Fifth General Meeting

During the year under review, CAFRA held its Fifth General Meeting and acknowledged that, In an era of globalisation, widening disparity and loss of social control, women are faced with the prospect of finding common solutions and creative models to advance women’s human rights". It was necessary to attract strong and committed young women into the movement and particularly into CAFRA to carry on the struggle into the future. We also saw the need to engage in the issue of rights, care and protection of the children of the region. We needed to ensure that these children are socialised, educated and sensitised with a deeply embedded sense of respect for each sex. This is necessary to break the cycle of continuing discrimination and endemic violence in our societies.

At its General Meeting, CAFRA also noted that the various development policies do not take women’s needs into account and are in fact largely gender blind. Although there is much lobbying against this situation, change is slow, due to the low involvement of women in politics and decision-making and insufficient information on policies at government level. We commit ourselves to building the critical mass.

The Regional Committee is the highest decision making body. A new Regional Committee was elected to serve for the period 2002-2004.

The Regional Committee met twice during the period under review prior to and after the General Meeting. Staff meetings were held once per month.