By: Korey Rees, Student Reporter*

The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is a small but engaged subsidiary of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). They are tasked not with the passing of resolutions, but the creation of reports. These reports function as an internationally recognized position regarding the issues at hand, instrumental in the creation of succinct and fact-based resolutions produced by ECOSOC. 

Resolutions are often fraught with competing preferences and positions of States, whereas reports offer a holistic picture of the issue with room for all interpretations and State interests. In particular, Representatives Kendall Anderson and Hailey Rehman of Côte d’Ivoire shared their delegation’s goal of stressing the importance of underdeveloped infrastructure, relating to women entrepreneurship in Africa

The ECA is ideal for combining varied Member interests to produce reports, adopted by consensus as a default. States prioritize the issues that matter to them without fear that more powerful agendas will completely obscure their concerns. 

Illustrating this, the ECA engaged in 45 minutes of caucusing, with 25 delegations spreading their attention to five distinct substantive areas within the topic of bolstering women entrepreneurship. One such group addressed the impact of societal norms on women’s upward economic mobility. Côte d’Ivoire and other delegations examined how sexism and culturally-dictated access to childcare is limiting the entrepreneurial spirit of women. Representatives Anderson and Rehman look to change not the laws but the societal norms surrounding women in business, “because laws can only go so far if women don’t feel they have the power… to pursue these opportunities,” said Representative Anderson.  

Another Member addressed the importance of education, however during the Suspension of the Meeting, Members determined that education was too broad, and without missing a beat the coalition subdivided to create a dual focus on both lower and higher education. 

Working separately, but cohesively, the ECA concluded the night with a productive first session, leaving delegations feeling heard and hopeful for the future development of women entrepreneurship. 

_{The views and opinions expressed in this article were part of simulation of the United Nations held from 18 to 21 November 2023 and do not reflect the views and opinions of the American Model United Nations Conference, American Model United Nations International, LLC., *Anderson University or the governing bodies of the states mentioned in the article.}