Speaking at a meeting on the empowerment of women and girls in Africa, First Lady Erdoğan said: “What we are to do for African women in need is a humane duty of ours, not a favor. That is so because human rights constitute an inseparable whole.”Speaking at a meeting on the empowerment of women and girls in Africa, First Lady Erdoğan said: “What we are to do for African women in need is a humane duty of ours, not a favor. That is so because human rights constitute an inseparable whole.”
First Lady Emine Erdoğan, who is accompanying President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on his visit to the United States for the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, hosted a meeting with the theme of “Empowerment of Women and Girls in Africa: Approaches for Building Lasting, Sustainable and Just Societies”.
“WE BELIEVE THAT THE 21ST CENTURY WILL BE THE AGE OF AFRICA”
Delivering a speech at the meeting, First Lady Erdoğan stated that she has visited nearly 30 African countries so far and that she has admired Africa’s colorful culture in each of these countries. Adding, however, that despite all this richness there is a perception about Africa that associates it with poverty, First Lady Erdoğan underlined that they, as Turkey, believe that the 21st century will be the age of Africa. Warning that so long as women are doomed to poverty and are belittled, human rights cannot be exercised in their fullest sense, First Lady Erdoğan further stressed: “What we are to do for African women in need is a humane duty of ours, not a favor. That is so because human rights constitute an inseparable whole.”
“TURKEY DOES ITS UTMOST IN ORDER FOR AFRICA TO REACH THE LEVEL OF PROSPERITY IT DESERVES”
Underscoring that the Africa initiative Turkey launched in 2005 continues with the efforts of NGOs and businesspeople as well as through new dialogue channels, First Lady Erdoğan said: “Turkey does its utmost in order for Africa to reach the level of prosperity it deserves. In particular, we make plans for women according to their needs that vary from one region to another. We have three main starting points, which are meeting fundamental needs, consolidating social status and improving economic conditions.”
Also present at the meeting were Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his wife, the African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security Bineta Diop, the UN Development Programme Administrator Achim Steiner, UN Women’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa Izeduwa Derex-Briggs, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Fatoumata Ndiaye, Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar’s wife, Minister of Treasury and Finance Berat Albayrak’s wife and the spouses of some African countries’ leaders.