Celebrating Women Around the World on International Women’s Day

PRESS STATEMENT
African Union Youth Assembly-AUYA
Headquarters
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Feb 28, 2023

On International Women’s Day, the African Union Youth Assembly is proud to join the global community around the world in celebrating the achievements and contributions of women and girls from around the world, while simultaneously recognizing the barriers they continue to face.

The African Union Youth Assembly stands firm in its longstanding commitment to the advancement of gender equity and equality and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity.Today, the world is facing several significant challenges that disproportionately impact women and girls, including the climate crisis, the ongoing socio economic and humanitarian emergencies and conflict in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Yemen, and in so many other places, including the significant curtailment of the rights of women and girls in Africa.
AUYA recognizes that in order to adequately address these pressing challenges, we must focus on the needs of women and girls, and ensure they are empowered participants in all sectors of life. That is why we are proud to launch a continental project budget Campaign of approximately $2.6 Million for assistance programs that promote gender equity and equality continental wide.

Additionally, AUYA is taking several concrete steps to formalize and accelerate policy efforts to promote the rights of women and girls around the globe, including through the first-ever AUYA Continental Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality. This strategy formalizes gender equity and equality as primary Continental policy and national security priorities for the Africa. In celebration of International Women’s Day and our time-honored commitment to advancing the status of women and girls, We are proud that today, the Women and Children Department of AUYA announced the awardees of the 2023 African Women of Change (AWOC) Awards.

The African Union Youth Assembly -AUYA remains deeply committed to supporting women and girls’ economic security, preventing and responding to all forms of gender-based violence, increasing their access to health, education, justice, human rights and equality under the law, and humanitarian relief, advancing women’s political leadership and decision-making in all areas including addressing climate change and security challenges, developing science and technology, and promoting democracy. To our 2023 African Women of Change and all the courageous women and girls around the world, We thank you for your strength, leadership, and efforts to make the world a more just, peaceful, and free place for us all.