Held on 1 October 2025 at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris, this dialogue, jointly convened by AUDA-NEPAD and the OECD/Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC), brought together representatives from government, multilateral organisations, civil society, youth and diaspora networks, business and philanthropy.
Africa and Europe are at a pivotal moment. Progress on gender equality has been made, but remains uneven, with persistent barriers in access to finance, leadership opportunities and protection from gender-based violence. These challenges vary across regions, creating opportunities for mutual learning and shared perspectives.
A critical cross-cutting barrier is the lack of reliable, disaggregated gender data. Without it, governments and partners cannot design evidence-based policies, track progress, or hold institutions accountable.
The meeting’s conclusions will feed into the forthcoming G20 Ministerial Meeting on the Empowerment of Women and the AU–EU Summit, helping shape a longer-term coalition on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Objectives
Exchanged perspectives on how Africa and Europe are tackling key dimensions of gender equality – including women’s economic inclusion, leadership, GBV prevention and other barriers to equality – highlighting both shared challenges and different approaches.
Strengthened partnerships and channelled investments towards gender equality and women’s empowerment in Africa.
