Advocacy is integral to FAWE work as enshrined the Strategic Plan for 2019-2023. Through advocacy, FAWE seeks to ensure the integration of gender responsive approaches and policies in African education systems. This is in a bid to inculcate skills and competencies in girls and women to enable them to contribute to and transform their societies. FAWE recognizes that efforts to advance girls’ education cannot be undertaken in isolation hence the need for sustained advocacy at the global, regional, national and community levels.  The advocacy strategy takes into account the findings of the recent mid-year strategic plan review, lessons learned and emerging trends in advocacy at the global, regional and national levels in post COVID 19.

FAWE is applying her demonstrative interventions model as an approach in advocacy education. The approach ensures the beneficiaries and communities are empowered with skills and information to advocate on their own behalf and hold their governments accountable through consultative processes and round table discussions. FAWE’s Advocacy strategy currently under review will streamline advocacy efforts taking advantage of its brand strategic partnership and positioning the organization as the thought leader on girl’s education in Africa.

Bringing together FAWE chapter representatives from Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Mali, the main objectives of the validation meeting is to; review and discuss the draft advocacy and Influencing strategy against the key thematic focus areas of FAWE, provide technical inputs to enrich the draft document for finalization, and recommend additional ways to render the draft strategy more pertinent and effective and make proposals on actions and partnerships needed to implement the communications and advocacy strategy effectively. The discussions, key messages, and recommendations from the teams will contribute substantively to the finalization of the Advocacy and Influencing Strategy.

Photo caption: Participants of the advocacy validation meeting held on 14th November 2022  pose for a photo at Royal Tulip Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.