March is globally recognised as Women’s Month. The United Nations and UN Women celebrate this day by showcasing the incredible achievements of women around the globe and the victories they have attained to bring us closer to gender-equal societies.
As we conclude the International Women’s Month celebrations, it is important to reflect on the progress made towards gender equality and the challenges that still exist. One of the most significant developments in recent years has been the increasing use of digital technology to empower women and girls worldwide. By providing women and girls with access to digital tools and resources, we can help them to overcome barriers and achieve their goals.
At the Graça Machel Trust, we continue collaborating and working with our partners and networks across the 17 African countries we operate in. We transform institutions to bring women to the Centre of the development agenda and equip women to remove structural barriers within our economies through various initiatives. Our research on Growth Barriers Faced by Female Entrepreneurs In East Africa[1] found that female entrepreneurs rely on online digital platforms for information about their businesses.
For example, our Expert Leaders Group (ELG) in Financial Inclusion member, Dr Charity L. Dhliwayo, joined a  CSW67 workshop with the Women’s Digital Financial Inclusion (WDFI) Advocacy Hub, which aims to close the gender gap in access to digital technology, skills, and digital financial products for women entrepreneurs â particularly in developing countries. This event underscored policy actions on Skills and Technology for Digital Financial Inclusion, particularly women-led Micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the connection between global and local coalitions as they advocate for women’s digital financial inclusion. During the workshop, Dr Dhliwayo shared her insights on effectively leveraging digital technology to promote financial inclusion among women and girls. She stressed the need for collaboration between governments, the private sector, and civil society to create an enabling environment that supports digital inclusion and the importance of providing digital skills training to women and girls to equip them with the necessary tools to thrive in the digital economy.
Echoing the same sentiments, our Women Economic and Social Advancement Programme Coordinator, Lehlogonolo Ratlabyana, shared that, “Enabling access to digital technologies for women-owned MSMEs has immense potential for women to transform their businesses and the economy. Women have demonstrated their ability to be innovative and flexible by diversifying their businesses during the pandemic. Therefore their inclusion in the digital economy should be a priority for economic reconstruction and recovery.”
We also continue to see much progress through our work with women entrepreneurs. As our Founder, Mrs Graça Machel, says, “we are nurturing women entrepreneurs to grow in their numbers and leadership capability, partnering with governments and financial institutions to expand access to finance, and increasing digital financial inclusion for women across the African continent” like our partnership with Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET) which will allow us to work with women-owned and run businesses operating in the financial services sector. Through this partnership, we can provide tools to empower women in the financial services sector. As a result, we believe we can help create a more equitable and just society. We are excited to see the positive impact that this partnership will have on the lives and careers of women entrepreneurs, and we look forward to continuing to work towards a more equal and just world for all women.
In addition, the Trust has also been championing the rights of adolescent girls in Africa, and the Adolescent Girls Movement is a game-changer in the fight for gender equality. This Pan-African movement provides a platform for adolescent girls to co-create, lead, and implement solutions to the most pressing issues affecting them. This movement empowers adolescent girls to take charge of their lives, and their voices are heard. They can participate in decision-making processes that affect them, and their ideas and opinions are considered. This not only promotes Equity but also fosters leadership skills among these girls, who are the future leaders of our continent. Embracing Equity for adolescent girls is a step in the right direction towards creating a more just and equitable society for all!
“Adolescent girls must be the drivers of policy-making and change that affect them. This enables them to claim their destiny, defend themselves against transgressions and violations, speak out, stand for themselves, and overcome the structural barriers that impede their full self-expression.” â DalreĂŠ de Lange, Program Officer.
This International Women’s Month has been an inspiring and thought-provoking one. The “Digital for All” and “Embrace Equity” themes show a renewed commitment to empowering women and girls worldwide. We have witnessed the power of digital technology in bridging the gender gap and providing opportunities for women and girls to thrive in various fields. However, we must not forget that much work still needs to be done to achieve gender equality. Let us continue to advocate for the rights of women and girls and work towards a world where everyone has equal opportunities to succeed. As we progress, let us keep the momentum going and celebrate women’s achievements and contributions to society daily.
[1] https://gracamacheltrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Survey-to-Explore-Growth-Barriers-Faced-by-Female-Entrepreneurs-in-East-Africa.pdf
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.