The African Development Bank (AfDB) used the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York in March to argue that closing Africa’s gender finance gap is essential to the continent’s growth, according to a press release. Dr. Jemimah Njuki, the Bank’s Director for Gender, Women and Civil Society, led the delegation and highlighted a $42 billion financing gap facing women across Africa. The session was historic, as consensus broke down for the first time in 70 years and member states had to vote on a declaration affirming women’s access to justice, with 37 countries voting yes and one voting no. For the Bank, the gathering was less about speeches and more about advancing partnerships and turning ideas into action. The priorities were later reinforced during the Bank’s 2026 Annual Meetings in Brazzaville, held under the theme “Mobilising Africa’s Development Financing at Scale in a Fragmented World.”
Across the Bank’s engagements in New York, one message remained consistent: investing in women delivers economic and social returns. The message is central to the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy and its priorities. These priorities span expanding access to capital, harnessing Africa’s demographic potential, and building climate-resilient economies. Women make up half of Africa’s population but continue to face significant barriers to finance.
“Investing in women is not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do for Africa’s growth and resilience,” Njuki said.
A key moment of the week was the Bank’s collaboration with the African Women Leaders Network at the African Union’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations. Discussions focused on the Bank’s upcoming Gender Action Plan (2027–2031), which aims to shift its gender work from individual projects to broader, systemic approaches. Once operational, the plan will guide the Bank in tackling the barriers women face across labor markets, infrastructure, and economic policy. The Commission on the Status of Women brought together African women leaders and partners to share priorities and feed them directly into the design process.
“The future of gender equality lies in moving from fragmented efforts to coordinated solutions that unlock opportunities at scale,” Njuki said.
The Bank also advanced its partnership with UN Women, discussing ways to work together on capital mobilization, infrastructure, and support for countries affected by conflict. A related UN Women event addressed how to get money to women’s organizations working in conflict zones and fragile states, where standard banking and lending do not reach. The conversation centered on the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund and how its instruments could be better adapted to work at the grassroots level. The Bank drew on its own experience, pointing to the Crisis Response for Women and Affected Communities in Sudan project, which has reached more than 95,000 women. Support has included cash transfers, livelihood assistance, and access to essential services, linking economic empowerment, protection, and access to justice.
The Bank’s flagship initiative, Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA), was a recurring topic during the week-long conference. AFAWA is designed to help close the $42 billion financing gap facing women-owned businesses and is central to the Bank’s goal of expanding access to capital across the continent. The program is on its way toward unlocking up to $5 billion by combining capital, policy reform, mentorship, and skills development for Africa’s women entrepreneurs. To date, AFAWA has secured partnerships with more than 200 financial institutions and channeled more than $3.1 billion to women-led businesses. It stands as a tested model for how the Bank intends to scale capital flows.