First Pan-African Conference on Girls, Women’s Education Kicks Off in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa: The first African Union (AU) Pan-African Conference on Girls and Women's education is taking place at the Headquarters of the AU in Addis Ababa.The four-day conference is underway under the theme "Prioritizing Girls and Women's Education: A strategy for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa".Opening the conference today, Deputy chairperson of the African Union Monique Nsanzabaganwa said education is key for everything including poverty reduction.For the deputy chair, education as a resource is a game changer in daily lives as she stressed the need to reinforcing political commitment in the sector.Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of the African Union Professor Mohammed Belhocine pointed out that access to inclusive and quality learning is instrumental to address most of the challenges in the continent.The conference is a strategic framework for delivering on Africa's goal for inclusive and sustainable developm ent, it was learned.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'.The conference is organized in collaboration with UN Agencies, AU Organs and departments, development partners, organizations promoting girls and women's education, youth champions on girls' education.The gathering has brought together all key voices on girls and women's education on the continent.Participants are expected 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.Source: Ethiopian News Agency