Women at the Core: Minister Kirimat Highlights Role of Women

Casablanca, September 23, 2025 – At the sidelines of the Investment Round Table in Casablanca, Dr. Marthe Augustine Kirimat, Minister for the Promotion of Gender, Protection of Women, Family and Children of the Central African Republic (CAR), emphasized that women must be at the heart of the country’s development agenda. She underlined how both the Round Table and the National Development Plan represent a critical opportunity to advance women’s rights and equality.

Women as Half the Nation’s Potential

In her remarks, Dr. Kirimat recalled the demographic and economic importance of women for the Central African Republic: “Women in our country make up more than half of the population – 50 percent. The development of the CAR cannot succeed if women are not empowered, strengthened, and protected.”

This statement aligns with the broader goals of Ambition28, which seeks not only to accelerate economic growth but also to ensure inclusivity and equality as core drivers of sustainable development.

Two Flagship Projects: Infrastructure and Protection

The Minister presented two flagship initiatives designed to directly support women:

• A gender-sensitive infrastructure program, ensuring that new public facilities and services address the specific needs of women and girls.

• A comprehensive program to combat violence against women, including prevention, protection, and support services.

Representation and Empowerment

Looking ahead to the next years, Dr. Kirimat outlined her ministry’s strategic objectives. Central among them is improving the representation of women in decision-making bodies. While the national quota is set at 35 percent, this goal has not yet been achieved. “We want this rate of representation to increase – in Parliament, at the local level, and across all decision-making bodies,” she explained.

Beyond representation, the Minister stressed the importance of women’s economic empowerment and their contribution to human capital development, positioning women as active drivers and a pivotal part of the CAR’s transformation.

The Minister’s message reflects the CAR’s broader narrative: women’s rights are a central pillar of national development. By linking women’s empowerment to economic performance, employment creation, and human capital, Dr. Kirimat reinforced the principle that equality is not just a social goal but an economic necessity.

As the Ambition28 agenda moves forward, the commitment of the Ministry of Gender and its partners will be critical in ensuring that women’s voices, rights, and potential are fully realized in the CAR’s development journey.