Bujumbura:Angolan First Lady Ana Dias Lourenço urged for the development of concrete strategies to enhance women's empowerment throughout Africa. She emphasized the necessity for leaders to ensure young women have full access to education, leadership tools, and skills pertinent to the green economy.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Ana Lourenço made these remarks during her speech at the 7th Edition of the Women Leaders Forum in Bujumbura. Speaking as the vice-president of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), she highlighted the need for initiatives that prepare young women for future employment opportunities and climate resilience.
The forum, themed "Human Capital and Women's Empowerment as Drivers of Resilience and Transformation," also saw the launch of OAFLAD's "Building Resilience" campaign. Ana Lourenço advocated for integrating gender perspectives into public climate adaptation policies, emphasizing the importance of financing projects led by rural women and female entrepreneurs.
She also highlighted the importance of strengthening institutional cooperation networks across the continent to facilitate the sharing of best practices. "When we educate a girl and empower a woman, we are investing in a resource manager, a community leader, and an innovation agent, in short, a Nation," she stated, underscoring the critical role of women's economic autonomy and leadership in achieving sustainable development.
The event was attended by members of OAFLAD, United Nations partners, the Global Alliance for Vaccines (GAVI), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).
