 The Mastercard Foundation will host two pivotal events at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) on September 22, 2024. Both gatherings will address the critical issues of girls’ education and women’s economic empowerment in Africa and will be held at the Millenium Hilton New York, One UN Plaza Hotel.
Under the themes âPowering ParityâInclusive Education for a Sustainable Futureâ and âInvincible: Empowering Women, Transforming Africa,â the events will showcase successful educational models and explore solutions to create a more equitable economic landscape for women in Africa.
âPowering ParityâInclusive Education for a Sustainable Futureâ will focus on effective strategies and programs to improve young African women’s learning access, outcomes, and transitions to and from secondary education. The session will also include an important announcement on the expansion of a key Mastercard Foundation partnership focused on initiatives for girls and young women. Additionally, it will explore the pivotal role of education technology in fostering resilient and inclusive learning in Africa. The Mastercard Foundation is committed to accelerating access to dignified and fulfilling work for 21 million young women in Africa by 2030 as part of its Young Africa Works strategy.
âThe 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,â said Tina Muparadzi, Executive Director of Education & Transitions at the Mastercard Foundation.
Various stakeholders, including education ministries, multilateral institutions, and donors, are expected to use the key approaches highlighted at the events to accelerate impact and scale-proven solutions. Confirmed attendees include Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, Minister of Technical and Higher Education for Sierra Leone; Prof. Birhanu Nega, Minister of Education for Ethiopia; and Hon Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy for Nigeria.
Reeta Roy, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation, noted the importance of this work given the reality that in Sub-Saharan Africa 101M young people between the ages of six and 18 are excluded from formal education. âYet, we have every reason to be optimistic, thanks to the extraordinary African educators and innovators, who have created solutions and are delivering quality education to young people,” says Roy. “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 with each other. Working together, we can scale these solutions and remove barriers for all, especially for girls and young women.â
Held in collaboration with ALADI – African Leadership and Dialogue Institute, the panel discussion âInvincible: Empowering Women, Transforming Africaâ will spotlight the unrivalled impact of Africaâs young women in driving economic transformation and propose bold strategies to bolster their access to equitable and affordable financing. This will be driven by a presentation of insights from the Mastercard Foundationâs landmark gender report, âYoung Women in Africa: Agents of Economic Growth and Transformation by 2030.â
Panelists will include leading experts in finance, policy, and development, including the Hon. Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, the Honourable Minister for Youth Development in Nigeria, and Deniece Laurent-Mantey, Executive Director of the POTUS Africa Diaspora Advisory Council at the White House, who will drive discussions on transforming financial systems to benefit women.
Both events underscore the Mastercard Foundationâs commitment to releasing the full potential of Africaâs women and fueling a prosperous and inclusive future for the continent.
