We the Ministers in charge of Women and Gender Affairs of the IGAD sub-region convening in Addis Ababa to review the implementation of the overall IGAD Gender Policy programmes and to specifically examine women’s representation in decision making positions, the status new aid modalities (NAM), HIV/AIDS and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and other emerging issues in the region;
Concerned with the marginalization of women in decision making positions, the lack of integration of gender in NAM, women affected by HIV/AIDS, the low coverage of reproductive health services as well as the high prevalence of harmful traditional practices that continue to jeopardize the health and wellbeing of women in the IGAD Region;
Guided by and committed to the new IGAD strategy and to the realization of MDGs on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment;
Acknowledging the national and regional efforts to mainstreaming Gender in development policies and programs;
Inspired by the goals of the African Women’s Decade (2010-2020) on accelerating efforts towards the realization of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment;
Recognising the challenges faced in implementing gender and gender related projects/programs and address disparity in the IGAD region;
Reaffirming our commitment to the implementation of the IGAD Gender Policy and Strategy as well as all gender equity and equality principles enshrined in regional and international protocols;
Commending the progress made in the implementation of the IGAD Gender Policy and Strategy;
Appreciating and recognising the support accorded to this meeting and the gender equity and equality endeavours by the development partners;
We call upon development partners to continue their support for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment initiatives in the region, particularly we reiterate the call made in earlier declarations for UN to come on board and continue partnering with IGAD;
We therefore commit ourselves to:
• Implement the recommendations of the IGAD Gender Experts meeting of 27th and 28th November 2010 in Addis Ababa that include increasing the number of women in decision making positions, mitigating the impacts of HIV/AIDS, harmful traditional practices, low coverage of Reproductive Health services;
• Provide unreserved support for realization of the Regional Strategy for En-hancing Representation of Women in decision making positions at the level of the 50/50 share by 2015;
• Develop monitoring system to the implementation of the IGAD gender policy and operationalise the Gender Peer Review Mechanism to facilitate follow up.
• Operationalise the Resource Manual Promoting Gender Equality in NAM in Africa
Commending the efforts that have been made thus far;
We resolve to provide all the necessary support to the Gender Programme of the IGAD Secretariat
We further resolve to commit member states of IGAD to advance
• The implementation of the recommendations made earlier to institutional-ise the allocation amounting to 10% of the national budget over and above the recurrent and capital budget towards the implementation of specific programs developed in line with the MDGs
• That the IGAD Secretariat initiates a policy framework for programming on gender and climate change
• That the chairperson of this Sixth Regular Meeting of Ministers in charge of Gender and Women affairs present our joint commitments above and this Declaration to the 13th IGAD summit.
Done on November 29 – 2010,
Addis Ababa – Federal Republic of Ethiopia
Related Item
Declaration on the Enhancement of Women’s Participation and Representation in Decision Making
