African Feminists Strategy Meeting: Financing for Development (FfD) & the Post 2015 Development Agenda

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Nyaguthii Maina/FEMNET

Globally, governments from both the North and South have come to a succinct realisation through the soon to be expired Millennium Development Goals that collective efforts are required in achieving gender parity for now obvious reasons: 1) it is a human rights issue; and 2) it is one of the surest measures for poverty reduction, inclusive growth and prosperity. This realisation can be seen as reflected in the soon to be adopted Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 which envisions achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls universally.n From 6th to 8th May, FEMNET, the Post 2015 Women’s Coalition and the African Women’s Development Fund organised a meeting in Nairobi (Kenya) to convene passionate feminists from across the African continent to strategise on a transformational agenda for women in Africa in the context of Financing for Development (FfD) and the Post 2015 Development Agenda. The meeting discussed a myriad of topics: from transforming women’s structural location in Africa’s Development, to alternatives beyond poverty reduction & inclusiveness narratives, to systemic challenges in Africa’s Transformation Agenda, to critical assessments of relevant development projects for Africa women and girls, to regional trends, shifts and priorities in post 2015 development agenda and tax justice, to name but a few.

“A transformative agenda if not backed with adequate resources seizes to be implementable,” echoed Ms. Dinah Musindarwezo from FEMNET as she opened the workshop. Her sentiments were shared across the room and Ms. Sarah Mukasa from Africa Women’s Development Fund challenged women to better understand and be more present in the macroeconomic discussions impacting the critical areas of their work – with the upcoming Financing for Development conference providing an opportune platform to do so.

As W.E.B Du Bois put it, “In this world there is no force equal to a woman determined to rise.”nread more