The forum was opened with an arousing appeal from the Gambia's Vice-President, Mrs. Isatou Njie-Saidy, said UN-ECA in a press release sent to ENA.

“What is required now is ACTION”, Mrs. Njie-Saidy told the approximately 800 participants at ECA headquarters in the Ethiopian capital.

“Women out there are waiting” she added, “they have waited too long and we can not fail them!”

The Gambian leader also stressed the importance of including men in the battle for women's rights.

“We can not address the issue of women without addressing men”, she noted.

“Otherwise we will be marginalized and we will fail. We have to look at both sides of the coin to be fair. We must also remember that, as we point a finger at the men, three fingers are pointing back at us,” she added.

Message from Her Royal Highness, Sylvia Nagginda, Queen of the Buganda Kingdom in the Republic of Uganda was also heard.

Queen Sylvia's statement focused on issues of gender equality and women's empowerment and the role of traditional leaders in promoting reproductive rights and health, the statement said.

R3:00-3:10 PM

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