ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (APA) – The current global financial crisis threatens the well-being of African women who comprise half of the estimated one billion African populations.

Ethiopian ‘president’ [Woyanne puppet] Girma Woldegiorgisse said this when he was speaking at the opening of the sixth African Development Forum which started on Tuesday in Addis Ababa.

Girma said the challenges which Africa is facing affect women and men differently. “The current financial crisis, for example, threatens the well-being of African women in particular, because it can thwart the ability of many African countries to promote gender equality and empower women,” he said.

He said the crisis inevitably has a negative impact on public finances and on growth and employment across the continent.

“Women are already disadvantaged in terms of employment opportunities. The combined effect of these challenges will further reduce their chances of getting decent jobs or indeed any jobs at all,” he added.

Over 500 stakeholders representing African governments, civil society, academia, media, bilateral partners, regional and international organizations are attending the forum which ends on Friday.

The forum is organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, African Union and African Development Bank.