Africa's economic future depends on role of women

By Editor

 Economic changes in recent decades have shifted traditional power structures and witnessed the emergence of concepts that emphasize gender equality. It is acknowledged that across the continent, ....
women play a pivotal role in agricultural production, rural economy, household-level nutrition and the reduction of rural poverty. Therefore, the promotion of African women and their access to finance plays a key role.

 

 The Africa we want gives room for greater innovation and stronger leadership to involve the full potential of men and women, young and old.

 

If women had the same access to productive resources as men, they could increase farm yields and raise agricultural output enough to lift 150 million people out of hunger.

 

 To create the necessary scale, one of the ways  our country’s banks should do is through building and capitalising on women's technical and financial capacities to harvest their dividend.

 

 In essence, it is an African that provides a thriving environment for women and men to engage equitably in enterprise and public service delivery, and where no African men and women face institutionalised insecurity. 

 

Africa's recent growth has failed to translate into meaningful job creation and the broad-based economic and social development needed to reduce poverty and inequality. Although agricultural growth is a critical driver of inclusive growth and poverty reduction, Africa's agriculture sector and agribusinesses are underperforming. Africa also has the highest prevalence of undernourishment in the world, with one in four people undernourished.As part of the African Development Bank's continuing efforts to address these challenges, and in solidarity with the African Union's declaration of 2014 as the Africa Year of Agriculture and Food Security. The key recommendations included the need to practice agriculture differently and innovatively and to engage in agriculture as a business and not only as a means to reduce poverty. This implies taking strong commitments to improve environmental impacts and protecting natural resources.

 

The African continent should  put into uses its resources fairly and is fully engaged in finding domestic solutions for its people. For we believe that  believes that  the first and most important thing is that African people - men and women - have to join hands to continue building on their capacities. 

 

To that end, the strategies should  aim  to tackle gender inequality through economic empowerment, improved legal and property rights and generating knowledge pertinent to gender equity.

 

In the same vein out banks and other financial institutions  should  look to strengthen the economic foundations that empower women and equip them with skills and knowledge so that they can take advantage of economic opportunities. 

And that our banks should support  efforts to grow viable women-led businesses and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MsMes) , and capitalise on the important role women have in managing natural resources and the environment.

Agenda 2063, the African Union's vision for the next 50 years, looks to ensure a continent that is integrated, peaceful and growing, but also where no one is left behind be it men or women.

 

 Business as usual will not get us to the Africa that rewards talents, creativity, and entrepreneurial vigour from both sexes.

We therefore feel that it is imperative that African states invest seriously into gender equality.