2020 marks the beginning of the decade of action towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While progress towards the SDGs is being made globally, the rate of progression is slow-paced and risks the potential of not meeting the intended goals by 2030. This year also marks the tenth year Graça Machel Trust
  "While it is becoming apparent that COVID- 19 has become the biggest threat to modern society and our economies in the last half century, the virusâs biggest impact however, is going to be on the rights of women."  The year 2020 was supposed to be the big year for women's rights and
 "Close to 75% of women in Africa are expected to be in vulnerable employment by 2020â -The United Nations Economic Commission for Africaâs 2017.  As many governments, heads of states and social institutions continue to call for an urgent need to deal with the unprecedented and complex challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic,
 With over 190,000 confirmed cases and at least 7,894 deaths recorded across the world, COVID- 19 continues to wreak havoc not only in our everyday lives and global economy,  is set to worsen the inequality gap in Africa.  The continent is home to almost all the countries[1] with the highest rates of extreme
 Johannesburg- South Africa, 13 March: The Graça Machel Trust (GMT) welcomes the recent recognition of its Founder Mrs. Graça Machel as one of Forbes Africa top 50 Influential women in Africa!  Machel graced the cover of the March Edition of Forbes Africa and was honoured last week for her role as one of
The struggle for gender equality is more perplexing than most forms of oppression struggles in that women and men are relatives and as such one cannot exist without the other. Notwithstanding in conflict situations, we can get so consumed by our vested interests that we sometimes forget what it is for. So, what is gender
 âIf they refuse to make space for you at the table, then create your own tableâ- Graca Machel  In any setting a table may often be furniture that is overlooked as a mundane feature of the space that it occupies, it serves as a gathering place, for both people and things. If this is
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.