Reflections on International Women’s Day 2025 

Recalling Beijing: 

30 years have elapsed since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was launched at the UN’s 4th World Conference on Women, perhaps the UN’s most pivotal women’s meeting ever. I recall as a young lawyer the excitement around this event and the unprecedented attention it focused on gender equality and women’s rights. Who will ever forget Hilary Clinton (then First Lady of the United States) in her pink suit, declaring that ‘women’s rights were human rights’ and how terms such as “ the girl child” became integral to the nomenclature of the women’s movement in Africa. 

Celebrating Gertrude Mongella: 

What we often fail to acknowledge and applaud sufficiently is the role and contribution of African women to the success of the Beijing conference. Here, I wish to mention [particularly for the benefit of young African women] the exemplary work undertaken by Madam Gertrude Mongella a Tanzanian, politician, consummate diplomat and women’s rights advocate. She served as the General Secretary and Chair of the Conference playing an influential role in consensus building, negotiation and the deft management of the agenda. She demonstrated the power of African women’s leadership within the arena of international diplomacy and remains a role model and mentor for emerging African women leaders. 

New AU Convention for Women: 

The spirit of Beijing lives on in Africa. This was aptly exemplified by the adoption of the ground-breaking African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women & Girls (AU CEVAWG), by the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU Heads of State on the 17th of February, 2025. The Convention is a significant foil in the battle against the upsurge of violence and depravity against women and girls on our continent. This historic milestone was achieved through the vision and commitment of African’s doyenne H.E. Ellen Sirleaf Johnson and her peers through the African Women Leaders Network, and bolstered by the energy inherent in an unusual coalition forged between H.E. Bineta Diop – Special Advisor to the Chairperson of the AUC on Women Peace and Security; the Heads of State Champions on the Presidential Initiative on Positive Masculinity; African women activists; civil society organizations; development partners; teams of determined African lawyers, draftspersons & professionals, led by the indefatigable Madam Eva Jhala. I feel particularly honoured and privileged to have served as a member of the High-Level Reference Group on the Convention. 

Call to Action: 

So what next? Our immediate task as the women of Africa, is to raise our voices in support of the Convention, and lobby and advocate avidly for its ratification by no less than 15 member states to ensure its coming into force as soon as possible. Additionally, we must press for the Convention’s widespread domestication and implementation. Let International Women’s Day 2025 signal the commencement of this campaign!