Opening of the Conference of Ministers in charge of Gender and the Advancement of Women

Libreville (Gabon Republic), May 25, 2023– It is in a room full to bursting and stormed by the members of the government of the Gabonese Republic at the head of which the Prime Minister, Head of Government Alain Claude Bilie By Nze, les corps constitués nationaux et internationaux, entendez par là, les dirigeants des institutions de la république, régionaux et internationaux, le corps diplomatique accrédité en République Gabonaise et la société civile, que Madame Sylvia Bongo Ondimba wife of the President of the Gabonese Republic Ali Bongo Ondimba and godmother of the event was received to preside over the solemn opening ceremony of the works of the Conference of Ministers in charge of Gender and the Advancement of Women of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), organized by the Government of the Gabonese Republic and ECCAS in partnership with UN Women and the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa(UNOCA), under the theme: “Building a Common Agenda in Central Africa for the Promotion of Women’s Rights and Their Empowerment”.

Five speeches were delivered during the opening ceremony, namely:

– The speech of the Gabonese Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals, Mrs. Antoinetta Ndembet;

– The speech by Ms. Florence Raes Regional Director ai of UN Women for West and Central Africa;

– The address of the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), HE. Abdou Abarry ;

– The speech by the President of the ECCAS Commission, His Excellency Gilberto Da Piedade Verissimo;

– And the opening speech of Mrs. Sylvia BONGO ONDIMBA.

Of the five interventions, we can retain the clear desire to build an inclusive society in which women and men enjoy the same rights and contribute to the development of the region and the continent,

The work of the Conference will be punctuated by, on the one hand, plenary sessions with presentations by experts followed by discussions and, on the other hand, by testimonies given by resource persons whose interest is deepen the reflection on the progress made, the difficulties encountered and the effective strategies to be built. draft common agenda to be submitted to the Heads of State and Government of ECCAS at the next ordinary summit of Heads of State.

The Conference is open to different profiles including: Ministers in charge of gender and the advancement of women, experts, representatives of civil society, the network of women mediators of ECCAS, the network of women journalists of ECCAS , the network of ECCAS women entrepreneurs, resource persons, academics, representatives of vulnerable populations such as the disabled, religious and customary leaders as well as technical and financial partners and other personalities from other regions of Africa and the world.

During the opening ceremony, a film illustrating the will of the Gabonese government as well as that of its civil society to serve as head of pellets in this fight for the total emancipation and equality of men and women , was screened before the family photo that served as the highlight of the opening ceremony.

The work of the Conference of Ministers in charge of Gender and the Advancement of Women of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) will last three days.

Automatic translation