As we celebrate this year’s International Women's Month, we are reminded of the urgent need to accelerating action and opportunities for women. For women entrepreneurs to thrive, a supportive policy environment is crucial—one that ensures equal access to finance, markets, and business support services. While many governments have introduced gender-responsive policies, effective enforcement remains a
Recently, the Graça Machel Trust networks, the women's business community, government ministries, sector leaders and women associations convened to create and launch a Community of Practice (CoP) in Kampala, Uganda. The goal of the CoP is to help women in business and the rest of the stakeholders connect, learn, grow together and respond to challenges
Malnutrition has continued to claim the lives of many children especially in the sub- Saharan region and ripping the full potential from almost one out of three children under the age 5 years in the Africa region. When children are malnourished, their brains are not supported to grow to their full potential and hence
"It takes a community to raise a child." Often times we think that good education is the only way to ensure that a girl child can be successful in life. The Trust's Nutrition Program officer and Nutrition Champion, Christine Muyama, believes that there is more to developing a complete and fulfilled adult. She shares
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.