Report on International Forum on Women and Sustainable Development in Africa

The International Forum on Women and Sustainable Development in Africa was organized by NASAC in collaboration with the Tanzania Academy of Sciences and the French Academy of Sciences in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the French Development Agency, the French Institute for Development Research, the Sanofi Espoir Foundation and the Inter Academy Partnership.

This forum provided a platform for scientists to dialogue with and, provide evidence- informed advice to policy makers on the value of women’s participation and inclusion in national frameworks for realization of the SDGs; in particular, SDG 5 on ‘Gender Equality’.

One of the major outputs of the forum at the end of the event was a Report which was produced with input from the participants. Some of the issues that were discussed were the challenges encountered by women in caring for and educating their families; improving access to water, energy and healthy food; combating the negative effects of climate change; sustaining a growing, young and underemployed population; and contributing to the political, social and economic development in Africa.