The Mastercard Foundation will host two key events at the upcoming 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) focused on advancing secondary education and empowering women in Africa.
In a statement released Tuesday, the foundation announced that the events would center on the themes: “Powering Parity—Inclusive Education for a Sustainable Future” and “Invincible: Empowering Women, Transforming Africa”.These discussions will spotlight strategies to enhance educational access and outcomes for young African women, especially in secondary education.
The ‘Powering Parity—Inclusive Education for a Sustainable Future’ session will explore effective programs that support young African women’s educational journeys. The event will also feature a significant announcement about expanding a key Mastercard Foundation partnership focused on initiatives for girls and young women. The discussion will delve into how education technology can play a crucial role in promoting resilient and inclusive learning environments across Africa.
As part of its Young Africa Works strategy, the Mastercard Foundation has committed to accelerating access to dignified and fulfilling employment for 21 million young women in Africa by 2030. “The foundation is proud to collaborate with exceptional institutions to co-create and scale solutions that drive meaningful impact for communities. Our approach resonates strongly with the UNGA 79 general debate theme of leaving no one behind,” stated Tina Muparadzi, Executive Director of Education & Transitions at the Mastercard Foundation.
Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation emphasized the urgency of addressing educational exclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 101 million young people aged 6 to 18 are currently out of formal education. Despite this challenge, Roy expressed optimism, citing the innovative solutions African educators have developed to deliver quality education. “Expanding access to all has been at the heart of the Foundation’s work. At these events, education champions will be sharing insights about successful policies and programs from across Africa. Working together, we can scale these solutions and remove barriers for all, especially for girls and young women,” she said.
The foundation also announced that the discussions would feature prominent experts in finance, policy, and development, including Nigeria’s Minister for Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim, and the Executive Director of the POTUS Africa Diaspora Advisory Council at the White House, Deniece Laurent-Mantey. These experts will lead discussions on how to transform financial systems to better serve women.
Confirmed attendees for the event include Dr. Haja Wurie, Minister of Technical and Higher Education for Sierra Leone; Prof. Birhanu Nega, Minister of Education for Ethiopia; and Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy.
