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THE New African Woman magazine will hold the second edition of its popularly-received New African Woman Forum, NAW Forum, in Dakar, Senegal, on April 12 and 13.

The Forum will be preceded by the New African Woman Awards gala dinner, at which African women, who have excelled and left an influential mark in the past year, will be honoured in 12 key categories.

Last year’s New African Woman of the Year in Politics and Public Office, the outgoing African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, dedicated her award to: “thousands of women and men working to empower the African Woman toward achieving ‪the African Union’s Agenda 2063.”

The successful London launch in March last year, saw over 200 influential women including former Malawian President Joyce Banda, former Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ghana Hannah Tetteh, African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security Bineta Diop, and Special representative of the President of DR Congo on Sexual Violence and Child recruitment Jeanine Mabunda Lioko.

The New African Woman Forum is the brainchild of Leila Ben Hassen, general manager at IC Publications, who believes that an international media house must raise its voice for gender equality and help meet the Agenda 2063 goals.

“Although we are still a long way from closing the gender gap globally, Africa is making some gradual progress. The ethos of the New African Woman Forum and indeed of our flagship magazine New African Woman is therefore, to create a pan-African conversation with political, business, civil society leaders, key decision makers from both the public and private sectors, to discuss women’s experiences, challenges, success stories, and ultimately change the game by proffering long-term solutions to gender equity issues that impede Africa’s development. Building on the outcomes of the inaugural London event, this year we have upped the ante,” she said.

New African Woman magazine Editor, Regina Jane Jere adds: “The Dakar NAW Forum agenda is indeed packed to the rim with both powerful messages and voices, including that of the youth in our closing session: Boosting Voices of the Millennials. Ultimately, this is a unique platform of key influencers and game changers who are committed to, and are changing Africa’s developmental trajectory for the better.

“But,” she emphasises further: “We can’t keep going over and over the same issues as highlighted in the Beijing Declaration of over two decades ago in 1995. Its time to go beyond policy documents, and for all stakeholders to walk the talk.”

Public nominations for the Awards, both from Africa and its Diaspora are now open. Deadline for nominations is Wednesday, 15th March, 2017.

The winners, adjudicated by a high-profile panel of judges, will be announced at the gala dinner on April 12.

—  Mar 13, 2017 @ 01:00 GMT

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