AGENDA

The day’s program will consist of 4 highly interactive round table sessions, each with a unique theme that targets central call for action. The sessions will be hosted by a panel of experts who will spark conversations by sharing their experiences. With the facilitation of the moderator, participants will have 60 minutes to distill and identify solutions to the key issues underlying the theme. This discussion will be followed by 15 minutes of Q&A with the audience.

9.00 – 9.30am OPENING SESSION • Welcome from Cécilia Attias, Founder and President, The Cécilia Attias Foundation for Women
• Special Remarks from Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, First Lady of Gabon and President of the Sylvia Bongo Ondimba Foundation

9.30 - 10.45am ACTION FOR FEMALE EDUCATION With the recent election of Africa’s second female head of state, young African girls have no shortage of groundbreaking role models. Access to education not only means young girls are more likely to lead healthy, prosperous and safe lives, it will also foster the next generation of Africa’s female leaders. What factors keep girls from staying in school in different African communities? What approaches have been successful in increasing equal access to education? What have been the barriers to providing education to girls? Who are the key players to influence change?

MODERATOR:
Denise Epote, TV5 Monde

SPEAKERS:
Hon. Aicha Bah Diallo, FAWE and REPTA Chairperson
Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO
Elizabeth Dearborn Davis, Co-Founder of the Akilah Institute for Women
Holly Gordon, Executive Director 10x10 Educate Girls, Change the World
Etienne Massard Makaga, Special Advisor to the President, Gabon

10.45 - 11.00am Coffee Break

11.00 - 12:15pm ACTION FOR WOMEN’S ACCESS TO BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP Women worldwide have a growing presence in businesses, both as executives and owners. In Africa, women are often the drivers of the informal sector, but they still need more access to the formal sector. What can be done to tap into the huge potential for sustainable economic growth possessed by African women? How can provide better support systems to ease access for female entrepreneurs and business women?

MODERATOR:
Sade Baderinwa, Emmy Award-winning Anchor/Reporter WABC - TV

SPEAKERS:
Yomi Abiola, Activist and Journalist
Casey Cobell, EVP & Country Director Indego Africa Rwanda
Magatte Wade, Founder and CEO Tiossan
Madeleine Berre, Managing Partner, Deloitte Juridique et Fiscal Gabon
Vickie Remoe, Founder and Creative Director, How4Do Productions

12.15 - 1.50pm LUNCH AND GABONESE CULTURAL PROGRAM LES ANGES ABC: Leon Mba National High School Choir
KÔBA BUILDING: Rapper
LE CHANT SUR LA LOWE: Singing Group

1.50 - 2.15pm SPECIAL SESSION WITH THE FIRST LADIES OF AFRICA MODERATOR:
Richard Attias, Vice-President, Cecilia Attias Foundation for Women

With:
Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, First Lady of Gabon
Chantal Compaore, First Lady of Burkina Faso
Patience Goodluck Jonathan, First Lady of Nigeria
Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of Rwanda
Dominique Ouattara, First Lady of Ivory Coast
Penehupifo Pohamba, First Lady of Namibia.
Mareme Sall, First Lady of Senegal

2.15 - 3.30pm ACTION FOR IMPROVING HEALTH SYSTEMS & MATERNAL CARE The African continent has the world’s most devastating rates of maternal and infant mortality. However, African women are not only responsible for the health and wellbeing of themselves and their children – they are the caretakers of their communities as well as their families. This means they bear the greatest burden of ill health and disease of the entire population. However, women’s roles and experience as caretakers also means they have the greatest capacity to be agents of change. How can results for improved health care and disease prevention be achieved? What strategies help lower rates of maternal mortality, which is so frequently entirely preventable? How can we help effective programs grow?

MODERATOR:
Jeffrey Gettleman, NYTimes East Africa Bureau Chief, Pulitzer Prize winner

SPEAKERS:
Edna Adan Ismail, Founder Edna Adan Hospital
Dr. Amy Lehman, Founder Lake Tanganyika Floating Health Clinic
Dr. Deqo Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation
Sheila Tlou, Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, UNAIDS
Nahid Toubia, Chair, White Ribbon Alliance Sudan

3.30 - 4.00pm Coffee Break

4.00 - 5.15pm ACTION FOR WOMEN AS AGENTS OF PEACE We know that women and children are often the victims of violence – from war and civil unrest to domestic violence – they had no part in creating. However, their experiences as mothers, witnesses, and unwilling participants provide the perspective and determination to powerfully promote peace. What can women uniquely do to end cycles of violence? How can women organize as agents of peace? What are the challenges, and how can we ensure women’s voices are heard?

MODERATOR:
Richard Attias, Vice-President, Cécilia Attias Foundation for Women

SPEAKERS:
Cécilia Attias, Founder and President, Cécilia Attias Foundation for Women
Jeffrey Gettleman, NYTimes East Africa Bureau Chief, Pulitzer Prize winner
Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of Rwanda and President of Imbuto Foundation
Aminata Toure Camara, President and Founder, SILIFE
Zainab Salbi, Author, Humanitarian, Media Commentator

5.15 - 6.00pm CLOSING PANEL: PLAN FOR ACTION • Summary of the day’s accomplishments and the plan for action, Cécilia Attias
• Closing remarks by Sylvia Bongo Ondimba

With special messages from:
Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women; Former President of Chile
Cherie Blair, Founder, The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
Ruma Bose, Serial Entrepreneur, Business Executive, Philanthropist and Author
Sarah Brown, President, PiggyBankKids; Global Patron of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood
Letty Chiwara, Chief of Africa Division, UNIFEM
Angela Dean, Director, Global Business Development at Partner Africa
Amina Doherty, the Co-Founders and Coordinator of FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund
Francoise Girard, President, International Women's Health Coalition
Arianna Huffington, President and Editor-in-Chief, The Huffington Post Media Group
Jill Iscol, President, IF Hummingbird Foundation
Minna Salami, Founder, MsAfropolitan
Chouchou Namagabe Dubuisson, Co-Founder and Director, South Kivu Women’s Media Association
Ben Stone, CEO Indego Africa
Amb. Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large, Global Women's Issues