To mark International Womens’ Day, GPE is launching a blog series promoting gender equality in and through education, highlighting the work of our partners and the partnership.

How can we not aspire to a sub-Saharan Africa where girls and boys become educated, healthy and resilient global citizens?

Turning this vision into reality requires engaging in education beyond simply access. For girls, this means facing major obstacles including high school dropout rates, gender-based violence and early and unintented pregnancies—all the more common in situations of humanitarian crisis, conflict or forced displacement.

Despite these needs, the education sector often puts the response to HIV, pregnancies or gender-based violence in the back seat due to taboos, social and cultural norms, lack of information on effective programs or a lack of political will.

To overcome these difficulties, education and health professionals need to rely on demonstrated political will. The African Union has set 2024 as the year of education. This is an opportunity to build on the commitments.

25 African countries make a commitment to young people

Ministers of Education and Health from the 25 countries of West and Central Africa (WCA) met in April 2023 in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, for a high-level political commitment for educated, healthy and thriving adolescents and young people (the WCA Commitment).

The Commitment is expected to have a significant impact by:

• increasing mobilization to meet the needs of adolescents and young people on education and health
• scaling up programs
• improving coordination between sectors, particularly between education and health
• and monitoring progress in sexual and reproductive health, gender equality and protection against violence.

This is a clear and unequivocal commitment, paving the way for scaling up and strengthening comprehensive education and information programs, sexual and reproductive health services, and prevention initiatives against sexual and gender-based violence, including in schools. Society stakeholders and national authorities have listened, they have understood, it is now time to act.

Multipartite and long-term collaboration

The WCA Commitment was born from discussions on evidence on the state of youth in the region with a wide range of actors. The declaration is a milestone on a long road.

Multiple members of the Working Group on Gender and Inclusion in Education (GENIE) in WCA supported this work. GENIE includes UNESCO, the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), Humanity & Inclusion and Plan International. Other organizations have also actively supported the process, such as the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Equipop, the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS).

GPE is also a member of GENIE and, with partner countries, continues to strengthen the role of gender equality in education and through education.

The countries of West and Central Africa do so through what they call ‘family life education,’ ‘reproductive health education’ or ‘integrated sexuality education.’

Terms vary from country to country and the international community recognizes the importance of adapting programs to the context of each implementing country.

Regardless of the name, the important thing is to address topics that contribute to students' health and well-being, such as understanding puberty, detecting violence, improving communication skills and planning for family life.

Designing programs adapted to countries’ different contexts

The path to preparing adolescents and young people to overcome obstacles is known. This involves bringing together the main stakeholders in society including young people, education and health authorities, parent-teacher associations, religious and community leaders, teacher unions and civil society.

Together, and with the support of technical experts, these stakeholders define the objectives and content of the programs. This is key to guaranteeing their relevance, effectiveness and adaptation to the cultural, legal and social context.

Effective programs also rely on internationally adopted principles, such as the use of scientific knowledge, age appropriateness and respect for human rights.

While studies reveal a great diversity and richness of content in national programs across the West and Central Africa region, they also show the need to strengthen them further.

In 13 of 22 countries in WCA, less than 30% of women have correct knowledge of their fertility period (in relation to their menstrual cycle). The region also has the highest percentage (27%) of young women having declared a birth before the age of 18.

Disparities between girls and boys have decreased in primary education but remain very significant later in life. Only a third of girls complete secondary education according to demographic and health surveys.

The situation is even more critical for groups at higher risk of exposure to early and unintended pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence, including people with disabilities, forcibly displaced people (refugees, internally displaced people) and people affected by humanitarian crises or conflicts.

A commitment rooted in continental policies

The principles of the WAC Commitment are based on the African Union Agenda 2063 for engaged and empowered young people and children, and gender equality, and are fully aligned with the African Union Continental Strategy on Education for Health and Wellbeing, launched in 2023.

These principles are also based on the commitments of different countries within the Transforming Education Summit from September 2022 and will likely play a central role as the African Union begins 2024 as the year of education.

Significant challenges remain, but the stakes are worth it. It is time to act.