Vivacity Development, in partnership with Sam Empowerment Foundation (SEF) and The New Africa Group, has convened a high-level dialogue at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), advancing global discourse on women’s economic empowerment through inclusive legal and policy frameworks.
Held on the sidelines of CSW70, the dialogue brought together global leaders, policymakers, legal experts, and development practitioners to examine the theme: “Future of Work, Future of Justice: Strengthening Legal Pathways for Women’s Economic Empowerment.”
As lead convener, Vivacity Development positioned the event as a strategic platform at the intersection of policy, innovation, and inclusion, while its partners contributed perspectives grounded in grassroots impact, African development, and cross-sector collaboration.
Opening the session, Engr. Oluwakemi Ann-Melody Areola stressed the need to align evolving economic systems with justice.
“As the future of work evolves, justice must remain central to how opportunities are created, accessed, and sustained. Inclusive economies require legal systems that enable women’s participation, protection, and prosperity,” she said.
Dr. Gift Chidima Nnamoko Orairu of The New Africa Group underscored the urgency of building inclusive systems across Africa.
“Africa must intentionally create systems that not only generate opportunities but also protect and empower women to fully participate and thrive,” she noted.
Speaking on global workforce trends, Kiema Ogunlana highlighted the importance of aligning economic transformation with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 5, 8, and 10) to ensure equity and reduce systemic inequalities.
Discussions at the forum emphasized the critical role of legal frameworks in advancing women’s economic inclusion.
Legal expert Carol Hanlon called for stronger protections, including property rights, access to finance, and workplace safeguards, while James Barrood stressed the need for deliberate investments to enable women’s participation in emerging and innovation-driven sectors.
The multi-stakeholder dialogue explored key issues such as digital transformation and legal protection, access to capital for women, and strengthening institutional and policy frameworks.
SEF contributed insights from its community-based interventions, highlighting the need to bridge policy with grassroots realities, particularly for vulnerable populations. The New Africa Group emphasized the importance of linking policy, skills development, and access to opportunities to drive inclusive growth across Africa.
The dialogue reinforced the need for global development priorities to align with inclusive economic systems that empower women. It also underscored the urgency of designing frameworks that are not only innovative but equitable and sustainable.
Vivacity Development reaffirmed its commitment to driving cross-sector collaboration through strategic partnerships to advance inclusive and future-ready economies.
About the Organisations
Vivacity Development
A global development and innovation organisation focused on entrepreneurship, workforce development, climate action, and inclusive economic growth through strategic partnerships and scalable initiatives.
Sam Empowerment Foundation (SEF)
A community-driven organisation delivering interventions in health, education, and economic empowerment, with a focus on vulnerable and underserved populations.
The New Africa Group
An organisation dedicated to youth empowerment, enterprise development, and fostering cross-sector collaboration to drive inclusive growth across Africa.