EAC launches policy to bridge gender gap

A policy seeking to protect and promote the rights of women, men, boys and girls within the East African Community (EAC) has been launched.

Mr Abdikadir Aden, Chairperson of the Committee on General Purpose of EALA, said that the policy will look into areas of gender equality as well as protection of the youth and children.

"In most institutions and even governments, the higher we go on the decision-making ladder, the fewer women we see. This has been many times referred to as the 'glass ceiling' that keeps women from rising to the upper ranks, regardless of their (academic and professional) qualifications or achievements and in comparison with their male counterparts," Mr Aden said during the launch of the programme in Arusha, Tanzania, on Monday.

Mr Aden added that through social protection and community development, the EAC would be able to institutionalise gender strategies in the region.

POLITICS

He explained that despite various accomplishments by partner States in educating the girl child, there is still poor representation of women in the employment sector, more so in political representation.

He said that there is still misleading data and false dichotomies between targeted programme interventions and those incorporating gender issues across different sectors.

He also observed that there is lack of comparable data for tracking allocations and expenditures of resources for gender equality and the empowerment of women.

"This lack of accountability delays progress in advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls and other marginalised groups," he said.

POLICY

He, however, noted that governments at all levels are increasingly institutionalising gender mainstreaming in policies, projects and programmes.

This, he said, has led to greater recognition of the centrality of gender equality and women’s empowerment to sustainable development at both national and community level.

"With effective implementation of the EAC Gender Policy, we hope to achieve the vision of having women and men, boys and girls living a quality life," he said.

He said that the launching of a Training of Trainers programme will help facilitate effective gender mainstreaming.

ACTION

The programme seeks to enhance the capacity of staff in the EAC organs, institutions and key partner State ministries for effective policy implementation.

It also seeks to strengthen national, regional machineries and advise key policymakers to take action in designing and analysing data from a gender perspective.

"It is now our challenge to ensure that the policy is implemented, monitored and actions sustained to develop an inclusive community which guarantees equal rights and opportunities for women and men, boys and girls."

The forum was sponsored by German Development Cooperation (GIZ).

GIZ Programme Manager Dr Kirsten Focken said: “We congratulate the EAC secretariat as well stakeholders working on gender issues for the progress that has been achieved in gender equality."

“We however, take note that there is still more to be done in the achievement of gender equality as progress is hampered by inadequate resources and technical skills; conflict between statutory and customary laws; and captivity to patriarchal attitudes, beliefs and practices, Dr Focken said.