Over the past decade, international commitments to gender equality, equity and women’s empowerment have been reaffirmed in different UN Conferences, including those contained in the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action (BPFA). The world’s leaders have agreed to take these commitments forward in the Millennium Declaration and to set targets for the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The decade following the adoption of the Beijing PFA witnessed many changes in the African continent, including the development of regional declarations and mechanisms on gender and development. The creation of the African Union (AU), which is committed to the principle of gender equality and equity, provides further opportunities for increased participation of women in national, sub-regional and regional decision-making. The AU Commission was formed on a 50/50 gender parity basis. The first Speaker of the AU Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is a woman and at least one in every five national members of the PAP is a woman. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa has been adopted. In 2004, African Heads of State adopted a Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, which obliges African States to respect normative standards on women’s human rights. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is also expected to enhance women’s human rights through the social development indicators included in its African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). However, and in spite of African women’s mobilization, advocacy, and increased representation in governance at regional and national levels, normative gains are not yet reflected in substantial changes in women’s lives.

African women, especially those living in rural communities and the urban poor, still face daunting challenges. Women’s limited access to productive resources including land, water, energy, credit, means of communication, education and training, health and adequately remunerated employment has contributed to the situation wherein more African women live in absolute and relative poverty today than 15 years ago. The cumulative effects of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, food insecurity, low economic productivity, low levels of education and the upsurge of sexual violence have left African women and girls vulnerable and with considerable challenges. Women are the most exposed to HIV/AIDS infection due to extreme poverty and their responsibility in caring for infected and affected persons. Even in countries where overall HIV prevalence is low or has been reduced, the number of infected and affected women is still on the rise. Women and girls continue to be seriously affected by gender-specific violations of their human, sexual and reproductive rights. Situations of armed conflict take the heaviest toll on women and have become increasingly marked by rape and other forms of sexual violence of which they are victims. Women and girls continue to risk death from maternal mortality with 1 in every 16 pregnancies in Sub-Saharan Africa resulting in death.

The issues highlighted above have been affecting African women for many years. Whilst it has to be acknowledged that some gains have been made in various sectors, it needs to be noted that these gains (and some of them have been quite significant) have been mostly through the efforts of non-governmental organisations. African women in particular have contributed towards the development of the continent in all spheres. They have done this through organisations, coalitions, associations, unions, faith-based networks, local, national and regional networks and through mixed/mainstream institutions. Through activities ranging from consciousness raising, advocacy and campaigns, to research and analysis, they have contributed to what is referred to a movement for social justice, equality and empowerment for women. The role of the African Women’s development Fund therefore, is to provide African women’s initiatives with financial, material and technical resources.