The virtual meeting will be an opportunity for the GPE member countries in Africa – represented by selected Ministers of Education – to share the latest efforts and strategies undertaken towards the reopening of learning institutions. The launch also aims at providing a setting for developing partnerships that will help advance and strengthen the resilience of

education systems in Africa in the face of possible future pandemics or crises.

According to Dr. Rita Bissoonauth, Head of AU/CIEFFA, “Schools typically provide safe spaces for girls and young women. When they are in school, they are less likely to be forced into marriage and be abused sexually. During this pandemic, however, schools are not there to protect girls. This crisis is likely to put them at higher risks of sexual violence and exploitation, trafficking, child marriage, forced labour, and social exclusion. In order to mitigate the harm to girls and young women, it is key to forge and foster partnerships among key education stakeholders to advance the development and implementation of policies and best practices in AU Member States”.

Approximately 200 participants are expected to attend the virtual launch of the KIX Observatory, including African Ministers in charge of education, development partners, research institutions, and representatives of the private sector, foundations, civil society organizations, and the media.

The Observatory is part of the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX), a joint initiative with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The goal of KIX is to strengthen national education systems and accelerate educational progress in the Global South by filling knowledge gaps, increasing access to evidence, and strengthening systems to support the generation and uptake of evidence and innovations in GPE partner countries.

About the AU/CIEFFA

The African Union International Centre for Girls and Women’s Education in Africa is a specialized institution of the African Union under the Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology. The Centre aims to promote girls’ and women’s education with a view towards their full participation in the eradication of poverty and the edification of a peaceful world for sustainable human development.

About ADEA

The Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) is the voice of education in Africa and a key network of Education Ministries. It plays a significant role in the education space as a convener, knowledge creator and forum for policy dialogue, working through its Inter-Country Quality Nodes (ICQNs) and the Task Force on Education Management and Policy Support. ADEA contributes to the empowerment of African countries to develop quality education and training systems that respond to the countries' emergent needs and drive social and economic transformation sustainably.