It well known that, advancing women’s rights has positive social and economic benefits for society at large.  As the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon notes, “when women are denied the opportunity to better themselves and their societies, we all lose.” It is also in recognition that, women and girls across Sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately affected by poverty, ill health and lack of economic opportunities to advance themselves.  With regard to HIV, in Sub-Saharan Africa, women aged 15 – 49 years account for 61 percent of prevalence and new infections.[1] In 2008, Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 91% (of the 1.4 million) pregnant women living with HIV worldwide.[2] 

Despite these challenges, thanks to the tireless efforts of women activists, and their allies, there are many victories we should be celebrating on this International Women’s Day toward the advancement of the equal rights and opportunities of women.  African governments strongly committed themselves to addressing obstacles to the advancement and empowerment of women by signing numerous protocols and declarations, such as the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women; the Beijing Platform for Action, the Maputo Plan for Action for the Implementation of the African Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Continental Policy Framework and the Millennium Development Goals among others.

Importantly, beyond a policy or rhetorical focus, resources are being allocated to women’s issues. These include President Obama’s administration’s explicit Women Centred Development Approach to its new Global Health Initiative – the 1st time that the United States has ever championed a women-centred approach; the Global Fund’s landmark decision to reprogram resources from Round 8 and Round 9 towards PMTCT for 10 priority focus countries, 8 of which are in Eastern and Southern Africa. This is in addition to UNFPA”s Campaign to Accelerate the Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa, the UN Secretary-General’s Campaign “UNiTE to End Violence Against Women”, the UNAIDS Executive Director’s push around the virtual elimination of vertical transmission from mother to child by 2015 and most recently the launch of the UNAIDS Action Framework on Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV.

However, in order to ensure that women and girls are able to exercise their full rights, there is a critical need to address issues of gender based violence, equality and non-discrimination in all areas; and further ensuring and promoting the full participation of women and girls, so as enable them to claim their rights. We need to build the capacity of women’s organisations and women to be aware of their rights, and the various protocols that guarantee these rights. We need to ensure that existing policy instruments are actually ratified, domesticated and implemented, in part by addressing the cultural and attitudinal barriers that block the advancement of women.  Women organisations need the knowledge and capacity to be able to access the funds that are now being made available.

We need to address parallel legal systems, and customary laws that violate women rights, especially as it relates to property upon the death or dissolution of marriages. In addition, there is a need for decisive action against violence and defilement of children; and the rape of women. It is totally unacceptable, that there is virtually no recourse to support for victims of violence within our countries and that often times, justice systems focus solely on catching perpetuators of violence and not on providing comprehensive support to victims, including access to Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) and psycho-social support.

Finally, now more than ever, we need to focus on the practical and concrete actions, that each and every individual can take towards the ensuring the advancement of women and girls, within their own families and their communities.  Change starts with us.