Virtual High-Level Policy Dialogue on Gender Equality in West Africa    

Virtual High-Level Policy Dialogue on Gender Equality in West Africa    

<img class="wp-image-26263 size-large aligncenter" src="https://www.wikigender.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Documents-Banner-WestAfrica-EN_2-1024×93.jpg" alt="" width="739" height="67" />
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>From Data to Policy </em></strong><strong><em>Action:  </em></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>Tackling Gender-Based Discrimination in</em></strong><strong><em> Social Institutions</em></strong><em> </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>12 July 2021</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>2:00 PM – 4:30 PM (GMT)</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://meetoecd1.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYqc-yurD8sHtQvJMzYqn73K3Qp5wwguzkG"><strong>Please kindly register here</strong> </a></p>
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<strong>BACKGROUND</strong>

The OECD Development Centre’s Social Institutions and Gender Index (<a href="https://www.genderindex.org/">SIGI</a>) sheds light on the formal and informal laws, social norms and practices which constitute structural barriers that women and girls face throughout their lifetime, while the Africa Gender Index (<a href="https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/africa-gender-index-report-2019-analytical-report">AGI</a>) jointly produced by the African Development Bank Group and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) offers a comprehensive picture of gender equality in Africa today.

In order to address the challenges faced by women and girls, this policy dialogue, organised by the <a href="https://www.oecd.org/dev">OECD Development Centre</a>, the <a href="https://www.oecd.org/swac/">Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat</a>, the <a href="https://www.afdb.org/en">African Development Bank Group </a>and the <a href="https://www.uneca.org/">United Nations Economic Commission for Africa</a>, in collaboration with the Austrian Development Agency, will bring key stakeholders to discuss innovative policy actions and good practices. The main aim will be to build a shared consensus for an action-oriented roadmap to address gender-based discrimination in social institutions in West Africa.

This policy dialogue builds on two previous workshops that were recently organised, the first one on 27 April with grassroots organisations, civil society and research organisations, think tanks, gender experts and advocates, as well as foundations; and the second one on 29 April with national and regional policy makers, and development practitioners. Participants during both workshops identified concrete policy options to address structural barriers to gender equality based on the SIGI 2019 results.

The global outcomes of these workshops, including concrete policy recommendations and actions to enhance gender equality and women’s empowerment,<strong> </strong>will feed into the SIGI policy brief for West Africa, the forthcoming <strong>SIGI 2021 Regional Report for Africa </strong>(December 2021) and the <strong>Africa Gender Index 2022 Regional Report</strong>.

<strong>OBJECTIVES OF THE POLICY DIALOGUE  </strong>
<ol>
<li>Present the outcomes of the previous workshops, which include a set of identified challenges that constrain women’s empowerment, as well as priority policy options;</li>
<li>Discuss successful policies and programmes to overcome these challenges;</li>
<li>Build a shared consensus on a roadmap for action.</li>
</ol>
<strong>FORMAT </strong>

The <strong>High-Level Policy Dialogue</strong> will be virtual and include two sessions:
<ul>
<li>The first session will focus on ways to overcome challenges in implementing policies that address gender-based discrimination in social institutions. Participants will share successful policies or good practices in various areas pertaining to women’s human development.</li>
<li>The second session will provide an opportunity for participants to discuss and agree on a roadmap for action, based on the previously identified policy options.</li>
</ul>
Each session will include interventions from a range of speakers from West Africa on their experiences and perspectives on successful policies addressing gender-based discrimination in social institutions and improve women’s lives in relation to their health, economic and political empowerment.

<strong>SOCIAL MEDIA</strong>
Follow the conversations via <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SIGIAfrica?src=hashtag_click">#SIGIAfrica</a>!

<strong>MORE INFORMATION</strong>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.wikigender.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Concept-note-Policy-Dialogues-in-West-Africa.pdf">Concept note</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wikigender.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Agenda_12-July_Policy-Dialogue-on-Gender-Equality-in-West-Africa-1.pdf">Agenda</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.wikigender.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Room-Document_West-Africa.pdf">Room Document</a></li>
</ul>