The AllAfrica Media Group will celebrate International Women's Day this year with a high-profile event, the AllAfrica Women's Agenda Forum (AWA 2023), to debate the role of women in securing the continent's food resources and combating poverty.
The formal theme of the meeting, to be held from March 7 to 9 in Rabat, Morocco, will be "Food Sovereignty and African Women". It takes place as Africa, in addition to facing the Covid-19 crisis, is weighed down by the war in Ukraine and climate change.
Women play an essential role in building African food systems but are increasingly exposed to poverty. The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, more commonly known as UN Women, says the gap between men and women in the cycle of poverty is widening, a phenomenon referred to as "the feminization of poverty".
Women and girls, who represent nearly 50 percent of the economic workforce in developing countries, are key actors in guiding our societies towards sustainable development. They are called upon to play a crucial role in managing the consequences of climate change and achieving food and agricultural self-sufficiency.
In consequence, AWA 2023 will provide an opportunity, through the various panels it will convene, to show how women can and do contribute to securing food sovereignty and resilience, thus improving the quality of life of Africans.
The forum will challenge political decision-makers, international organizations, civil society and the private sector to involve women and girls in their sustainable development strategies, in particular to enable women to access land and funding.
This meeting in Rabat is also intended as a platform to stimulate solutions for the promotion of community development in Africa by relying on the leverage of women. It will focus on the need to secure food sovereignty by pursuing agricultural policies that lift the continent out of dependence on external actors.
On the sidelines of the forum, there will be a Women's Entrepreneurship Fair that will allow women from different backgrounds not only to exchange experiences, but also to showcase their know-how. A gala evening to present the AllAfrica Women's Leadership Awards will also introduce participants to the culinary diversity of Africa.
AllAfrica Global Media and its partners will also invite African activists and young entrepreneurs to a session called "They Inspire", which will showcase women entrepreneurs who have contributed significantly to the promotion of sustainable development.
