The East African Community will join the rest of the world in marking the 2018 International Women's Day on 8th March , 2018. The event will take place at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The
International Women’s Day is held annually on March 8 to celebrate
women’s achievements throughout history and
across nations. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for
Women’s Rights and International Peace. The UN drew global attention to
women's concerns in 1975 by calling for an International Women's Year.
The
International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on the progress made in
women’s rights, to call for change, and
to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who
have played an extraordinary role in the history of women’s rights. The
theme for the International Women’s Day 2018 is
Press for Progress; Planet 50-50 by 2030.
As provided for in Articles 121 and 122 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC, Partner States have undertaken various
efforts to enhance the Role of Women in Business and Socio-Economic Development.
The
EAC Partner States recognise that women make a significant contribution
towards the process of economic transformation and
sustainable growth and that it is impossible to implement effective
programmes for the economic and social development of the Partner States
without the full participation of women.
To
this end, the EAC has put the inclusion of women and girls at the
centre of development programmes with Partner States ensuring
affirmative action, constitutional and legal reforms, development of
national gender policies; institutional mechanisms for implementation
and accountability; economic empowerment measures, and sector-specific
policies.
The EAC Secretariat is therefore committed to have a Community where women can participate as equal partners, decision
makers, and beneficiaries in the development of their societies.