THE women’s movement has welcomed the election of South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson, with a call on her to embark on conflict resolution and poverty eradication.
Women for Change (WFC) executive director Emily Sikazwe said having a woman at the helm of the AUC brings hope for peace and stability as well as poverty eradication, which are the biggest challenges Africa is currently faced with.
Speaking in an interview, Dr Sikazwe said her organisation is hopeful that Dr Dlamini-Zuma will work hard to put these challenges to rest during her tenure of office.
“Her election is historic and it is something the whole women’s movement is happy about,” she said.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma was this week elected AUC chairperson at the 19th AU summit in Addis Ababa, making her the first woman to hold the position. She takes over from Dr Jean Ping of Gabon, who has held the position since 2008.
Dr Sikazwe hopes governments in Africa would take a leaf from Dr Dlamini-Zuma’s ascendance to the AU top job to take women’s participation in politics seriously.
Read the complete story in Zambia Daily Mail, published 21 July 2012.
THE women’s movement has welcomed the election of South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as African Union Commission (AUC) chairperson, with a call on her to embark on conflict resolution and poverty eradication.
Women for Change (WFC) executive director Emily Sikazwe said having a woman at the helm of the AUC brings hope for peace and stability as well as poverty eradication, which are the biggest challenges Africa is currently faced with.
Speaking in an interview, Dr Sikazwe said her organisation is hopeful that Dr Dlamini-Zuma will work hard to put these challenges to rest during her tenure of office.
“Her election is historic and it is something the whole women’s movement is happy about,” she said.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma was this week elected AUC chairperson at the 19th AU summit in Addis Ababa, making her the first woman to hold the position. She takes over from Dr Jean Ping of Gabon, who has held the position since 2008.
Dr Sikazwe hopes governments in Africa would take a leaf from Dr Dlamini-Zuma’s ascendance to the AU top job to take women’s participation in politics seriously.
Read the complete story in Zambia Daily Mail, published 21 July 2012.