As we celebrate Africa’s Women’s Day, a pivotal moment in African history, it’s a good time to revisit a gathering that took place in Tanzania in 1962 when women from across the newly independent nations of Africa converged in Dar es Salaam, united by a singular purpose: to create a more promising future for the continent. It wasn’t a social gathering, but a strategic assembly — the inaugural conference of the Pan-African Women’s Organisation (PAWO).
The PAWO conference wasn’t just a milestone for African women; it was the beginning of something great for the continent. A year later, in 1963, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the precursor to the African Union (AU), held its first summit in Addis Ababa. While the men deliberated on continental unity, PAWO had laid the groundwork. The courageous and determined women had set the stage for pan-Africanism, encouraging collaboration and a shared vision for a stronger Africa.
Pioneers with Purpose: Building from the Ground Up
The women of PAWO weren’t simply spectators of change; they were architects. I wonder why I had never heard of these women nor read about the PAWO conference in history books until Faith Adhiambo, the communications officer of the AU 2063 Agenda took us through the halls of the AU building, showing us images of this important meeting that has shaped the continent.
Growing up in Nigeria, we were introduced to everything the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) represents. It was one of the most popular acronyms taught in elementary schools and was nearly impossible to miss. But until I visited the African Union Headquarters, I never knew that women like Yeshi Tadesse of Ethiopia, Barkire of Niger, Lutaya Kanza of RDC, and Kamara Da Costa of Guinea Bissau, amongst others had united as founding mothers of the Pan African Women Organisation one year ahead of the OAU. These women understood that Africa’s true potential could only be realised by empowering all its citizens, especially women. Their focus wasn’t just on political independence, but also on social and economic liberation.
Forty-three years after the inaugural PAWO conference, their foresight came alive with the adoption of the groundbreaking Maputo Protocol by the AU in 2003. The Maputo protocol is a protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. It advocates for women’s rights in conflict, peace, and development – a direct echo of the concerns raised at the PAWO conference.
Today, the echoes of Dar es Salaam reverberate in the halls of the African Union. Women like Wynne Musabayana who heads communications of the African Union Commission, Leslie Richer, the AU’s Information and Communication Directorate, and Faith Adhiambo, the communications officer of Agenda 2063, are evidence of the success of PAWO’s vision. I have had the privilege of meeting remarkable women such as Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and other influential women like Minata Samate Cessouma, Carine Maro, Oby Ezekwesili, Tuyeimo Haidula, Nobantu Modise, Leyla Benhmida, Melissa Babil, and many more. These women are working tirelessly to lead the continent towards a future where gender equality is not just a goal, but a reality.
How The AU Media Fellowship is Retelling The African Narrative
PAWO is an inspiration, not just for Africa, but for the entire world. It shows us the power of collective action, of women taking their rightful place at the decision-making table, even in the face of historical disregard for their contributions. This critical role of women in the continent’s development is recognised in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and has birthed initiatives such as the AU Media Fellowship (AUMF), in collaboration with the European Union, to ensure that Africa is at the forefront of defining and telling its narrative through new and emerging technologies.
The Pan-African Women’s Organisation may have been a spark, but the fire it ignited continues to burn brightly. As Africa charts its course toward a future of prosperity and peace, it does so with the invaluable contributions of its women—those who came before us, and those who walk among us today. Their legacy rings a powerful reminder that a continent that empowers its women empowers itself, and I am proud to be witnessing it today.
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