A determined and visionary leader, the President of Senegal, His Excellency Abdoulaye Wade believes in the promise of democratic change and in the expansion of opportunies for all people. President Wade has been a tireless champion for African unity, democratization, sustainable socio-economic development and peace-building.

A lawyer by training, President Wade is studied and taught law in France and later served as Dean for the Law & Economies Department at the University of Dakar.

Today, President Wade is leading a country that is helping to lead a continent. President Wade has consistently declared that there can be no democracy without women enjoying full rights. This exceptional President was one of the first Heads of State in West Africa to actively promote women to positions of power within his administration. President Wade strongly believes that women should be in high-level position so that they can take part in key decisions and of society. In his own worlds President Wade has said that "The fate of woman must be left up to men that would be a tremendous mistake. That would be unilateral, and I can tell you that things will go much better if we leave it to women to close the gap between men and themselves." In other worlds, the President supports that women have control over their own destinies and will carve out their own leadership paths given the right opportunities.

President Wade's campaign for the advancement of women and for equality and for equality of opportunity does not end in his own country. At the continental level, he has been a strong advocate - proposing that the African Union ensure gender equality at the continental, regional and national levels, and in all branches of government.

In July of 2002, at the Session of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Durban, South Africa, President Wade, on behalf of African women, proposed a gender parity policy recommending 50% participation of women in the leadership of AU. African Heads of State and Governments unanimously adopted the proposal and it is now stipulated in AU statutes that at least one Commissioner from each region shall be a woman.

African women, under the leadership of Femmes Africa Solidarité, wish to celebrate the initiative and dedication of President Wade and have honoured him with the first African Gender Award, on May 2nd 2005 in Dakar (Senegal).

Struggle and engagement are the leitmotivs of His Excellency Thabo Mbeki, the President of South Africa. A strong advocate for continental unity. President Mbeki has consistently used his good offices to engage in the revitalization of the continent and the advancement of the diverse peoples of Africa.

President Mbeki received his Mater's degree in economics from Sussex University and went on to pursue a celebrated career, which always had the freedom of his country as its core objective. Since his election in June of 1999, President Mbeki has enlarged the opportunities and freedom for women in his country. He is quick to point out the central role that women played in the fight for freedom against the apartheid regime and the continued importance of championing women's engagement as South Africa transforms into a truly plurastic society.

President Mbeki government has actively promoted women to high-level leadership positions. The South African government is rated 13th in the world for the percentage of women in parliament by the Inter Parliamentary Union. The government of President Mbeki has also pushed the private sector to promote women and a fuller expansion of freedom for women at their core.

The vision and commitment of President Mbeki does not stop at his own frontiers. At the continental level, President Mbeki has been a leader for gender mainstreaming accountability. He has often stressed that mere lip service to gender equality is unacceptable and that, instead, Heads of State must be responsible for tangible action. He has often stressed that mere lip service to gender equality is unacceptable and that, instead, Head of State must be responsible for tangible action. He has emphasised that the promotion of gender equality forms part of the Consultative Act of the AU, and is therefore law.

The AU, under the president of Thabo Mbeki, brought forth a considerable advancement of woman's rights in Africa, most notably with the implantation of gender parity policy in july 2003 at the AU Summit in Maputo. Five female Commissioners and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human Rights of Women in Africa was adopted. President Mbeki ensured that gender issues were truly addressed - that true gender parity was initialised.

African women, under the leadership of Femmes Africa Solidarité, wish to celebrate the vision and commitment of President Mbeki and have honoured him with the first African Gender Award, on May 2nd 2005 in Dakar (Senegal).