AFRICA/NIGERIA - The key to overcoming poverty: involving African women in the economy

Lagos (Agenzia Fides) - During the Second Economic Summit of African Women, which has just ended in Lagos, after two days of work what was highlighted was the fact that the economic support to women is the key to tackling poverty and to achieve more sustainable growth in the country. Among the participants, many entrepreneurs, banks, high functionaries and activists urged the political and business leaders to contribute to the strengthening of the female figure and removing obstacles that hinder their development. Women's participation in politics is very low, it is also necessary to address issues such as education or access to health services, which continue to relegate the female figure in the background. More than half of women who die in childbirth around the world are African, in Sub-Saharan Africa women manage only 26% of small businesses. Thanks to the recent African initiative New Faces, New Voices, focused on agricultural development of the continent, the creation of a database is scheduled for the next 2 years that involve women in the fields of economics and finance. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 17/7/2012)