The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), has reaffirmed its commitment to advance gender equality and women empowerment, to eliminate structural barriers that hinder progress.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Claver Gatete, UN Under-Secretary-General and ECA Executive Secretary.
Gatete spoke at a high-level interactive dialogue at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
He said Africa had made notable progress in education, political representation, and women participation in peace and security.
He,said that gender inequalities persisted, particularly in the area of women economic inclusion, the gender digital divide, and the impact of debt burdens on gender-responsive investments.
The UN Under-secretary-general emphasised the importance of legal and policy reforms.
He said this would strengthen gender laws, align national frameworks with international agreements, and enhance gender data and accountability to support data-driven policy-making.
He reiterated the need for debt relief and financing mechanisms that would free up resources for gender-responsive investments.
Gatete urged for greater financial inclusion, gender-responsive budgeting, and equitable access to capital, land and markets.
According to him, this will strengthen women’s economic resilience and leadership in climate action and sustainable development.
The event was held during the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69).
It underscored the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships among governments, civil society, the private sector, and development agencies in advancing gender equality initiatives.
The dialogue will contribute to the 2025 global review of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, guiding future policies on gender equality.
