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, Â 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 poverty globally. An analysis of the characteristics of the population of those living in extreme poverty shows that at least 80% of them live in rural areas, 65 % of them earn their living through agriculture and 60% live in households with more than 3 children.
Research shows that women in the continent constitute the highest proportion of the unemployed, while those employed are highly concentrated in low paying positions, informal sector, casual labour, part-time, non-permanent jobs and unsafe jobs.
As such the current global response to COVID -19 may fall short in adequately covering the challenges and needs of the continentâs citizens who live in poverty with limited access to water and sanitation services, access to public health facilities, access to internet services and the option to socially distance and self-isolate in the event of exposure to the deadly virus.
The response being taken by our African governments with consultations with the World Health Organisation (WHO) takes an elitist approach at worst and at best assumes that we live in an equal world where a universal response is applicable. Their response so far is not aligned at all to the lived realities of the majority of citizens in the continent who live in abject poverty.
Social media and mainstream media has of late been awash with messages and videos of prominent global leaders and celebrities taking the handwashing challenge. However this well-meaning message could be lost on the millions of Sub Sahara Africa citizens who have no access to running water. Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from greater levels of water stress than many other regions in the world and according to the first Agenda 2063 Continental report released earlier this year , the continent sits at 56 % on aspiration which measures standard of living  and well-being for all.
Also equally worrying is the sad reality that a considerable population in the continent live in overcrowded conditions. A study done by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that at least 53 million people live in slum conditions. As such this pause serious challenges for implementing self-distancing and self-isolation in such places.
A number of organisations across the continent in the last few days started implementing remote working but what does this mean for the millions of people who earn their living through informal work. Do they like the rest of us have an option to stay at home when it means no income for them and loss of their livelihoods?
While digital platforms are playing a key role to keep citizens across the continent informed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to underscore the fact that internet access is not available to the majority of people in Africa. The digital divide in the continent falls along existing lines of socioeconomic inequality.
This year, the Graça Machel Trust will celebrate its 10 year anniversary by launching the Expanding Equality Initiative. This initiative is designed to Convene, Connect and Catalyse action for the next decade leading up to the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 deadline. The Initiative intends to build stronger partnership with all our Networks,  Partners and Donors as well as build new relationships with like minded partners who share the Trust’s vision  and can contribute towards accelerating equality for women and girls across the continent.
[1] https://worldpoverty.io (accessed on March 19, 2020)
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.