Introduction

The African Gender Award is a time of celebration to recognize and reward African Leaders or Government representatives, who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in gender mainstreaming and women's advancement.

It also recognizes other stakeholders from the private sector and the civil society who are designatedfrom the Award recipient country.

The selection of the recipient is guided by specific criteria and indicators designed to monitor the implementation of the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, which was adopted by the African Union in Addis Ababa, in July 2004. T he first African Gender Award was awarded to President Wade of Senegal and President Mbeki of South Africa in celebration of their work towards gender equality and gender mainstreaming in the African Union (AU).

African Gender Award 2007
The 2007 African Gender Award will be presented to Rwanda. H.E President Paul Kagame. Rwanda was elected by the Award's Selection Committee, which was chaired by Hon. Ambassador Gertrude Mongella, President of the Pan-African Parliament. The Government of Rwanda has demonstrated its commitment to promoting gender equality in a series of political and legislative reforms, which has made Rwanda an exemplary country, not only for the African Continent, but for the entire world. Rwanda is also the only country in the world that can boast 48% of women members in the national Parliament.

The African Gender Award 2007 will be presented during a Gala Dinner. The ceremony will be hosted by H.E President Wade of Senegal , who received the Award in 2005. The co-laureate of the Award in 2005, H.E President Mbeki of South Africa , and Africa's first elected female president, H.E President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia , are also expected to attend.

The civil society organisation 'le Collectif Pro-femmes/Twese Hamwe' and the private sector company ' la Banque Populaire pour la Promotion de la Femme ' will also be honoured at the ceremony.