The Maputo Symposium was a MenEngage Africa event which brought together hundreds of participants, among whom academics, activists, government and UN representatives to share their perspectives and experiences in the search of ways to reach gender equality and transformation of social norms towards social justice in the continent.
The Symposium was built on from the first MenEngage Africa symposium on Strengthening Capacity of Civil Society and Government to Work with Men and Boys, which took place in Johannesburg 2009, in partnership with Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), the Commonwealth Foundation, UNICEF East Africa and the Ford Foundation. The first MenEngage Regional Symposium in Sub-Saharan Africa (2009, South Africa) led to the MenEngage Africa Declaration and Call to Action.
At the opening/launching session of the Symposium, the Swedish Ambassador praised Sweden as one of the world’s most equalitarian countries as regards gender equality and equity, adding that this tradition characterizes the Swedish society and constitutes an evident part of every citizen’s life. She also exalted the importance and relevance of Swedish support to Mozambican civil society organisations, through the Embassy’s Active Citizenship support Programme so-called AGIR for which one of the Symposium co-organizers, HOPEM, is part of.
