The Fourth Iteration of the Gender Cafe held in Niamey

The fourth iteration of the Gender Café was held in Niamey as a joint effort between the United Nations System and the Government of Niger. It was coordinated by UN-Women, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

This meeting, with the theme "Gender Sensitive Planning and Budgeting," sought to engage development actors in an open, inclusive dialogue about how to better include women and take into account their unique needs throughout the entire chain of strategic planning in Niger for a sustainable and inclusive development.

In particular, it focuses on stepping up advocacy and communication in support of Niger's institutionalisation of gender-responsive planning and budgeting (GRPB).

The President of the National Assembly of Niger was represented, along with the Director of the ECA Sub-Regional Office for West Africa, Ngone Diop, the UN Women Representative in Niger, Rachelle MIAN DJANGONE, the IMF Representative, and the Secretary General of the Prime Minister's Office, Mrs. Lawel Mariama Djika, who represented the Head of Government of Niger, Mr. Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, at the opening ceremony of this Fourth Edition of Gender Café.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on behalf of the United Nations System, Mr. Rasmané Ouedraogo, the IMF Country Representative for Niger, recalled that the 2030 Agenda's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) prioritise the realisation of gender equality and women's rights in a cross-cutting manner through its economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The circumstances for attaining gender equality and empowering women are the main emphasis of SDG 5, he claimed. According to the IMF Representative, member states' commitment to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment as core principles of human and sustainable development is demonstrated by their primary and unwavering pledge to "leave no one behind." The difficulties are great, but with each other's help, we can overcome them, he remarked.

The Secretary General of the Prime Minister's Office announced in her introductory remarks that numerous projects, programmes, and initiatives in Niger consider respect for gender in all of its dimensions, at both the central and decentralised levels. She provided an example from the Economic and Social Development Plan 2022–2026 plan, which uses gender and its consideration in all policies and programmes as a fundamental element.

Additionally, "Gender Responsive Planning and Budgeting" is a strategy that can successfully minimise gender inequities and boost the opportunities of vulnerable groups, particularly women and girls, according to Mrs. Lawel Mariama Djika. Before officially launching the fourth edition of the Gender Café, she pleaded with the TFPs to support this UN system initiative led by UN-Women, ECA, IMF, and UNDP.

Ngone Diop, the director of the ECA Subregional Office for West Africa, conducted a discussion on the topic of gender-responsive planning, budgeting, and engagement strategies for international organisations. The Director of ECA's Sub-Regional Office for West Africa brought up the disparities in education in Niger during this discussion. "In Niger, 60% of girls are enrolled in primary school, 14% in secondary school and 5% in high school," said Ngone Diop.