Economic empowerment of women would end violence against women and girls
For the 2023 Women Leaders’ Consultation on Positive Masculinity, African women from all over the continent and the diaspora are gathering in Moroni, Comoros to advocate for a dramatic change in the tactics used to prevent and end all forms of violence against women and girls. The annual Men’s Conference on Positive Masculinity, which is set for November 2023, will explore alternative actions to sustainably prevent and end the scourge of violence against women and girls in Africa. The two-day meeting on October 30-31, 2023, is a pre-consultation forum, the results of which are taken into consideration and influence the discussions at the conference.
The meeting, which has as its theme “driving Commitments Towards Women’s Economic Empowerment and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls,” will look at creative and doable ways to speed up initiatives that provide women with food aid, money transfers, financing and credit solutions, support for women’s groups and networks of female entrepreneurs, and the implementation of the African Union’s demand that at least 25% of yearly public procurement at the national and subnational levels go to women. “An Africa, whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children,” is the goal stated in Agenda 2063, Aspiration 6.
A useful solution for achieving gender equality, empowering women, and combating the evil of domestic abuse is financial inclusion. According to a study conducted by UN Women and the International Labour Organization, violence against women and girls not only violates fundamental human rights, poses a serious threat to public health, and has a devastating effect on the well-being of the individual, but it also has a significant financial cost. This is demonstrated by the fact that there is a shortage of labor, that women’s productivity is lower, and that businesses suffer losses from increased absenteeism, employee turnover, and reputational risk.
In nations where there is a significant educational disparity between partners, the financial burden of violence against women is higher. According to a World Bank research, certain nations may lose up to 3.7 percent of their GDP due to violence against women.
Men must have a major role in developing strategies and taking concrete action to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls, given the societal, legal, and normative reforms needed to foster an environment that improves gender equality and women’s financial inclusion. Men have been mobilized by the Men’s Conference on Positive Masculinity to actively engage in and support the establishment of a supportive atmosphere aimed at advancing gender equality. Men’s participation, particularly that of those in leadership roles, is intended to support policy and programmatic changes in the public and private sectors that improve women’s financial inclusion and, consequently, foster more gender-equitable relationships between men and women.
However, men’s involvement in the women’s movement should be a purposeful alliance and cooperation in an accountable relationship. Therefore, the 2023 Women Leaders’ Consultations on Positive Masculinity will examine methods for addressing the root causes of violence in a sustainable manner, with an emphasis on closing the gender gap in financial and economic inclusion. This is in line with the pledges made by the African Union for the 2020–2030 Decade of Financial and Economic Inclusion for African Women on women’s empowerment.
In order to address gender inequality and violence against women and girls, the outcome will discuss current and new paths and tactics that African citizens, particularly males, can embrace and put into practice. These include enhancing women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion.
