ADEA Executive Secretary roots for quality girls’ and women’s education on IWD 2016

“Ensuring that all girls have access to education at all levels and in all forms, and ending all forms of discrimination and violence against all women and girls anytime and everywhere must become a reality”. This is the main message from Ms. Oley Dibba Wadda, the ADEA Executive Secretary, on the occasion of the 2016 International Women’s Day (IWD).

Observed by the UN since 1975, this day focuses on women's achievements and advocates for an end to violence against women.

The 2016 theme for IWD is "Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality", which resonates succinctly with Africa’s Agenda 2063 and its framework on education, the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016-2025). Both the 2030 Global Agenda and Africa’s Agenda 2063 places greater emphasis on the empowerment of women and girls. The 2017 ADEA Triennale aims to crystalize the ideas and strategies captured by the two frameworks into concrete action at the country level. This is why the Sub-theme three of Triennale specifically pushes for the promotion of science, mathematics, technology and engineering with a critical lens on women and girls.

ADEA works closely with the Forum for African Women Educationalist (FAWE) to seek effective ways to bring girls and women into the classroom and retain them to gain quality education and training for the duration of the academic cycle. ADEA also engages African Ministers in charge of education, science and innovation as well as development cooperation agencies and other stakeholders to support collaborative efforts for enhancing the status of women worldwide.

ADEA wishes all great women of Africa and the world a Happy Women’s day.