Gender Equality in Law Campaign becomes a continental movement
The Institute for African Women in Law (IAWL), in collaboration with the African Union Office of the Legal Counsel (AUOLC) and the Office of the Former Chief Justice of Ethiopia, Justice Meaza Ashenafi, hosted a regional consultative and stakeholder engagement on Tuesday, 15th October, 2024. The high-level event was held at the 2500-capacity Nelson Mandela Plenary Hall at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia sponsored the event.
The event was a follow-up to the 5 July, 2024 launch of IAWL’s Gender Equality in Law Campaign (GELC), a strategic Pan-African initiative premised on Awareness, Advocacy and Activation. GELC uses evidence-based research, public advocacy, and stakeholder engagement to highlight the challenges women in the legal profession face in order to drive policy reforms that promote equitable and inclusive institutional practices while supporting women's career and leadership development.
The event commenced with welcome remarks by Professor Hajer Gueldich, the Legal Counsel of the African Union, who emphasized that:
“Today's event brings us together for a pivotal moment in the journey toward gender equality within the legal profession across Africa. The Gender Equality in Law Campaign (GELC) represents a collaborative effort between the IAWL and the OLC to create lasting change in how women are represented, supported, and empowered in law.”
Focusing on research data, Professor J. Jarpa Dawuni, Founder and Executive Director of IAWL, commented on the progress, challenges, and prospects for achieving gender equality across Africa's legal profession. Dr. Maame Efua Addadzi-Koom, Director of Training at IAWL, presented highlights of the recently published evidence-based research–Gender Equality in Law Across Africa: Is the Glass Half Full?, and the Gender Equality in Law Model Policy, a significant document in promoting gender equality,
Prof. J. Jarpa Dawuni, presented copies of the research report and Model Policy to Professor Hajer Gueldich, underscoring the crucial role of the African Union in this initiative.
Delivering a goodwill message via video, Ambassador Dr. Namira Negm, the Director of the African Migration Observatory, commented on the IAWL Model Policy, stating,
“I believe it [the Model Policy] will be extremely effective in getting more equality for women in Africa when we speak about women in law. We start by women in law because we [lawyers] are fighting for the rights of women around the continent.”
The Institute’s Women’s Excellence in Law and Leadership Academy (WELLA) was formally launched. WELLA seeks to strengthen and support the capacity of women in law through training and leadership development. Commenting on the WELLA, Justice Meaza remarked,
“WELLA will be one of the initiatives that I would like to support. In fact, over the past months, I have consulted with groups of young lawyers, some of whom are here, and with civil society groups such as the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA) on the need to enhance the leadership capacities of young females in the legal profession. When Prof. Dawuni informed me that the IAWL was also incubating a similar idea, we decided to join our efforts.”
Representing the voices of women judges in Ethiopia, Supreme Court Justice Hitmet Assefa, commenting on the contributions of women judges, emphasized,
“It's not by might nor by power, but by virtue of being born women or being born female, that we [women] are capable, competent, diligent, and ethical. So, the government and the society, for its own sake, should assign more women in the legal arena. Assigning more women in the legal arena ensures justice, peace and harmony in society.”
In written remarks shared with the audience, H.E Ambassador Fathallah Sijilmassi, the Director General of the African Union Commission, highly commended the GELC initiative while highlighting existing legal frameworks to address gender equality at the African Union level. He further stressed,
“We must ask ourselves: why do these barriers persist? What more can we do to ensure that every woman, whether she be a young law graduate or an experienced judge, can reach her full potential? The answers lie not only in our policies but in our actions, our practices, and our commitment to systemic change. This is where I issue a Call to Action to every institution, every government, and every stakeholder present here today. We must move from policy to practice. We must move from aspiration to action.”
In her closing remarks, Professor Hajer Gueldich emphasized the importance of supporting gender equality in the legal profession,
“As we conclude, I want to take a moment to reflect on the Gender Equality in Law Campaign (GELC). This initiative holds incredible promise for shaping the future of the legal profession in Africa. It’s more than just a campaign—it’s a movement. A movement toward a future where women’s contributions in law are valued equally, where barriers to leadership are torn down, and where every woman has the opportunity to thrive. Today’s discussions are a crucial step in that direction, and I am filled with optimism about the impact the GELC will have. The ripple effect of empowering women in law will extend beyond the legal profession, driving societal change across our continent. This campaign is the catalyst for a new era of gender parity, and I am confident that, together, we will turn this vision into a reality.”
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