By: GraƧa Machel, Board Chair, African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) Ā The legendary editor of the Guardian newspaper, CP Scott, famously declared that āComment is free,Ā but facts are sacred.ā Unfortunately, when it comes to hard evidence on how many children worldwide are locked up in prisons, detention centres, migrant and refugee camps, rehabilitation units or
Photo Credit: AfDB Group Ā African Development Bank President, Akinwumi Adesina, honoured Mrs. GraƧa Machel as the first Kofi A. Annan Eminent Persons Speaker, which is a new name for the Bankās African Development Instituteās Eminent Speaker Series. This took place during the 22nd Eminent Speakersā Lecture of the African Development Institute in
Ā The GraƧa Machel Trust Nutrition Programme represented the Trust at a High -Level Dialogue in Nutrition on 01st December 2018 where Minister Jeff Radebe was a guest of honor. This high-level dialogue attracted Youth Leaders and Global Citizens in nutrition who voiced out their experiences and efforts in their work which contributes to building
23 October, 2018 Ā On October 27, Mrs GraƧa Machel will be honoured for her contribution towards the health and wellbeing of children by the Nicklaus Childrenās Hospital in Miami. The honour will see Mrs Machel getting her place in the Ambassador David M. Walters International Paediatric Hall of Fame. Ā This is her third
CARE International and the GraƧa Machel Trust (GMT) through the East and Southern Africa Civil Society Nutrition Network (ESA CSN) jointly commissioned a study to establish baseline national budget nutrition commitments and expenditures. The study,Ā East and Southern Africa (ESA) National Budget Commitment to Nutrition, clearly shows not enough is being spent on nutrition. Ā These
Ā Ā Ā This week our Women in Finance ā New Faces New Voices Chapter hosts a two-week long expo in Abuja, Nigeria. The expo promises investment, networking, trade promotion opportunities and viable exchange of products and services. It is expected that close to 1000 participants from across 18 African countries will avail themselves to
On the 9th of October, Mrs Machel presented the Albertina Sisulu Centenary Lecture. Watch the video here: Ā https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e-I2WVsYRQ&feature=share
Nigeria welcomes Pan-African Women Expo Ā Ā Ā 08th to 22nd October 2018, Abuja, Nigeria The Nigeria chapter of New Faces New Voices (NFNV) is set to host its first-ever Pan-African Women EXPO scheduled for 8th to 22nd October, 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria. The expo which promises investment, networking, trade promotion opportunities and viable exchange
Ā The GraƧa Machel Trust and the Mandela Institute for Development Studies celebrated the Mandela centenary by hosting the inaugural African Youth Networks Summit between 20thĀ and 21stĀ July, 2018 at Freedom Park in Pretoria. The event brought together over 200 representatives of youth networks, youth leaders, government, corporate and development partners from across Africa to connect
13 September, 2018 Ā The GraƧa Machel Trust has learnt with great disappointment of an alleged GraƧa Machel scholarship fund that has been run in Zimbabwe with letters signed by a Hopewell Chināono and dated 13 July 2018. The scam is being perpetrated by individuals that have misappropriated the name and logo of Mrs GraƧa
The Trust supports and mobilises civil society networks on issues of ending child marriage, ending violence against children, ending female genital mutilation and promoting childrenās 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 Childrenās Rights and Development Programme aims at promoting the Global Strategy for women, children and adolescentsā 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 Trustās 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 motherās health and social economic conditions, the early years of a childās life form a fundamental foundation that determines whether a child will survive and thrive optimally.