What: 1^st African Union Pan-African Conference on Girls and Women’s Education (AU-PANCOGEd1)

Venue: AUC Headquarters

Theme: "Prioritizing Girls and Women’s Education: A Strategy for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.”

When: July 02 - 05, 2024

Speakers:

• H.E Ms. Sahle-Work Zewde, President of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia
• H.E Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson, AU  Commission
• H.E. Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, Commissioner, ESTI, AUC;
• H.E Prof. Birhanu Nega, Minister of Education, Ethiopia
• African Union Ministers of Education, and Gender from Algeria, Benin, Bostwana, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sahrawi, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Uganda
• Hon. Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie, Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women, ACHPR, AU
• H.E. Amb. Minata Samaté  Cessouma, Commissionner, HHSD, AUC
• Amb. Stian Christensen, Norway Permanent Mission to the AU
• Ms. Antara Ganguli, Director, UNGEI
• Ms. Letty Chiwara, UN Women Representative in Malawi
• H.E. Ms. Winnie Byanyima,  Executive Director, UNAIDS
• High-ranked officials, Development partners, girls’ education advocates, CSOs, and researchers.

The AUC Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation through its technical and specialised office, the African Union International Center for Girls and Women’s Education in Africa (AU/CIEFFA) is convening the 1^st African Union Pan-African Conference on Girls and Women’s Education (AU-PANCOGEd1). The Conference is scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from July 02 – 05, 2024 at the African Union Headquarters. The 4-day gathering will take place under the theme, “Prioritizing Girls and Women’s Education: A Strategy for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.”

The event holds in recognition of 2024 as the African Union Year of Education which is currently running under the theme, ‘Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa’. Organised in collaboration with UN Agencies, AU Organs and departments, development partners, organizations promoting girls and women’s education, youth champions on girls’ education, the conference will bring together all key voices on girls and women’s education on the continent. They will deliberate on strategic methods of positioning equitable access to quality education and skills development for girls and women during the AU Theme of the year 2024 and beyond. Delegates will, amongst other things, collectively evaluate the status of girls and women’s education in Africa, galvanize support for financing girls’ education, and strengthen advocacy toward high-level adoption of gender transformative policies and frameworks.

Following the opening ceremony, discussions during the four days will interrogate topical issues around gender-responsive policies and planning, education financing, tackling gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful socio-cultural practices to ease access and completion of girls’ education, and youth engagement for girls and women’s education.

Overall Objectives

1. Popularize and widely disseminate the continental #AfricaEducatesHer campaign;
2. Evaluate and crystalize the Status of Girls and Women’s Education in Africa;
3. Explore Sustainable financing opportunities for Girls and Women’s Education in Africa;
4. Identify challenges, recommendations, and key solutions for the advancement of girls and women’s education and skills development in Africa;
5. Strengthen networks and partnerships of stakeholders working on the intersections of gender equality and education in Africa;
6. Advocate for the adoption of frameworks, recommendations, and policies particularly, those formulated by the AU Summit of Heads of States and governments, through the AU CIEFFA 8th High Level Dialogue on gender equality.

African Union International Centre for Girls’ and Women’s Education in Africa

The International Centre for the Education of Girls and Women in Africa (AU/CIEFFA) is a specialized institution of the African Union since 2004, dealing with women and girls’ education following Decision Assembly/AU/DEC.44 (III). AU/CIEFFA is a specialized institution of the African Union under the Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI). 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. http://cieffa.au.int   

For further information please contact:

Azwe Success Barbara,Communications Officer | African Union International Center for Girls & Women’s Education in Africa | African Union Commission WhatsApp: +226 64 90 44 95 | E-mail: BarbaraS@africa-union.org | Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar, Communication Officer - Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission Tel: +251 904 138 354| E-mail:  gamalk@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org 
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