Human Rights of Women

The two-day conference, bringing together over 500 participants will, among other things, seek to promote parity in all African countries.

Those in attendance include government representatives, civil society activists and youth leaders from the five regions of Africa.

The conference also seeks to remind African governments about creating conditions to help women play a central role in the development.

The Dakar-based international NGO, Femmes Africa Solidarité, is co-organising the event with the Government of Senegal.

The institution's Executive Director, Dr Bineta Diop told reporters at the opening ceremony that conferees will also discuss how the donor community and other stakeholders could best push the gender agenda forward.

“We will also be looking at how to monitor the implementation of promises, laws and treaties made and signed by African leaders to promote gender parity;” she said.

Liberia, Senegal, Rwanda and Gambia have been cited as the most progressive countries on the continent in promoting gender parity.

Senegal has had a woman Prime Minister, Counsellor Mame Madior Boye, while the incumbent Vice-President of Gambia is a woman. Women make up almost three-quarters of the Rwandan parliament.

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame have been awarded the pan-African gender prize over the past four years. Liberian President Ellen Sirleaf Johnson is expected to be decorated this year.

In May 2010, Senegalese lawmakers enacted a legislation requiring political parties to ensure that at least 50 per cent of their candidates should be women for any elected office.