CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN WOMEN'S DAY IN CAPE VERDE

AFRICAN WOMEN'S DAY African Women's Day has been celebrated on July 31 since 1962 at the African Women's Conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The celebration was marked by 14 countries involved in 8 national liberation movements. During the Conference, a pan-African women's organization was created. Its main objective was to discuss the role of women in the different spheres of society and the continent, where they could share their experiences and unite their efforts for female emancipation. As we discuss the approval of the parity law in our country, the role played by women in the development of the country and the African continent as a whole must be strengthened. In Cape Verde, the presence of women in the National Assembly in the last legislative elections from 2011 to 2016 increased, there was not only a slight increase in the presence of women: from 21% of identical women parliamentarians , it was possible to advance to 23.6%. and 29.4% women deputies and councillors, respectively. It should be noted here that full parity has only been achieved in 2 of the country's 22 municipal councils (Praia with 44.4% and Brava with 60%). In addition, at the executive level, while women held ministerial positions occupied by women, their number decreased by 50%, but the representation of women in the presiding tables of the Municipal Assembly was modest (13, 6%) and no women were elected. elected mayor. At the level of girls' education in Cape Verde, data from the 2015-2016 Yearbook of the Ministry of Education indicate that the country has secondary schools in all 22 municipalities, attended by 50,890 students and 26,429 girls. The total number of elementary schools is 412 schools nationwide attended by 62,808 students out of these 30,130 are girls. Enrollments in public and private higher education in 2015/2016 amounted to 12,622 students, including 7,491 girls and 5,131 boys. Overall, on the African continent, the countries at the top of the ranking with the best rates of participation of women in politics, we have Rwanda in first position, and participation and economic opportunities in position 30. Then we have Namibia in ranks 10 and ranks 12 in economic participation and opportunity. South Africa ranks 19 in women's political participation and 91 in economic participation and opportunity. Worst African countries in the ranking, we have Mali with position 143, followed by Morocco and Mauritania with 137 and 136 respectively. In terms of participation and economic opportunities, they are in position 130,140 and 141. (Data taken from the gender gap report, Global Gender Gap 2018). We also have other African countries like Burundi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique that also show pretty amazing rates. The ICIEG urges all women on the continent to fight for an Africa with fairness and equality, not only in terms of women's political participation, but also in the sector of empowerment. We must join forces to bring about real change that will, in fact, impact the future of girls and women on this burgeoning continent.