Browsing: Gender

The Vienna World Conference on Human Rights in 1993 was forced to address women’s rights as a human rights issues because of the violence and sexual abuse against women occurring in Yugoslavia at the time.

The Fourth International Women’s Conference was held in Beijing in 1995 made human rights and women’s participation in decision making at all levels key. One of the recommendations was for the countries to have gender desks in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies including Security Services. It cautioned against the specific establishment of Women’s Ministries as these would take gender issues to the periphery as that ministry would be saddled with all matters gender-related.

The conference also discussed the eradication of poverty, women in armed conflict and violence against women. …

For the first time in the 25-year history of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) an African woman is set to take over as Director-General. Three women were shortlisted amongst the final five and ultimately two highly qualified women made it to the final round of consideration for the top position; no woman had ever made it to this stage in the history of the institution. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala became the obvious front-runner after her South Korean rival withdrew and the US reversed its previous opposition to her taking the leadership role of the body. There may still be some impediments but the future for African women is bright! …

Canada, the world’s second largest country and the fastest economy among G7 has set aside $10 million for developing African women, and slated potential investment agreement with Ethiopia.

The $10-million contribution is to the African Union Commission for gender equality and women empowerment.

The Canadian Prime Minister (with his first visit to Ethiopia) spent the first full day of a three-day trip to Addis Ababa meeting with some of the African Union’s heaviest performers in a series of one-on-one on the sidelines of the union’s 33rd sessional meeting in Addis Ababa.

READ:Ethiopian Airline’s CEO reveals new airport underway

Canada and Ethiopia

According to the Canadian media, Global news, Trudeau said Canada and Ethiopia are about to start negotiating a Foreign Investment Protection Agreement.

Also, the Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng, who is in Africa with a trade delegation of Canadian companies, wouldn’t say how long those negotiations could take …