Private sectors in Africa are more innovative and dynamic than ever before. At the same time, its youth are plugged-in and eager to become full-fledged members of the globalised world. African women have gradually taken on a more significant role than ever before in the economic sphere, winning, with patience and determination, an ever-growing number of decision-making positions. Their role in the continent’s response to the crisis will be decisive.
The year 2020 was closed off with the Women Working for Change Digital Summit, whose focus was “Imagine tomorrow. Change Today”. The summit brought together over 400 prominent African women leaders who demonstrated how Africa is not the same “hopeless continent” it was 20 years ago. Mrs Graça Machel was part of the discussion and gave a keynote address that engaged the audience on how the pandemic has affected Africa’s women representation in higher positions. She said, “We need to challenge the private sector! We can’t just talk in the abstract. We have to be very concrete. It’s in the private sector interest to have women in leadership positions. Time of change is now!”
Mrs Graça Machel also emphasised the importance of not making generic recommendations “Focus on a few countries and put specific objectives to support women’s development”. She added that it is essential to address contextual challenges and have specific solutions that target African problems.
She challenged the private sector to be more concrete and stop talking in “abstract” when addressing women leadership roles. She added, “It is in private sector interest to have women in leadership positions. The time of change is now! … “We should be bolder, more strategic, more practical. We need to change radically to accelerate women leadership in African societies and economies”.
Among other things, the panel discussed weak health systems and food insecurity and which has been caused by the pandemic. Watch WFC Women Working for Change Summit here.
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting children’s 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 Children’s Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescents’ 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 Trust’s 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 mother’s health and social economic conditions, the early years of a child’s life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.