by lwang | Nov 11, 2011 | Education, FAWE, Female Empowerment
Here at the Kravis Prize, we are proud that our winners contribute to cutting-edge research in areas of international development. In July 2011, the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) launched a new research series for its Strengthening Gender Research to Improve Girls’ and Women’s Education in Africa Initiative. The initiative, supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, “promotes girls and women’s education through the integration of gender into education policy and practice in sub-Saharan Africa.” FAWE is already a leader in research on gender equality in education. The first volume of the FAWE Research Series compiled eight studies undertaken in over 20 African countries from 2009 to 2010, targeting key issues such as: “What is the relationship between a student’s gender and academic success? What are the factors contributing to the gaps in academic attainment between girls and boys? Is there a pattern to these relationships and factors across African countries? Why are girls and women less likely to choose science, mathematics and technology subjects at secondary and tertiary education levels? What social processes within learning institutions can enhance the participation of girls and women in education? What coping strategies do women employ to ensure they succeed in their university studies? And what are their career prospects once they graduate from higher education?” FAWE put out a call for proposals for its latest research initiative on September 29. Learn more about the research series here. And to learn more about FAWE and how it’s educating women and girls across Africa, visit:...
by lwang | Aug 10, 2011 | FAWE, Kravis Prize
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...
