Lagos — African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson, Jean Ping, has praised "the dynamism and hard work" of African civil societies in gender mainstreaming and women empowerment on the continent.

Ping said this in an address at the opening of a two-day Conference of African Ministers of Gender and Women's Affairs yesterday in Addis Ababa.

He said capacity constraints at the AU Commission had retarded development of the AU gender policy, although this has been clearly demonstrated in the organisation's Constitutive Act and other protocols.

Ping said the final draft of the AU gender policy had been completed after extensive consultation with experts and civil society organisations.

Jointly organised by the AU and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the Conference is expected to endorse the draft before the AU Executive Council presents it to the Heads of State and Government Summit for adoption in January 2009.

"One of the main challenges facing the African continent is approaching key issues in a systematic and well-organised,

coordinated and harmonised fashion. Whether the challenge is poverty, disease, illiteracy, war, civil unrests or gender equality, it is important to approach these challenges with a clear vision, and well- developed plans and strategies on how to confront the challenges," Ping said.

Meanwhile, UNECA Deputy Executive Secretary, Lalla Ben Barka, told the conference that the Trust Fund would facilitate access to financial resources, which has been one of the main barriers to women economic empowerment.