The Head of Advocacy and Economic Justice lead at the African Women Development and Communication Network, FEMNET, Crystal Simeoni has called for women empowerment by putting in place policies that will enable them to compete equally in existing markets to contribute the economic growth.
Speaking at the 3rd African Feminist Macroeconomics Academy (AFMA) in Accra, Crystal Simeoni urged women to challenge themselves to understand how African economies leverage private finance to know the impact on women and the linkages between global and local economies.
“We are focusing on the concept of financialization, we want women to know how African economies interact with private finance. We are trying to change the dynamics so that people do not always look at women as a sight of impact but ensure that women understand the models and frameworks that policy makers formulate to also influence conversations to put women at the table during policy formulation” she noted.
The Executive Director of FEMNET, Memory Kachambwa called for women inclusion in formulating microeconomic policies.
“When people talk about women empowerment, they usually categorize women to microfinance and financial inclusion and do not include women in macroeconomics, where most of the decisions are made. Therefore, it is important for women to understand this subject because it is put out there as very complex but yet affects our lives” she added.
A Board Member of FEMNET and an Executive Director for Women, Media and Change, Dr. Charity Binka reiterated the critical role of women inclusion in development and finance and called on journalists to champion the cause for economic transformation.
African Feminist Macroeconomic Academy was formed after a series of consultations with women’s rights groups as well as African feminist economists with a focus to increase capacity of women to influence macroeconomic policies on the continent and globally.
The academy is an intensive capacity development initiative and creates platforms for gender activists, leaders, journalists to join forces to influence policies to work for women.
About thirty-eight members from twenty-seven countries are participating in this four-day conference.
Story By: Richard Annor Amponsem
