The sixth edition of the Women Deliver (WD) Conference held in Kigali, Rwanda has ended with a commitment to continue the pursuance of creating safe spaces for women and young girls to succeed.
Thousands of individuals from diverse backgrounds, including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), representatives of Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, adolescents, and media professionals took part in the event.
At a press briefing to announce the end of the conference, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of WD, Dr Maliha Khan, said when women and girls are supported with funding and the right resources, they have the potential to challenge harmful norms, push for institutional and legislative reforms and transform their communities.
She said “Over the past five days we have had meaningful conversations on what we need to do for women and girls globally. We must now put our words into action. This conference has reminded us not only of the barriers, but also the achievements that have been made and so I hope everyone walks away from the conference carrying this sense of achievements and hope based on commitments that have been made.”
Throwing more light on the outcomes and achievements made at the conference, she said there is a new funding with an NGO called the Open Society Foundations to counter the anti-rights movement and provide financial investment into the most neglected sexual health and reproductive areas was launched.
The anti-rights movement she said was deliberating and strategising to build public support and win elections by promoting vitriolic narrative and diverting public attention away from pressing issues such as climate change, the cost of living crisis and growing inequality.
She also indicated that the launch of the campaign is to bridge the gender nutrition gap, the Kigali Call to Action: United Women and Girls Bodily Autonomy by the UNFPA to accelerate investments and actions with women-led organisations and the feminist movement at the centre, and the unveiling of the ‘Respect Women Website’, an online platform that aims to drive concrete actions to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, was highly commendable.
Dr Khan stressed that there was still so much to do because there were still many more issues to be addressed, including barriers preventing young girls and women from achieving their full potentials.
“The only way to achieve our objectives is through collective efforts. We hope that women deliver has planted the seed to strengthen our solidarity and unity now and, in the future,” she added.
WD is a leading global advocate that champions gender equality and the health and rights of girls and women in all their intersecting identities.
Partners and sponsors staged several side events during the conference to enable participants the opportunity to share information and ideas while networking with other attendees to delve into pertinent issues affecting women and how to resolve them.
FROM RAISSA SAMBOU,
KIGALI, RWANDA
