Sustainable Development in Africa Will Not Be Achieved Without Women ’s Full Participation

Gina Din visits a UNFPA supported maternal and child health facility in Migori County, Kenya. Photo Credit: Gina Din GroupBy Gina DinMIGORI COUNTY, Kenya, Aug 8 2016 (IPS)In some parts of the world, the proverbial “glass ceiling” is shattering. As Theresa May and, most likely, Hillary Clinton join Angela Merkel at the leadership of three major world powers, women’s leadership in politics is on the ascent. Unfortunately, improvements in political representation has not been accompanied by improvements in the material conditions of ordinary women’s lives.As the National Honorary Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Kenya, I am well aware of just how far women in Africa still have to go not only in their quest for access to political participation, but also in the fight for the basic rights that will enable them to live healthily and safely. In fact, the advancement of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights is key to achieving their full and equal participation in the social, political, and economic realms.The good news is that this is now a widely accepted truth: the pursuit of gender equality is not just an abstract ideal, but a prerequisite for human progress.Throughout the world, UNFPA has been working to change the narrative about the role of women. UNFPA’s message has been that the roles that men and women play in society are not biologically determined, but socially constructed. This means that these roles are man-made and can b...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Africa Democracy Development & Aid Economy & Trade Gender Headlines Health Human Rights Inequity opinion Poverty & SDGs Women & Economy Women in Politics Women's Health Source Type: news