Central African leaders are making a bold move: committing to gender equality in politics. This commitment comes after a crucial dialogue, spearheaded by International IDEA, focusing on transforming gender social norms to boost women and youth participation in leadership and decision-making. But here's where it gets interesting... The dialogue, held under the umbrella of the European Union (EU)-funded Women and Youth Democratic Engagement (WYDE) Women’s Leadership Initiative, saw key players like UN Women, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) join forces. The event took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and brought together representatives from nine Central African countries: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.
The dialogue saw the participation of key figures from the WYDE Women’s Leadership Initiative partners, including John Villiers from the European Union Delegation to the African Union, Michael Steffens from the EU Delegation in Ethiopia, Schadrack Dusabe from UN Women in Ethiopia, Desset Abebe, Program Specialist on Leadership and Governance, UN Women in Ethiopia and Jainaba Faye, International IDEA Programme Manager in The Gambia.
The event brought together 32 influential figures, both women and men, from various backgrounds including politics, leadership roles, and civil society. They explored how gender norms shape leadership and participation. Women shared their experiences of exclusion and resilience, while men reflected on traditional masculinity, opening up conversations about transformative masculinities and a shared commitment to challenging social norms.
Participants dug deep into the broader context of women's political participation, gender inequalities, and the need to change social norms. They tackled the root causes of socio-cultural and patriarchal beliefs, and the legal, political, and economic structures that perpetuate these inequalities. This included factors like social norms in families, communities, political parties, schools, and even online spaces. The goal? To find pathways for much-needed change.
In the context of the 25th anniversary of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, special attention was given to conflict and fragile contexts, like the Central African Republic, Chad, and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Why? Because insecurity and patriarchal structures often limit women’s participation in leadership. Intersectional barriers were also discussed, particularly how they affect young women, rural women, women with disabilities, and marginalized groups.
Elections were highlighted as key moments where discriminatory norms become most visible. Participants discussed obstacles faced by young women, including male-dominated political parties and unequal access to resources. This underscored the need for structural reforms to ensure fairer electoral processes.
A significant part of the dialogue focused on violence against women in politics. Participants shared accounts of gender-based violence, including harassment and intimidation. The discussions also shed light on technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and how digital spaces often amplify inequalities.
The dialogue also explored the role of men in transforming gender social norms and advancing gender equality. Discussions focused on strategies to encourage men to actively participate in all spheres of life.
The dialogue concluded with reflections on lessons learned and commitments. These included personal efforts to challenge harmful social norms, institutional initiatives to support inclusive practices, and community-level actions to strengthen gender equality advocacy. The dialogue ended with a renewed sense of purpose and a strong call to promote inclusive and representative governance across Central Africa.
What do you think? Do you agree with the focus on transforming social norms? Are there other critical factors that should be addressed? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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