As a way of promoting WE-Care’s objectives of influencing policy and legal framework on the care economy (i.e., unpaid, underpaid, and paid care) at the regional level, WE-Care partner African Leadership Foundation (ALF) participated in the 40th Gender Is My Agenda Campaign (GIMAC) Network Pre-Summit CSOs Consultative Meeting held on the 13 to 15 February 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the margin of the 37th African Union Heads of States Assembly. This Pre-Summit offers a platform for WROs to lend their voices and advocate for gender equality, influence policymaking, encourage research and innovation, and foster partnerships that promotes gender development at regional level. The just-concluded consultative meeting addressed the African Union’s theme for 2024: Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.

During the meeting, the ALF had bilateral engagements with major stakeholders, discussing strategies to popularize the care agenda by sharing the concept and goals of the WE-Care agenda and activities at the regional level. The physical participation of ALF in this event resulted in further deepening of WE-Care’s engagements with WROs that will support in the implementation of its activities around UCDW and ensuring the Pre-Summit reflects issues around education and empowerment of women.

Photo shows (from left to right) the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, Hon. Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie; the Secretary of GIMAC Network, Mme Elisa Mbiza; the Executive Director of the ALF, Dr Olumide Ajayi at the 40th GIMAC Pre-Summit.