The African Union International Centre for Girls’ and Women’s Education in Africa (AU CIEFFA) conducted a field visit to Senegal from October 15 to 17, 2025, as part of the follow-up on the implementation of the continental #AfricaEducatesHer campaign. The mission aimed to assess progress made since the official launch of the campaign on January 9, 2025, under the high patronage of the First Lady of Senegal, H.E. Marie Khone Faye, and to identify and document good practices in gender-sensitive education and the reintegration of out-of-school girls.
Led by Ms. Simone Yankey, AU CIEFFA Coordinator, the mission facilitated exchanges with representatives from the Ministries of National Education, Family, Social Action and Solidarity, girls-only middle schools (CEM), Women’s Assistance and Training Centers (CEDAF), as well as actors from NGOs and civil society organizations, including the Coalition of Organizations in Synergy for the Defense of Public Education (COSYDEP). These discussions provided an overview of educational policies, helped identify persistent barriers—including social norms and poverty—and explored strategies to strengthen intersectoral coordination.
A technical workshop was held to present Senegal’s progress in gender-sensitive planning, policies, and regulations, and to lay the groundwork for Phase 2 of the campaign, focused on reintegrating out-of-school girls and empowering women. The workshop also enabled experience-sharing with the Seychelles focal point, Ms. Marie-Antoine Bethew, who accompanied the delegation.
At the close of the mission, the AU CIEFFA delegation was received by Ms. Khady Diop Mbodj, Chief of Staff at the Ministry of National Education, who reaffirmed Senegal’s commitment to promoting girls’ education and praised the relevance of the #AfricaEducatesHer campaign in fostering knowledge-sharing and best practices. On this occasion, Senegal was awarded a recognition trophy for its exemplary commitment to implementing educational and training programs for girls and women.
Currently deployed in 14 African countries, the #AfricaEducatesHer campaign continues to expand across the continent, consolidating a Pan-African movement for inclusive, equitable, and transformative education for Africa’s girls and women.
