By Byron Adonis Mutingwende
Originally posted on spikedmedia.
MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA | 31 July 2025 (IDN) — The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) precinct in Midrand, South Africa, was transformed into a powerful stage for women’s voices and visions during the Pan-African Women’s Day commemoration held under the bold theme: “Women Driving Africa’s Economic Justice and Innovation: Advancing Reparations through Enterprise.
Hosted by the PAP Women’s Caucus and presided over by its president, Hon. Amina Tidjani Yaya, the event brought together key political leaders, civil society representatives, development partners, and innovators from across the continent. Attendees included Chief Fortune Charumbira, President of the Pan-African Parliament, Hon. Mariam Djimet Ibet, Vice President of Chad’s National Assembly, Prof. Margaret Kumar, member of PAP’s Committee on Trade, Customs and Immigration, and Ms. Amanda Mvimbi, Project Manager at UN Women South Africa Multi-Country Office (SAMCO).
A Platform for Justice and Enterprise
In her welcoming remarks, Hon. Amina Tidjani Yaya emphasized that African women are not mere observers of continental policy—they are “pioneers, architects and actresses of Africa’s social, political, and economic awakening.” She underlined the urgent need to advance economic reparations as a tool of justice and transformation, particularly through female-led entrepreneurship and innovation.
“This commemoration is not simply ceremonial,” she stated. “It is a call to action—a call for economic systems that reflect equity, reparative justice, and inclusive innovation driven by African women.”
She further affirmed the strategic significance of officially approving the Pan-African Women’s Caucus within the Pan-African Parliament, framing it as a vital step in institutionalizing gender-responsive policies across African legislative frameworks.
Economic Reparations Through Enterprise
The gathering highlighted how entrepreneurship can serve as a vehicle for economic reparations, especially in the context of historical injustices endured by African women. Women entrepreneurs across the continent are already innovating in agriculture, digital technology, and regional trade integration, despite persistent structural barriers.
Key objectives identified by the Women’s Caucus included:
- Advancing economic reparations through policy and practice
- Promoting women-led enterprises as engines of structural transformation
- Positioning African women at the heart of reindustrialization and innovation
- Integrating gender-sensitive economic agendas into national public policy
- Mobilizing development partners and private sector actors as champions of change
- Creating platforms for shared entrepreneurial models and policy dialogue
Justice, Land, and Leadership
Hon Yaya reiterated that economic justice cannot be achieved without gender justice, pointing to the unequal access women continue to face in land ownership, education, political participation, and security. She recognized structural violence—not only as a human rights issue—but as a major constraint to Africa’s economic potential.
“No country can prosper with only half of its population empowered,” she warned.
The event also served as a staging ground for legislative innovation, with a commitment to harmonizing national laws that promote women’s economic participation. The PAP’s draft Model Law on Gender Equality and Equity, currently under development, is expected to reinforce women’s access to finance, legal protection, and institutional support.
Voices of the Continent and Diaspora
The presence of women leaders across diverse fields—from trade and technology to academia and public service—was a powerful testament to the transformative potential of African women. These panelists offered not only insights but also practical strategies for aligning continental economic goals with grassroots realities.
Hon. Yaya closed with a tribute to African women in both urban and rural settings, saluting their “remarkable resilience and daily work—in the fields, markets, homes, and institutions.” She described them as “living symbols of a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Africa.”
A Collective Vision for Inclusive Development
The commemoration made a call to action for legislators, policymakers, private sector players, academics, and development agencies to place African women at the center of economic transformation. From enabling laws to responsive budgets and innovative financing, the message was clear—Africa’s future hinges on the empowerment of its women.
“When a woman has access to economic opportunities and control over resources,” Yaya said, “she actively contributes to her home, her community, her country, and the world.”
In his address, Chief Fortune Charumbira, President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), delivered a powerful and unfiltered message to parliamentarians, delegates, and dignitaries gathered at the PAP headquarters in Midrand, South Africa.
Chief Charumbira, never one to mince words, turned his address into a rallying cry for increased women’s representation in African leadership, particularly in legislative bodies, warning that Africa is shortchanging itself by keeping half of its population on the sidelines.
“Out of 10,000 parliamentarians on the African continent, only 2,500 are women,” he declared. “Yet women make up 52% of our population. That’s more than 5,000 voices missing from the lawmaking process. It is a grave demographic injustice.”
No More Excuses: The Time for Gender Parity is Now
In his direct and often humorous style, Chief Charumbira challenged long-held cultural justifications for the gender gap in leadership.
“Don’t blame culture. Rwanda is a rural country too, yet 68.7% of their Chamber of Deputies are women, and 58% in the Senate. What is stopping the rest of us?” he asked, drawing enthusiastic applause.
Other countries followed with statistics of their own: South Africa reported 46% female representation in Parliament and leadership roles in both chambers. Namibia proudly shared its 50% representation, backed by constitutional reforms, and Senegal announced it had reached 41%, the highest in West Africa.
Despite these pockets of progress, Charumbir Chief a made it clear that most of Africa lags behind, not for lack of competent women, but because of enduring structural and social obstacles.
The Power of African Women is Proven – Now Let Them Lead
Chief Charumbira went on to dismiss the myth that women are less capable leaders.
“From kindergarten to university, I have seen girls outshine boys — even in electrical engineering. Women are not inferior. The problem is opportunity and recognition.”
He praised women’s behind-the-scenes leadership in churches, homes, and communities, noting that they often perform better in managing large groups and enterprises but are overlooked in formal employment structures.
Pan African Parliament: A Parliament of Action, Not Words
As Africa charts a course toward sustainable development and inclusive governance, Chief Charumbira’s speech cut through ceremonial pleasantries with a stark truth: the continent cannot prosper when half its population is underrepresented in decision-making.
With clear challenges issued to both male and female leaders, his message was as urgent as it was empowering: the future of Africa depends on unlocking the full potential of its women, not tomorrow, but today. [IDN-InDepthNews]