Source: News of Rwanda
Rwanda's First Lady Mrs. Jeannette Kagame and six other African First Ladies and many personalities Monday 11th June 2012 met in Libreville the capital of Gabon in a one day meeting codenamed "Dialogue for Action".
The forum organized by Cecilia Attias, former wife of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and her foundation, had brought together exemplary African First Ladies who have played important roles in defending the African woman.
On the forefront of the invited guests was Rwanda's First Lady Jeannette Kagame, Chantal Compaore (Burkina Faso), Dominique Ouattara (Cote d'Ivoire), Patience Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria) , Penehupifo Pohamba (Namibia), Sylvia Bongo (Gabon) and Mareme Sall of (Senegal).
The main issues addressed during this one-day meeting included the education of girls, improving and supporting women entrepreneurs, health and women's participation in world trade.
"The African woman is the future of the continent, the face of sustainable development. Women constitute 70percent of the agricultural work force and produce 90percent of the food of our continent, yet the vast majority of them are employed in informal sectors or confined in low-skilled jobs and therefore poorly paid.
Women are more vulnerable to scourges of disease, violence and social discrimination. The causes of these evils are the low enrolment of girls, the phenomena of early pregnancies, lack of legal protection and lack of social consideration, "said First Lady Sylvia Bongo of Gabon.
Mrs. Jeanette Kagame is among three of the seven wives of African heads of state interviewed on the advice that they would give their husbands.
Responding to the question, Mrs. Kagame said "He had a mandate from the people who expect a lot from him, he should listen to the needs of his people," reported the first lady of Rwanda.
Chantal Compaore, First Lady of Burkina Faso, has meanwhile asked the presidents wives mutual help between them and their husbands.