What is it going to take to bring universal education to children in Africa? In a recent op-ed on the Africa.com blog, FAWE Executive Director Oley Dibba Wadda and Research, Communication and Advocacy Officer Irmin Durand argue for a renewed global commitment for action on education in developing countries. “The most urgent priority is to ensure access to, and improve the quality of, education for girls and women, and to remove every obstacle that hampers their active participation.”
Wadda and Durand highlight FAWE’s advocacy efforts on behalf of the 54 percent of girls in sub-Saharan Africa who are out of school “to ensure that girls and women enjoy the same opportunities as their male counterparts, opportunities to learn, thrive, be productive and autonomous, and participate in every aspect of development of their societies.”
To achieve their goals, Wadda and Durand write that “all those with a stake in education, empowerment, and gender equality must work in synergy,” which is why FAWE “engages with governments and decision-makers across sub-Saharan Africa to encourage policy reform” and “encourages communities to act for enduring and positive change in their attitudes and practices.”
We’re thrilled that FAWE, the recipient of the 2008 Kravis Prize, is working so diligently and creatively toward instituting educational initiatives for women and girls in Africa.
