MIDWEEK REPORTER
MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA-African countries should not only educate the girl child, but go further and empower them by giving them equal opportunities to excel in their respective communities and life.
The Pan African Parliament President, Chief Fortune Charumbira made the remarks during the opening session of the African Union International Center for Girls and Women’s Education in Africa (CIEFFA) dubbed AfricaEducatesHer campaign.
The workshop is taking place on the sidelines of the Sixth PAP Second Ordinary Session being held under the African Union Theme of the Year for 2023, “The Year of AfCFTA: Accelerating the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area” in Midrand, South Africa and will run up to 2 June 2023.
AfricaEducatesHer campaign is part of the Dakar Declaration of June 2022 meant to address effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the girl child which resulted in most of them falling pregnant and dropping out of school.
Chief Charumbira said, while it is of paramount importance that member countries should educate the girl child since they are central in the African society, countries should be cognizant of the fact that it may achieve the opposite results if the system is not well handled.
“If education is not well handled it can result into an unequal class in society with very wide gaps instead of closing the gaps.
“The committee should interrogate the education system in member countries to find out if they further worsen or better the situation.
“Education makes people confident of what they are doing in all spheres of life, one does not feel inferior if they are educated and this also applies to the girl child.
“Education promotes gender equality in communities as women would not feel inferior in society, it is a vehicle for empowerment and present equal opportunities,” said Chief Charumbira.
The PAP President added that, at the continental premier parliament they always take audit of women representations at all levels so that they are given equal opportunities to lead.
He gave an example of the PAP Committee on Education which is led by Amina Abdou Souna as a good example where they are doing well and leading by example.
“Educate and give them opportunities, don’t just educate, member countries must walk the talk, there is African saying which says; Educate a man, you educate an individual; if you educate a woman, you educate a nation,” he added.
He also said member countries’ budgets should speak to the AfricaEducatesHer campaign and PAP should take a keen interest in that and to that effect they are currently developing a model law on gender equality as a way of reaffirming their commitment to empowering women.
Speaking at the same workshop, Amina Abdou Souna, said, “Education is a basic human right that no one should be denied and all girls should have access to education without any discrimination.
“This meeting is meant to find lasting solutions to issues affecting young girls and since the pandemic girls have been immensely affected. Statistics show that 11 million girls are unable to go to school as a result of this pandemic,” said Amina Abdou Souna.
The AU CIEFFA acting coordinator, Simone Yankey-Ouattara, hailed partnership currently existing with the PAP. “CIEFFA has been collaborating with the PAP and together we have conducted advocacy for out of school girls and for their reintegration into the education system.
“We have also been supporting AU Member States to adopt affirmative action for girls to return to school.”
She added some grim statistics when she said that there is an urgent necessity in investing in girls’ education as there are 32,6 million out of school girls both in primary and secondary school and of this figure 9,3 million were likely never to set foot in school again.
