On 14 March, Tekea Tesfamichael, President of the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW), addressed the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which is taking place from 11 to 22 March 2024. The brief, but enlightening, speech reviewed some of the tangible steps that are being taken in Eritrea to promote women's empowerment and equality. It also shared a few of the country's gender-related successes and achievements over the years.
The following article delves a bit deeper into both the CSW and some of the highlights of the address, offering further insights and details.
CSW and moving the agenda forward in Eritrea
The Commission on the Status of Women is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. Established in 1946 (and convening for the first time the following year), it is a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), itself regarded as one of the principal organs of the United Nations (UN).
Since its inception, the CSW has proven to be instrumental in promoting women's rights, as well as shaping - and tangibly raising - global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Membership in the CSW comprises a total of 45 states, which are elected by the ECOSOC on the basis of equitable geographical distribution.
Importantly, subsequent to winning its independence three decades ago, Eritrea has been a frequent and active participant at the CSW. It has also regularly participated in other regional and global gender-related conferences and gatherings, such as the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, and signed and ratified an array of regional and global human and gender rights instruments, such as the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which sets international standards for eliminating gender discrimination. Collectively, these actions have been key catalysts to moving the agenda forward in Eritrea with regard to gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls, and gender rights.
Micro-Credit and Savings Program represents a powerful tool
One important point touched upon during Eritrea's recent address at the CSW was the importance of micro-credit. Briefly, Eritrea's Micro-Credit and Savings Program dates back to July 1996, when it was established under the watch and guidance of the Ministry of National Development. (After restructuring, the latter is now the Ministry of Finance and National Development.) Its work began through the provision of services to just over 1,500 clients, and it extended approximately 1.3 billion Birr in loans to local citizens.
In the years since its establishment, the Micro-Credit and Savings Program has extended a total of around 4 billion Nakfa in loans, with about one million locals from across the country being recipients. A significantly large percentage of recipients have been women, including many from rural areas. At present, there are over 70,000 clients of micro-credit banks nationwide, with women making up slightly over half of the total client body. Additionally, the number of micro-credit village banks has steadily risen, now standing at about 750, with service provision extending to cover about three-quarters of all administrative areas in the country and nearly 70 percent of the nation's villages.
Through the provision of small loans and the extension of other forms of credit, the Micro-Credit and Savings Program, along with village banks, has opened up reliable access to financial services, helped raise incomes and expanded socio-economic opportunities, and promoted the financial inclusion of thousands of Eritrean women. In addition to improving their general socio-economic status, it has positively influenced women's decision-making power and greatly reinforced their autonomy, independence, and empowerment.
Further insight into women's steady rise in life expectancy
Another of the notable successes highlighted in Eritrea's address at the 68th session of the CSW was the country's steady improvement in the life expectancy of women.
According to a range of international organizations, such as the WHO, the World Bank, and many others, life expectancy may basically be defined as the average number of years that a newborn could expect to live, if he or she were to pass through life exposed to the sex- and age-specific death rates prevailing at the time of his or her birth, for a specific year, in a given country, territory, or geographic area. More simply, it can be understood as the average life span of an individual.
In terms of research and analysis, life expectancy continues to be among the most commonly used indicators for population health, human welfare, and assessing the economic and social development of a country or a region. Its significance is also reflected in the fact that it is one of the measures that comprises the UN's Human Development Index, while a large body of empirical work from around the world has compellingly shown that it is tightly intertwined with socioeconomic growth and development through a variety of pathways and mechanisms.
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For most of human history, average life expectancy has steadily increased worldwide, with improvements in health care, access to water, hygiene and sanitary conditions, decreases in disease epidemics, and improved safety measures. Today, global life expectancy is slightly over 70 years, about double what it was just a couple of centuries ago. Interestingly, women worldwide tend to outlive men, with the difference being more pronounced in more developed, wealthier nations. (This is due to a variety of behavioral, biological, and other factors.)
With specific regard to Eritrea, the life expectancy of women has soared from slightly less than 53 years at independence to about 69 years in 2021 (the latest year for which data were available), a relatively large improvement within a short period of time. Today, the country is among the leaders on the continent, and its rapid improvement has also seen it considerably narrow the once yawning gap with the world average. As with the vast majority of countries in the world, the life expectancy of Eritrean women is also higher than men (69 years compared to 65 years).
