The Africa for Africa Womenâs conference on Africaâs Transformational Leadership Summit hosted in Cape Town from the 30th of September to the 1st of October was a firm reminder that there is a lot of work that needs to be done to address the status quo that has been set by society and institutions regarding gender
 The concept of âchild marriageâ is a misleading justification of child abuse. Why do we call this harmful practice a marriage? By definition, a marriage according to Mani Shankar is a commitment between two adults with a primary purpose of leading a happy, peaceful and prosperous life amidst all the problems that may come up.
 Our Women's Economic and Social Advancement Programme welcomed new additions to their team, Nthateng Mhlambiso and Tamara Ncala who will continue the good work that the programme is already doing in supporting and building strong networks of women in their efforts to drive, influence and shape socio-economic policies in the region. We asked our WESA
Recognising women as business leaders in Tanzania    The Graça Machel Trust Interim CEO Shungu was invited to be a guest speaker at the launch of CEOâs Forum in Tanzania hosted by our very own New Faces New Voices (NFNV), Emma Kawawa, the founding director of this exciting initiative which aims to increase
 On September 20th 2019, The Graça Machel Trust Interim CEO, Dr. Shungu Gwarinda joined development partners during a panel discussion themed  What has Changed on Adolescent and Youth Sexual Reproduction Health and Rights since the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994. This took place during an event that was organised by UNFPA East and
"If we are here in solidarity, with this beauty of unity, in our pain, we have to pledge to do something" -Graça Machel at Uyinene Mrwetyana's memorial service in Cape Town  September has been a very heavy month for the Trust, South Africa, and the rest of Africa. South Africa made headlines, for
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting childrenâs rights, to carry out advocacy and action across Africa. Special focus is placed on Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia where child marriage continues to be a problem largely driven by poverty, gender inequality, harmful traditional practices, conflict, low levels of literacy, limited opportunities for girls and weak or non-existent protective and preventive legal frameworks.
Education is a fundamental right for all children, which is also a vehicle for social, economic and political transformation in communities, countries and the African continent at large. Recent studies indicate a lack of progress in some of the critical commitments aimed at improving education quality, access, retention and achievement, particularly for girls. In most African countries, girls may face barriers to learning, especially when they reach post-primary levels of education. By implementing multi-dimensional approaches to education which includes core education, personal development, life skills and economic competencies, the Trust partners with funding partners, governments, civil societies and the private sector to improve education access.
The Nutrition and Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition, (RMNCAH+N) of the Childrenâs Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescentsâ health within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda. The strategy emphasises on the importance of effective country leadership as a common factor across countries making progress in improving the health of women, children and adolescents.
Through its Early Childhood Development (ECD) plan, The Trust will seek to put into action the new science and evidence Report that was presented by Lancet Series on Good and early development – the right of every child. This will be achieved by mobilising like-minded partners to contribute in the new science and evidence to reach all young children with ECD. The Trustâs goal is to be a catalyst for doing things differently, in particular, to rid fragmentation and lack of coordination across ECD sectors. In response to evidence showing the importance of political will in turning the tide against the current poor access and quality of ECD. Even before conception, starting with a motherâs health and social economic conditions, the early years of a childâs life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.