Credit: GMT/Domtila Chesang Ā Education is a fundamental and widely recognised human right, yet UNESCOĀ estimatesĀ that over 60 million children are missing out on primary education. Behind these staggering numbers lie the untold stories of children whose potential remains untapped, dreams left unfulfilled, and futures clouded by inequality. It is within this context of
Early childhood development (ECD) is recognised and entrenched within the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and African Union (AU) Agenda 2063.Ā Ā Aspirations-Ā An Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children, and the SDGsĀ prioritise ending all forms of poverty, malnutrition, preventable
"Girls are not going to school; they are just sitting at home. Some are coming of age. Parents are facing an uncertain future due to loss of income caused by the coronavirus, so they are having the girls cut[go through female genital mutilation] and will marry them off," said Domtila Chesang in an anti-FGM campaigner
Ā Photo Credit: Zach Vessels Ā The COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a health crisis. When it began to escalate worldwide, many countries to protect students, closed schools, colleges and universities. Since then the pandemic has brought unprecedented educational disruption with 1.2 billion students and youth across the continent affected due to
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.