INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION DIRECTORATE - Media Advisory No: Date: 6 March 2024

The theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress towards Women's Financial and Economic Inclusion for Sustainable Development in Africa” underscores the critical need to prioritise economic empowerment and access to financial resources for women and girls. [...] It highlights the pivotal role that financial inclusion plays in fostering sustainable development, reducing gender disparities, and ultimately contributing to the prosperity and well-being of communities and nations across the African Union. [...] Through initiatives like the African Women's Decade on Financial and Economic Inclusion (AWD on FEI) and the Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion WYFEI 2030 Initiative and the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (SDGEA), the AU has demonstrated its commitment to advancing gender equality and women's empowerment across the continent. [...] The Financial and Economic Inclusion forum will, among others, enable the enhanced understanding of the Gender Financing Gap and offer an opportunity for participants to: • Analyse the root causes and implications of the gender financing gap in Africa, including factors contributing to women's poverty and economic marginalisation. [...] • Explore the intersections of gender, economics, and development, and the impact of systemic inequalities on women's access to financial resources and opportunities.