African women’s socio-economic rights take center stage at continental workshop in Accra
Stakeholders call for urgent reforms in extractive industries to address gender inequality, reproductive health gaps, and systemic marginalization
A two-day continental workshop on the socio-economic rights of African women, with a special focus on women in extractive industries, opened on Thursday September 25, 2025 in Accra, Ghana, with calls for stronger legal enforcement, increased funding, and urgent policy reforms to address persistent gender-based disparities across the continent.
Organized by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in partnership with IPAS Africa Alliance and GIZ, the event brought together representatives from African Union institutions, civil society, development partners, and government agencies.
Speaking at the opening session, Hon. Janet Ramatoulie Sallah Njie, Vice-Chairperson of the African Commission and Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, emphasized that despite the existence of progressive legal frameworks, millions of African women remain trapped in poverty and excluded from the benefits of economic development—particularly in resource-rich regions.
“The extractive sector, while a driver of economic growth, has too often become a source of deep harm and structural injuries for women across our continent,” she said.
She noted that limited access to education, health services, employment, and protection from gender-based violence continue to be defining features of women’s experiences in mining and oil-producing communities.
“You cannot talk about economic and social rights without talking about the rights of women,” she added. “Poverty has the face of a woman.”
Sallah Njie called for universal ratification and implementation of the Maputo Protocol and urged member states to also ratify the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, which has so far only been signed by six countries.
Ms. Sophia Gallina, Head of the AWARE Project under GIZ at the African Union, reiterated Germany’s commitment to feminist development cooperation, stressing that gender equality in the extractive sector is critical not just for Africa’s growth but for global development.
“Persistent disparities demand solutions that are as bold as they are nuanced,” Gallina said. “Closing the gender gap in economic participation is essential for building resilience.”
She also referenced recent studies by UN Women and the African Center for Economic Transformation, which underscore that women’s exclusion from economic decision-making remains a major obstacle to inclusive growth.
Mr. Erick Mundia, Programme Officer at IPAS Africa Alliance, speaking on behalf of the regional director, warned that extractive industries continue to expose women and girls to unsafe environmental conditions, limited healthcare access, and violations of reproductive rights.
“Women’s reproductive health, bodily autonomy, and environmental safety are being compromised,” Mundia stated. “It is time we examined who is included in development and who is left behind.”
He called for legal and policy frameworks that recognize women as both rights holders and agents of change, and urged attendees to build community-led solutions that prioritize reproductive and development justice.
Participants at the workshop discussed a range of issues including access to sexual and reproductive health services, environmental degradation in mining areas, women’s representation in resource governance, and state obligations under continental human rights instruments.
The event also served as a platform for solidarity and knowledge exchange among grassroots women leaders, regional experts, and policy actors.
In her closing remarks, Sallah Njie reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to supporting women’s rights defenders and ensuring that corporate and state actors are held accountable for violations in the extractive sector.
“Development that undermines women’s rights is not development—it is exploitation,” she said. “We must move from reflection to action.”
The workshop concluded with a collective call for tangible outcomes that lead to institutional reform, adequate resource allocation, and enforcement of rights for women affected by extractive industry activities across Africa.
Source:Joseph Wemakor
