The First Lady Jeannette Kagame has called for inspiration from the youth in the fight against beliefs and norms that are against women in society. She was speaking on Wednesday, November 25 during a high-level continental dialogue organized by the African Union Office of the Youth Envoy in commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The meeting looked at among, other things, launching the Africa Young Women’s Manifesto, a political document that sets out critical issues of concern for Africa Young Women and making demands for addressing them. The manifesto presents 10 demands in regard to the welfare of women, compiled after consultations from over 1500 young people from 45 African countries. Among the demands of the manifesto is equality in employment, jobs with dignity, paid work, paid internships and paid maternity leave for women without discrimination. It also demands the criminalization of gender-based violence in all its forms including femicides, rape, female genital mutilation, early and forced marriage as well as gender discrimination especially for women in vulnerable settings. The manifesto also calls for efforts to ensure that women are treated with equality before the law. It demands universal access to essential sexual and reproductive health rights and services, mental health services that understand women issues better, and inclusive equitable and quality education; digital justice and protection for women from cyber-harassment and sexist language among others. Speaking to the participants of the event that took place virtually, Mrs. Kagame said the ten demands spelt out in the manifesto highlight “the universal principals of equality and non-discrimination” and should be clearly integrated within society and communities. “As a mother and grandmother young at heart, I feel you. I feel that this dialogue today is not only timely, it is essential,” she said, adding; “We need inspiration from you the youth to dismantle these detrimental beliefs and norms and we must also challenge the fact that gender equality is yet to be achieved.” She reminded them that critical areas of concern that put African young women and girls at a disadvantage continue to be linked to poverty, inequality of economic opportunity, as well as exclusion from decision making. “Why should we, in 2020 which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action continue to accept the fact that globally women aged between 25 and 34, are 25 per cent likelier than men to live in extreme poverty, that men still control more than three-quarters of seats in parliament around the world, that girls and women continue to be subjected to female genital mutilation?” she added. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) is an agreement signed in 1995 by 189 governments in Beijing – China setting out a comprehensive guide to understanding and combatting the key barriers to gender equality in the world. Speaking about the Africa Young Women’s Manifesto, Aya Chebbi the AU Youth Envoy told the participants of the online event that its demands “need to be acted upon concretely and not merely discussed.” Among other speakers at the event was Kate Hampton CEO of the Childrens Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) who emphasized the importance of amplifying the voices of girls and young women as change-makers. “The world is in a much better place when the voices of young women and girls are heard and held in respect, and sometimes I wish they were running the place,” she said.
