Kigali-26 November 2019- The 4^th Global Gender Summit that was held in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital under the theme: ‘Unpacking constraints to Gender Equality’ was concluded on 27^th November 2019

The summit was attended by more than 1,200 delegates including Heads of States; President Paul Kagame of Rwanda; the President of Ethiopia, HE Sahle-Work Zewde; the African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, and the First Ladies of Rwanda HE Jeannette Kagame and HE Margaret Kenyatta of Kenya. Also in attending were representatives of the heads of state of Gabon, Mali, Senegal, Chad, and the King of Morocco and gender ministers from Niger, Somalia, Senegal, South Sudan, Tunisia, and Libya.

During the 3 days period, discussions focused on how the African continent can accelerate Gender Equality and women empowerment by scaling up innovative financing, enabling legal, regulatory, and institutional environments; and securing women’s participation and voices.

African Development Bank Group Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Dr. Jennifer Blanke, on Tuesday; told journalists that much of Summit conversation centered on growing awareness that women need to be part of the development solution.  “Women are a force to be unleashed and supported to ensure that they can really do their part in development in Africa. Women are already such a hugely important part of the development process,” she said.

Some of the key highlights that were achieved during the 2019 Global Gender Summit include:

• The launch of the risk-sharing facility for the Bank-led Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa, or AFAWA, programme  that aims at supporting the program’s three-pronged approach, which seeks to quickly close the gender gap by facilitating access to finance, providing technical assistance and creating an enabling business environment for women-led businesses to thrive.

•  Launch of 50 Million African Women Speak - a new Pan-African networking platform and web and mobile-based application to directly connect 50 million African women entrepreneurs. The platform links women to financial institutions and provides networking opportunities across Africa.
• The joint United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)-African Development Bank Africa Gender Index – a report that assesses African countries on gender equality.

The Global Gender Summit is organized by The African Development Bank, with other multilateral development bank partners. The biennial event brings together leaders from government, development institutions, the private sector, civil society, and academia.