Artists as key influencers in getting more girls to school post COVID-19

Despite progress towards gender equality in education, deep disparities remain, within countries and across the African continent. Everyone is aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the lives of African citizens, and particularly African girls and women. Unfortunately, the progress made by African countries in promoting and respecting the right to education of girls and women has been undermined by the health crisis of COVID-19.

Over 133 million girls and women have been affected by school closures, and more than 10 million of them risk not returning to school if we do not take action that guarantees their return once schools re-open. Evidence is pointing out that girls and women are suffering disproportionate effects of this pandemic as they bear the burden of care work, and are vulnerable to gender-based abuse and violence.

Advocacy for girls' access to school and their continued learning in a healthy and reliable education system despite health, socio-political crises is a priority for many stakeholders and activists to mainstream gender equality dimension in the education system. Among these many players in the field relating to girls' and women’s education, are artists and culture. Embedding Art, culture and heritage within education enables us to preserve, restore and rehabilitate strong values as well as create an unparalleled enabling environment for the promotion of girls and women in every strata of society, in line with the aspirations of the AU’s Agenda 2063.