UN Women champions gender equality at the 39th African Union summit

^{UN Women leadership at the 2026 AU Summit: DED Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda joined Regional Directors Anna Mutavati (ESARO) and Maxime Houinato (WCARO), together with the UN Women team, to champion gender equality, women’s leadership, and transformative partnerships across the continent. Photo by Tensae Yemane/UN Women.}

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 10–15 February 2026

UN Women played a prominent and strategic role at the 39th African Union (AU) Summit, advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment across key continental priorities and policy spaces.

Led by Deputy Executive Director Dr. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, alongside Regional Directors Anna Mutavati (East and Southern Africa) and Maxime Houinato (West and Central Africa), the UN Women delegation engaged with Heads of State, AU leadership, and regional partners to ensure gender equality remains central to Africa’s development agenda.

The Summit, held under the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Achieving Safe Sanitation Systems to Realize Agenda 2063,” provided a critical platform to reinforce the gender dimensions of water governance, climate resilience, peace and security, and inclusive economic growth.

Advancing gender equality in high-level policy spaces

^{Regional Director ESARO Anna Mutavati joins other directors in launching the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme 2.0  Photo by Tensae Yemane/UN Women.}

UN Women actively shaped discussions and outcomes across multiple high-level engagements, including:

• High-Level Breakfast on Financing and Reaffirming Africa’s Gender Commitments, where leaders called for increased gender-responsive budgeting and stronger financing for women- and youth-led enterprises.
• High-Level Dialogue on Ending Child Marriage and the launch of Spotlight Initiative Africa 2.0, reaffirming commitments to eliminate gender-based violence and harmful practices.
• EWA–AWLN High-Level Breakfast, highlighting progress in women’s leadership in agriculture and introducing accountability tools to track results continent-wide.

These engagements reinforced the importance of sustained investment, accountability, and political leadership to advance gender equality in Africa.

Elevating the gender–water–climate nexus

Aligned with the AU’s 2026 theme, UN Women brought a strong gender lens to discussions on water and sanitation. The organization emphasized the intersection between:

• Climate change and women’s resilience
• Disproportionate care burdens linked to water access
• Gender-based violence risks associated with unsafe water and sanitation systems
• The role of water governance in peacebuilding

This integrated approach was strongly endorsed by the AU Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, helping shape priorities for continental action in 2026.

Strengthening strategic partnerships

^{UN Women team and Lesotho Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara with her team after a bilateral meeting. Photo by Lilian Muendo/UN women.}

UN Women held a series of high-level bilateral engagements to deepen collaboration and accelerate implementation of gender equality commitments. Key outcomes included:

• Progress toward a strengthened partnership with the African Union Commission, including plans to finalize a Memorandum of Understanding and co-develop a 2026 gender framework.
• Enhanced collaboration on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), including joint initiatives and rapid response mechanisms.
• Engagements with African leaders, including the Chairperson of the African Union, to advance priorities such as ending violence against women and girls, youth empowerment, and women’s leadership.
• Partnerships with regional and international actors, reinforcing alignment across AU, UN, EU, and civil society platforms.

Supporting women peacebuilders and grassroots leadership

The Summit also provided an opportunity to strengthen engagement with women peacebuilders, particularly in the Sahel region. UN Women reaffirmed its support for grassroots initiatives focused on:

• Early warning and conflict prevention systems
• Social cohesion and peacebuilding
• Youth leadership and cross-border collaboration

Promoting women’s leadership and innovation

Through engagements with the African Union’s education and innovation bodies, UN Women advanced initiatives to expand opportunities for women and girls in science, technology, and innovation. This includes scaling programmes such as the African Girls Can Code Initiative and promoting inclusive education systems that integrate care economy solutions.

Amplifying women’s leadership voices

^{Beyond Barriers:Women Leaders Reshaping African Governance, a fireside chat Moderated by DED Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda (middle) with Namibia’s president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (Right)and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Left). Photo by Tensae Yemane/UN Women.}

A highlight of the Summit was a high-level intergenerational dialogue featuring African women leaders. The discussion underscored the importance of:

• Integrity and resilience in leadership
• Mentorship and solidarity across generations
• Inclusive governance to address climate, peace, and development challenges

The dialogue reinforced the critical role of women’s leadership in shaping Africa’s future.

Delivering results and impact

UN Women’s participation at the AU Summit contributed to:

• Strengthened policy influence, ensuring gender equality is embedded in key continental frameworks
• Increased political commitment, through direct engagement with Heads of State and decision-makers
• Expanded partnerships, fostering collaboration across regional and global institutions
• Greater visibility of women’s leadership, through high-level advocacy and communications
• Enhanced institutional coherence, through coordinated engagement across UN Women offices

A pivotal moment for gender equality in Africa

UN Women’s engagement at the 39th AU Summit reaffirmed its role as a trusted partner in advancing gender equality across the continent. At a time of both progress and persistent challenges, the Summit marked an important step in strengthening partnerships, influencing policy, and ensuring that gender equality remains central to Africa’s development agenda.