Mlambo-Ngcuka: Progress on gender equality slow & uneven

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Board Chair of Women Deliver, sat down with CNBC Africa to discuss the progress and challenges in the fight for gender equality and women's empowerment. Drawing on the historic Beijing Conference as a starting point, Mlambo-Ngcuka highlighted the significance of establishing common standards to judge gender equality globally. The groundbreaking statement by Hillary Clinton in Beijing that 'women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights' marked a major milestone, leading governments to enact laws to protect these rights. The conference also brought attention to the rights and challenges faced by the girl child, addressing issues such as female genital mutilation, access to education, trafficking, and child marriage. Despite these advancements, Mlambo-Ngcuka expressed concern over the slow and uneven progress towards gender equality, particularly citing the pervasive issue of violence against women. Reflecting on the achievements of the Maputo Protocol for Women's Rights, Mlambo-Ngcuka acknowledged its role in preventing regression but emphasized the need for further advancements across all countries. Looking ahead to the future, she outlined the goal of Women Deliver to secure $1.5 billion annually by 2023 to support women, highlighting the persistent underfunding of women's initiatives. Addressing the underrepresentation of women in decision-making roles, Mlambo-Ngcuka underscored the importance of women utilizing their voting power to elect leaders who champion gender equality. She encouraged women in leadership positions to prioritize women's issues and persevere in the face of pushback, stressing the significance of advocating for women's rights at all levels of society.