R 070623Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1170
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
NSC WASHDC
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 001815 
 
 
AF/FO, AF/RSA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SOCI AU
SUBJECT: USAU:  APRIL 9-11 AFRICAN UNION CONSULTATIVE 
MEETING ON WOMEN AND GENDER 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  From April 9-11 the African Union (AU) 
Consultative Meeting on Women and Gender met in Addis Ababa 
to review a framework paper to be subsequently endorsed by 
the AU Council of Ministers as the definitive AU statement on 
gender policy and gender mainstreaming.  Subsequent to the 
meeting the Women Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD) 
decided to postpone presentation of the policy from July 
until the January 2009 AU Summit to allow for refining the 
document.  Deliberations at the ministerial level are 
scheduled for August.  The draft document, as a statement of 
principles outlining the cross-cutting problems facing women 
in Africa, is a coherent document, although implementation of 
the articulated principles remains illusive, as does 
mainstreaming women's and gender issues into other foci of 
national, regional and AU policy commitments.  The document 
shows clearly that the AU's member states and the various 
regional entities aligned with the AU have different policies 
and priorities when it comes to mainstreaming women's issues, 
and that the variance of attitudes and approaches makes 
agreement on a single policy and approach difficult.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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BACKGROUND 
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¶2.  The driving concept for the Consultative Meeting on Women 
and Gender is the need to "mainstream" gender issues in all 
entities, policies, and programs of the African Union 
Commission (AUC), and to integrate the same concepts in the 
programs of AU member states.  Noting that of the poor of 
Africa, sixty percent are women, that gender discrimination 
in education is widespread, and that women face socially 
sanctioned violence, the participants underlined that the 
African Union's (AU) Constitutive Act and its Statutes 
mandate the AU ensure the mainstreaming of gender in all 
programs and activities, with a view to empowering women and 
bringing them into the economic development paradigms of the 
continent.  Given the mandate, the AU created a Women Gender 
and Development Directorate (WGDD) under the Office of the 
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) to be the 
implementing arm of the AUC for gender issues.  In practical 
terms this means the WDGG reports to the Chairperson of the 
Commission, not to the Commissioner for Social Affairs, 
although the Commissioner for Social Affairs takes an active 
interest in gender issues. 
 
¶3.  The WGDD, prior to drafting the framework paper under 
discussion, held regional meetings, completed a Gender Audit, 
and developed a Five-Year Gender Mainstreaming Strategic Plan 
(GMSP).  In collaboration with the UNIDEP it piloted courses 
on gender responsive economic policy and produced a handbook 
of best practices in mainstreaming gender.  The First AU 
Conference of Ministers in Charge of Women's Affairs and 
Gender, meeting in Dakar in October 2005, adopted reporting 
guidelines for gender issues. The first draft gender policy 
was prepared in 2007.  Because it failed to address certain 
critical issues and provide a framework, a redrafted policy 
paper, the subject of discussion at the April 9-11 meeting, 
was prepared. 
 
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GENDER POLICY DOCUMENT 
---------------------- 
 
¶4.  The draft gender policy document sets the target date of 
2015 for inserting gender issues in all AUC organs.  It also 
couches gender equality in the greater context of human 
rights.  However, the WGWW faces an uphill battle to obtain 
adoption of the policy, as the regional economic communities 
(RECs) as well as individual countries, have disparate 
approaches and a plethora of cultural practices and legal 
provisions that impact directly on women's rights.  One of 
the first step forward is engaging with RECs and individual 
states to develop a common understanding on gender issues, 
and subsequently to begin the process of building capacity to 
implement programs that address gender issues.  Ironically, 
the disparity of practice and attitudes toward gender is 
evident in the various Commissions and organizations within 
the AUC and the AU itself.  Political will, capacity 
building, legislative action, civil society involvement and 
resource mobilization  are all essential components for 
progress toward gender equality. 
 
¶5.  Among the provisions incorporated in the draft AU Gender 
Policy Document is that the AUC Chairperson will give an 
annual report to the Heads of State at the Summit on progress 
with gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment.  In 
addition, the Commissioner will ensure that the AUC, its 
institutions and its organs adopt a common strategy for 
promoting women's empowerment.  Further, the Commissioner 
will work with all institutions and organs to develop a 
regional gender action program for funding, will hold 
managers accountable for its implementation and will 
establish sanctions for non-compliance. 
 
¶6.  COMMENT:  The Adoption of an African Union Gender Policy, 
when it comes, will be a significant step forward.  The women 
who participated in the Consultative Meeting do not 
underestimate the task that lies ahead, first in gaining 
endorsement for the policy, and then in implementing it.  One 
encouraging dynamic during the meeting was the almost 
universal recognition that mainstreaming gender issues 
involves making visible women's roles in the full range of 
economic and social activities, an approach that is 
predicated on building alliances rather than tackling 
adversaries.  END COMMENT. 
 
YAMAMOTO