Women and Sustainable Development in Africa

This International Forum was organised 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.

In attendance were 170 male and female participants from 24 countries; amongst them academicians, scientists and experts working on sustainable development and the role of women in realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa. The Forum’s official languages were French and English.

The Forum set out to highlight the central place of women’s contribution and leadership to achievement of sustainable social and economic progress, especially in Sub Saharan Africa where the role of women in development had been neglected over time. The novelty of this approach was the emphasis on the role of science in resolving issues using an African scientists’ perspective. The conference highlighted how accelerated sustainable development is possible by proactively engaging women in policy and decision-making processes.