By AFRICAN UNION

More by this Author

Gender parity can be defined as the statistical measure that provides a numerical value of men and women to ensure that each gender is represented equally and that women and men have access to the same opportunities and rights and contribute equally to every dimension of life, whether in private or public.

The African Union (AU) is dedicated to achieving Gender Parity, and it is one of the development goals of the AU and a cornerstone for achieving inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development. Gender Parity is embedded in several key legal and policy frameworks, including the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights, Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA) and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) and more.

Since its adoption in 2003, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) remains one of the most progressive legal instruments that puts forth a comprehensive set of human rights for African Women. The Maputo Protocol has contributed in shifting the trajectory on the promotion and protection of women’s human rights in Africa. Article 2 of the protocol, “Elimination of Discrimination Against Women” has specifically embedded the concept of gender parity, which states that states parties shall combat all forms of discrimination against women through appropriate legislative, institutional and other measures.

Moreover, to further strengthen gender parity internally within the institutional structures of the African Union, the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD) launched a campaign called the “Fair representation, enhanced quality”. The campaign which ran from October to November 2020, provided information and promoted engagement on key issues underlined in the Gender Parity Project 2025.

The “Fair representation, enhanced quality” campaign presented a breakdown of numerical representation of men and women in the organisation and provided updates and achievements of the Gender Parity Project as well as identifying the opportunities and responsibilities of leading stakeholders in achieving gender parity; as well as an evaluation of how the AU Member States are implementing the Gender Parity Project at the various levels.

This campaign strengthened awareness about Gender Parity and its relevance to achieving the AU's development goals, as encapsulated in Agenda 2063; specifically, building a shared understanding and individual and collective ownership in implementing Gender Parity in the workplace, encouraging staff to embrace Gender Parity, seeing its value proposition and motivating women and youth within the AU to view the organisation an employer of choice.

In 2021, the African Union through the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate will embark on another campaign focusing on external stakeholders in order to unpack and engage with the African Citizens in order to attract the best candidates across the continent and the Diaspora to join the African Union as its first employer and be in a position to contribute meaningfully to the development of the African continent through the implementation of Agenda 2063

“This campaign has been eye-opening as what I thought Gender Parity was aimed at kicking out all men from the AU when in fact it isn’t”

(AU Staff)

It is important to note that while gender gaps remain in most of the African Union Organs, at the leadership level of the AU Commission gender parity is at a 50/50 representation. The Gender Parity principle applies to the AU Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR with 53% of the staff population being female for each organisation. Though at partly 35% of the total staff population, this information demonstrates some improvements in equality and empowerment of women.

In its implementation roadmap, for Gender Parity by 2025 the AU Commission envisions the completion of the following activities:

• Fully mainstreaming of the gender parity into the AU Staff Rules and Regulations and Code of Ethics to ensure specific measures for gender parity are included. This would ensure there are gender workplace guidelines.
• Enforce administrative and punitive measures to address work place harassment
• Ensure gender supportive administrative systems are in place that allow for capacity development for women. This would also include targeted human resources processes and to develop a gender sensitive quota system for the African Union.
• Engage in targeted outreach to encourage more women to apply for the opportunities at the African Union.
• Develop a concept to operationalize a mentoring system, especially for young women
• Employing an effective resource mobilization mechanism and results-based planning.
• Ensure a functional monitoring and evaluation system that would also document reasons for departure and refusal to take AU positions.
• Establish a platform/roaster of women willing to assist new women employees settle in Addis on arrival.
• Evaluate elements of host country agreements which would limit women’s ability to join the AU.

While the progress and improvements made within the AUC in the empowerment and equality of women in the past couple of years should be celebrated. It is important to highlight that the successful implementation of the aforementioned activities would leapfrog the AU towards achieving full gender parity by 2025.

About the African Union.

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. The AU is guided by its vision of “An Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena.”  To ensure the realisation of its objectives and the attainment of the Pan African Vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, Agenda 2063 was developed as a strategic framework for Africa’s long term socio-economic and integrative transformation. Agenda 2063 calls for greater collaboration and support for African led initiatives to ensure the achievement of the aspirations of African people. Learn more about the African Union and Agenda 2063 by visiting www.au.int

The Women, Gender and Youth Directorate of the African Union Commission is responsible for leading, guiding, defending and coordinating the AU's efforts on gender equality and development and promoting women and youth empowerment.