International Women’s Day in Africa aims to encourage African countries to celebrate and highlight achievements in the area of gender equality and to reinforce the debate on women’s rights and development on the African continent. It is also an opportunity for African women to sensitize governments regarding the many constraints and barriers that limit their well-being as well as their contribution to the development of the continent.
Various issues are addressed, depending on the country, such as the elimination of poverty, the empowerment of women and girls and the reduction of inequalities within and among African countries.
July 31 is the anniversary of an important historical event where we commemorate the creation of the very first African women’s organization called the Conference of African Women (CAF), on July 31, 1962. It was during the first congress of the Pan African Women’s Organisation (PAFO) on July 31, 1974, that this date was chosen as the day dedicated to African women and their contribution to society.