territory Women, Peace and Security Network, WPSN, to leverage on the United Nations Security Resolution, UNSCR, 1325 and increase the number of women that would be serving in his administration.
Source: The Namibian
The Namibian Defence Force (NDF) wants to consist of at least 30% women and so maintain Namibia's pioneering status in the creation of the United Nations Security Council's Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Source: Pambazuka News
The mass violation of rights of women in Africa necessitated the creation of a legal framework that would unmistakably spell out their rights and advocate for protection of those rights by African states. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human Rights and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), better known as the Maputo Protocol, was 'birthed' in response to this call. It became the first women's rights legal framework for the protection of women rights in Africa.
Source: allAfrica
Seychelles President James Michel has described the African Union (AU) summit and its theme for this year in Johannesburg, South Africa as an opportune time for all the Heads of State and Government to put in place specific programmes that will empower women across the African continent in all aspects of development as well as moving forward by putting people at the centre of development.
Source: Seychelles News Agency
The Seychelles President James Michel has stressed the importance of active participation of women towards achieving economic development in Africa.
Michel made the statement when addressing his African counterparts and other delegates gathered at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Sunday for the 25th African Union summit.
Source: The Africa Report
The number of seats held by women in various parliaments around Africa is inching upwards. A few weeks after she was sworn in as Malawi's first female president, Joyce Banda travelled to Liberia in late April 2012 to meet President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who has occupied Liberia's highest office since January 2006. Glowing in African attire, both leaders bantered like sisters during a press conference.
Source: Shanghai Daily
The chief of the United Nations women's agency on Sunday said the agency is partnering China to raise the gender-sensitiveness of infrastructure investors in regions where women's welfare lack sufficient protection.
For many years women have feared to contest in elections. That comes due to various reasons which hinder back their courage.
Source: All Africa
Africa may stack up pretty well compared with the world's regions on having companies with female board members, but the continent has a distance to go to make sure its strong economic growth includes its most talented women at the top, according to the first-ever study of female board membership in Africa, unveiled during the World Economic Forum Africa, by the African Development Bank, commissioner of the study.
Source: Times Premium
Only six out of the 109 senators who will serve in the 8th National Assembly are women, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Source:AllAfrica
In the late 1990s, the United Nations defined its third Millennium Development Goal as the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.