Outcome ESA_D_1.2

Regional women’s movements, networks and organizations use their voice, leadership and agency to hold duty-bearers accountable for their commitments to gender equality and empowerment of women and girls

UN Women ESARO made strong progress on the outcome in 2023. UN Women's initiatives in region have focused on empowering regional women's movements, networks, and organizations to actively engage in holding duty-bearers accountable for their commitments to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. UN Women played a pivotal role in promoting women's economic empowerment through various activities. This included providing technical support at the GIMAC Youth Advocacy Training and partnering with iamtheCODE Foundation for a coding camp in South Africa. These initiatives equipped young women with digital literacy skills and fostered innovation for gender equality. In addition, UN Women ESARO engaged in capacity-building workshops, national-level meetings, and developed advocacy briefs related to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Collaborative efforts with organizations like Organization of Women in Trade (OWIT) focused on building capacity of private sector entities, women’s organizations, and businesses to drive gender equality in trade. In response to the conflict in Sudan, UN Women facilitated advocacy platforms, and technical support groups to Sudanese women. The Kampala Feminist Declaration emerged as a key outcome, consolidating Sudanese women's priorities for peace. These efforts extended to regional and international platforms, including the AU Peace and Security Council and a side event in New York at the margins of the Open Debates. The platforms focused attention to women’s participation in the peace processes identified ongoing challenges and provided practical actions and recommendations for the AU, IGAD and other key actors to enhance women’s participation and leadership within Africa, with experiences and contributions of women from Sudan. UN Women actively contributed to regional coordination efforts, exemplified by its involvement in the Africa pre-CSW68 consultations. These consultations aimed at accelerating gender equality and women's empowerment by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions. The resulting Common Position Document prioritized social and political measures, gender-sensitive financial processes, and investments in women's rights institutions. Recommendations emphasized the need for unified leadership, and strategic participation in events to amplify Africa's voice at the global level. Through strategic collaboration with the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI), UN Women has significantly enhanced its role as a thought leader in ending violence against women (EVAW). This was achieved through the development of the Africa Shared Research Agenda for ending gender-based violence (ASRA). Leveraging the influential positions of both UN Women and SVRI as key actors in Africa regarding EVAW, the ASRA capitalized on SVRI’s leadership in EVAW-related research priority-setting and UN Women’s convening and coordination roles across the region.

Regional women’s movements, networks and organizations use their voice, leadership and agency to hold duty-bearers accountable for their commitments to gender equality and empowerment of women and girls

In 2024, UN Women supported regional women’s movements, networks and organizations to use their voice, leadership and agency to hold duty-bearers accountable for their commitments to gender equality and empowerment of women and girls through monitoring implementation of Beijing and regional normative frameworks. This was illustrated through facilitating key dialogues, platforms, and coalition meetings to enhance the meaningful and safe participation ; 1) regional dialogue on feminist funding, 2) Virtual Roundtable Dialogue on EVAWG Frameworks and Accountability Mechanisms with gender experts from regional bodies, RECs, and CSOs, 3) Establishment of the Civil Society Regional Network (CSRN), 4) Beijing +30 CSO consultations , 5) Regional Women’s Forum with WPS experts on critical role in peacebuilding. Additionally, UN Women strengthened c apacities of women and youth-led organizations to engage in humanitarian work at policy, p rogramming and leadership levels . UN Women supported WPS experts in the region analyzed conflict dynamics in the DRC and Great Lakes Region, proposing gender-responsive strategies to address peace and security challenge.