9.1. Issue Analysis

9. YOUNG WOMEN’S MOVEMENT

Objective 10 of the AWD aims to energise the African women’s movement, and to mentor young women and men leaders and professionals, both in Africa and the Diaspora.

9.1. Issue Analysis

Young women in Africa metamorphosed during the Decade, and their voices became louder. At the start of the Decade, the young women’s movement was close to non-existent, and the voices of young women and girls were not necessarily part of the larger women’s movement within the continent. Significant challenges, such as representation and participation, were not being considered. Most young women who did not hold positions of power were denied an opportunity to influence policy-making processes and ensure the inclusion of their unique issues within the larger movement. In Africa, young women and girls aged 15–35 make up over 40% of the continent’s population and will, with the right investments in education and health, position Africa to reap a demographic dividend. Over the Decade, Africa experienced a rise in young women’s organising themselves and exercising their voices to challenge inequalities and oppressions.

Among the objectives of the AWD, the AU and its Member States is a special focus on mentoring youth (men and women) to be champions of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Notably, Objective 10 of the AWD aims to energise the African women’s movement, and to mentor young women and men leaders and professionals, both in Africa and the Diaspora, to be champions on gender equality and women’s empowerment.2186

AU Agenda 2063 recognises that the development of the continent relies on its people, especially women, youth and children. Aspiration 6 of Agenda 2063 calls for an Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children.2187 State Parties should therefore invest in the people in both economic and social development terms in order to improve their developmental index. Results confirm that Africa is failing to achieve its full growth potential because a sizeable portion of its growth reserve – women – is not fully utilised.2188 The AU has been at the forefront in investing in young people, especially the young women’s movement, in an effort to harness the demographic dividend through different

initiatives. The fact that 65% of Africa’s total population of over 1 billion people are below the age of 352189 presents both opportunities and challenges, and points to the need to empower youth by defining and developing the right political environment and raising young people’s socioeconomic status.

During this Decade, the AU developed programmes and policies geared towards ensuring that the continent benefits from its demographic dividend. These include the African Youth Charter, the African Youth Decade Plan of Action, the Malabo Decision on Youth Empowerment and the Saleema Initiative, which aim to galvanise political action to accelerate the elimination of harmful practices. The AU Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy, in its fourth Pillar of Leadership, emphasises the importance of women’s voices and visibility in key decision-making processes, and also challenging the status quo. 2190 In its outcomes, the Strategy emphasises the importance of women and girls exercising agency at home, in the community and in public spaces.

In 2018, the AU appointed Aya Chebbi as its Youth Envoy to advocate for African youth interests in AU decision-making bodies. As a young woman Pan-African feminist, Aya Chebbi is known for her work of mobilising youth for change and advocacy. She has founded one of the largest Pan-African youth movements – Afrika Young Movement – among other initiatives. Her appointment signalled that the AU was ready for a new, more profound way of designing and implementing youth programmes on the continent. It also showed the importance of young women’s leadership and recognised their strength and contribution to the development of the continent.