International Women's Day 2013 - The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum

"International Women’s Day is a day of celebration and a day of challenge, often rolled into one. In realizing how far we have come towards ensuring genuine equality of opportunity for women as for men, it becomes clear how far we still have to go."

"To ensure that they get the best education possible – quality education – to enable us to increase the level of our participation, particularly among women in our society at all levels, to ensure that we become more competitive nationally and regionally. My message is to continue to pursue aggressively the skills, the education, the capacity that will make Africa as competitive in the world as any other region." Read more

Women make up more than half of the African population. The African Development Bank recognizes this and supports the important role of women on the continent both in the projects and programs it finances, and the contributions of its own female staff. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we pay tribute to a few female Bank staff members, who dedicate their time and energy to the institution and to Africa. It was impossible to do a portrait of each and every one, but here is a selection of a few women leaders, who inspire us on a daily basis. Read more

African Development Bank operations have had a profound impact on women’s lives in Africa. Several successful examples from various education, employment, microfinance, social protection and health projects indicate that women and girls have better access to services and opportunities that have led to reductions in gender disparities and improvements in gender outcomes including women’s participation and empowerment. Read more

Alleviating poverty through entrepreneurship is a key tool for economic empowerment of women in Africa. Women represent over half of Africa’s population and have the potential to transform economies into thriving enterprises. Women entrepreneurs and leaders are the key pillar of an inclusive, private sector-led growth in Africa. Read more

International Women’s Day is an opportune time to remember the importance of women in assuring the economic future of the continent. It is impossible these days to imagine a prosperous and egalitarian Africa without their full integration in the job market. Read more

The African Development Bank is financing a ground-breaking initiative in Tunisia – Souk At-tanmia – with the goal to foster youth employment, particularly in disadvantaged regions that are struggling with high levels of unemployment in the aftermath of the revolution. Read more