Launch of the call for expressions of interest in the Campaign  African Cities in Favour of the Economic Empowerment of Women

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The Network of Locally Elected Women of Africa (REFELA) brings together women members of political bodies responsible for the governance of cities and regional authorities in Africa. REFELA was launched in Tangier, Morocco in March 2011. It is headed by an Executive Board of fifteen members representative of the five sub-regions of Africa and includes national chapters which are gender equality commissions of national associations for local authorities, members of UCLG Africa.

REFELA works for the development of female leadership in African cities and local communities and the definition and implementation of local policies and strategies in Africa. For its 2019-2021 triennial agenda, REFELA decided at its General Assembly (November 2018-Africities 8) to continue work on its three campaigns: 1. The campaign for African cities without street children; 2. The campaign for African cities with zero tolerance of violence against women; 3. The campaign for African cities for the Economic Empowerment of Women.

This call for expressions of interest is addressed to leaders and councils of cities and local authorities in Africa, inviting them to voluntarily join the campaign, African cities for the economic empowerment of women.

II.INTEREST IN THE CAMPAIGN OF AFRICAN CITIES IN FAVOUR OF THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

To highlight the scope and interest of this campaign, the REFELA team have developed a framework with accompanying analysis and documents:

  • The framing of the campaign emphasizes the objectives, mechanisms, stages and priority lines of action to be carried out respectively by REFELA-UCLG Africa, its partners and cities and local authorities that have joined the campaign with the support of their national associations and their REFELA country chapters;
  • The analytical report focuses on the current issues relating to the economic empowerment of women in Africa, the advances that have been made and the various constraints that women still face in the different sectors of the local and national economy. This analytical report is accessible at the knowledge site of UCLG Africa:
  • The document has an addendum on the integral profiling of African countries and the economic inclusion of women and their access to economic opportunities;
  • Other documents in preparation, such as the Tool Kit: ECO PACK WOMEN, will be made available to member cities in support of the campaign.

As a reference document for the campaign (see the article which appeared in the press review of UCLG Africa), it is clear that women need greater representation in all programs and projects targeting their communities, both politically and economically, in business and employment. Read more.

Membership forms is avialable here and here (PDF). 

Interested cities and local authorities must return the completed membership form below, signed by their respective mayors, to the REFELA Secretariat at the UCLG Africa headquarters, no later than 28 February 2021.