28-30 April 2015, Cape Town, South Africa
- Channel Africa: African Dialogue, 30 Apr Gender Summit, listen to a discussion with the experts, held during the event in Cape Town (discussion starts at 7 minutes)
The Gender Summits are about creating regional and global multi-stakeholder communities committed to enhancing scientific excellence by: removing gender bias from science knowledge making; advancing gender equality in science structures and practices; and applying understanding of gender issues to advance more sustainable and effective research and innovation.
The overarching theme of the events is “Quality Research and Innovation through Equality”. They were established in 2011 as part of the genSET project, coordinated by Portia Ltd.
Poverty alleviation and economic empowerment through scientific research and innovation:
Better Knowledge from and for Africa
Africa is the world’s fastest growing continent in terms of economy and development, with an exceptional opportunity for prosperity mainly due to our natural resources and human capital.
African researchers have the skills and capacity to produce multi-discipinary research with a potential to positively impact on African communities and society at large.
The Gender Summit Africa (GSA) aims to stimulate meaningful conversations to strengthen Africa’s research and development agenda as we reflect upon how science, technology, infrastructure, capital and skills could be used to realise the continent’s full potential for the benefit of its entire people.
A recent giant engineering achievement of note is the co-hosting of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Radio Telescope project designed to conduct groundbreaking science once completed in 2016. South Africa with eight partner countries (Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Madagascar and Mauritius) is hosting the major portion of the SKA. This raises the question of how women have and could be afforded opportunities to fully partake and make a significant contribution to this project as well as to the various sciences and to benefit from scientific advances.
WHY GENDER SUMMIT AFRICA?
Working towards a better future for both women and men, the GSA seeks to:
• Take a fresh look at gender issues in science knowledge making, in and for Africa;
• Formulate a gender policy charter for scientific research;
• Strengthen research collaborations with all stakeholders;
• Accelerate a shared responsibility of promoting gender sensitive science; and
• Promote research and innovation that impacts public policy.
The summit will provide a forum for groups and organizations across all levels of scientific research – including research beneficiaries – to address gender issues of mutual concern. This forum will be equally significant as an opportunity for exchanging and analysing experiences of conducting research in various settings where addressing gender will lead to better quality outcomes for all.
Thus, it is important that leaders, experts and practitioners in all regions can be connected and supported in the joint mission to improve science and its impact on society by addressing sex-gender issues in research and innovation process and ensure that women are the centre of scientific endeavours.
For further information, please go to www.gender-summit.com