FAWE STATEMENT ON THE 35th ANNIVERSARY OF THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE CHILD DURING THE 46TH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ACERWC
Theme: Advancing the Right to Education and Dismantling Harmful Practices Affecting Girls in Africa
Protocol
I. The Honourable Chairperson of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC),
II. Honourable Members of the Committee,
III. Distinguished Representatives of Member States,
IV. Development Partners and Civil Society Colleagues,
V. Our Dear Children,
VI. All Protocols Observed,
On behalf of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), I extend warm congratulations to the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) on this momentous occasion marking 35 years of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. For more than three decades, the Charter has been a beacon of hope for millions of children across Africa. FAWE commends the Committee’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that the right to education, as guaranteed under Article 11 of the Charter, remains a living reality for every child especially girls, who continue to face multiple and intersecting barriers to learning and empowerment.
1. Advancing the Right to Education through Implementation of General Comment No. 9
FAWE applauds the ACERWC for its General Comment No. 9 on the Right to Education, which provides clear guidance on how States can transform education systems to uphold every child’s right to quality, inclusive, and equitable education. The General Comment emphasizes inclusive, equitable, quality education that supports the child’s full development.
We urge Member States to translate the General Comment into action through:
I. Embedding gender-equality and inclusion in national education plans;
II. Addressing barriers like school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), pregnancy, early marriage, FGM/C, climate change, and displacement.
III. Ensuring schooling environments are safe, inclusive, and oriented towards supporting every child’s potential; and
IV. Strengthening teacher training, gender-responsive pedagogy, and systemic accountability mechanisms.
FAWE stands ready to support the ACERWC, the African Union Commission's (AUC) Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI) Department, and Member States in operationalizing the General Comment, aligned with continental frameworks.
2. Aligning with the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2026-2035)
The Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2026–2035) outlines the African Union’s vision for transforming education over the next decade, anchored in Agenda 2063’s aspiration for a peaceful, integrated, prosperous, and knowledge-driven Africa. It presents an opportunity to invest in teacher development, digital and green skills, and resilient learning systems that leave no child especially no girl behind. CESA prioritizes the acquisition of foundational, socioemotional, and 21st-century skills for all learners, promotes equity, inclusion, and gendertransformative education, and empowers teachers and caregivers to nurture quality learning environments. It further emphasizes effective financing, accountability, and cross-sector collaboration, recognizing education’s central role in advancing health, peace, employment, and sustainable development. FAWE calls upon Member States and education stakeholders to;
I. Localize CESA’s aspirations by integrating gender-transformative approaches into national education plans and monitoring progress through disaggregated and equity-based indicators.
3. Dismantling
Harmful Practices That Undermine the Right to Education
Harmful traditional practices such as child marriage, Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting, early pregnancy, and SRGBV jeopardize girls’ participation in education and breach their rights. FAWE’s work with models such as the Tuseme (Speak Out) empowerment model, Gender-Responsive Pedagogy (GRP), and Mothers’ Clubs have demonstrated impact in shifting norms and supporting girls’ learning. Aligned with both the General Comment and CESA’s ambition for equity and inclusion, we urge the Committee to advocate for:
I. Adoption and enforcement of national policies that eliminate harmful practices and guarantee re-entry into school for adolescent mothers.
II. Targeted support to marginalized households, community-based mobilization, safe schools, and gender-responsive pedagogy.
III. Robust monitoring and accountability systems to ensure that legislation, policies, and interventions achieve real change. These interventions directly reinforce CESA’s aspiration to ensure inclusive, quality education and to strengthen the systems, actors, and resources needed to realise this.
4. Financing, Accountability, and Partnership FAWE’s Key Recommendations
The realization of the right to education depends on sustained investment, accountability, and inclusive participation. FAWE therefore recommends that the Committee encourage Member States to:
I. Institutionalize nationwide second-chance education programmes that are flexible, affordable, and accessible to learners with diverse needs and life circumstances such as early pregnancy, conflict, or other vulnerabilities.
II. Embed Gender-Responsive Pedagogy (GRP) and curricula that cultivate empathy, respect, peace, and environmental stewardship across all levels of education, fostering equitable and transformative learning environments.
III. Prioritize gender-responsive financing and transparent accountability mechanisms, while deepening collaboration among governments, civil society, the private sector, and communities to sustain inclusive education outcomes and leadership for girls.
As we celebrate 35 years of the ACRWC, FAWE honours the progress achieved and recognises the work still ahead. We reaffirm our commitment to advancing gender-transformative, inclusive, and quality education; to dismantle harmful practices that block girls’ educational opportunities; and to partner with ACERWC, the AU, Member States, and communities to ensure that every girl in Africa learns, thrives, and leads.
Aligned with CESA 2026-2035 and the vision of Agenda 2063, we believe that education is the foundation for Africa’s future and that girls’ full participation in education is indispensable for the continent’s sustainable development.
Statement
signed by
Martha. R.L Muhwezi, PhD
Executive Director, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)