Rising Together: Women and Girls of African Descent Leading with Strength
The African woman and girl child embodies strength, resilience, and untapped potential, yet they remain among the most marginalized groups globally due to the intersection of racial, gender, and socio-economic discrimination. From limited access to quality education and healthcare to underrepresentation in political and professional spaces, they often navigate systemic barriers that hinder their development and violate their rights. Despite these challenges, they continue to rise¡ªleading movements, excelling in academics and careers, advocating for justice, and breaking generational cycles of poverty and exclusion. Their lived experiences highlight not only the impact of injustice but also the transformative power of opportunity and equity.
Empowering African women and girls requires a comprehensive approach grounded in human rights, cultural affirmation, and inclusive policymaking. Governments, institutions, and communities must commit to dismantling discriminatory structures and investing in initiatives that ensure equal access to education, healthcare, justice, and leadership. It is only through intentional action¡ªsuch as collecting disaggregated data, removing stereotypes, and implementing targeted programmes¡ªthat we can foster environments where African women and girls thrive. In doing so, we not only uphold their dignity but also strengthen societies through their contributions, creativity, and leadership.
To truly uplift African women and girls, we must move beyond statements to bold, transformative action. This means investing in education, skills training, and mentorship programmes that equip them with the tools to thrive. It requires actively combating negative racial and gender stereotypes across media, education, and policymaking that continue to marginalize their voices. We must ensure meaningful representation in political, legal, and corporate leadership, creating spaces where African-descended women shape decisions that affect their lives and communities. Equally important is the need to support the collection of disaggregated data by race and gender to design effective, equitable policies. Finally, we must protect the rights, safety, and visibility of activists, human rights defenders, and community leaders who champion justice and equality for African-descended women and girls.
Call to Action
To truly uplift the African woman and girl child, we must move beyond statements to bold, transformative action. This includes:
, skills training, and mentorship programmes for girls and young women of African descent.
racial and gender stereotypes in media, policy, and education.
in political, legal, and corporate leadership¡ªwhere voices of African-descended women shape decisions.
Supporting data collection that is disaggregated by race and gender to inform targeted, just policies.
Protecting rights defenders, activists, and community leaders from violence and suppression.
Why Focus on Women and Girls of African Descent?
Women and girls of African descent continue to face multiple and overlapping forms of discrimination, manifesting in higher rates of poverty (SDG 1), barriers to education (SDG 4), limited access to quality healthcare (SDG 3), and underrepresentation in decision-making (SDG 5, SDG 10, SDG 16). Despite these injustices, their resilience shines through. From grassroots organizing to professional excellence, their contributions are shaping communities, economies, and cultures. They are not just beneficiaries of development, they are leaders of it. The urgency to address these systemic inequalities is reaffirmed in UN General Assembly Resolution , which designates 25 July as a day to honor women and girls of African descent. The resolution calls for renewed global action and accountability to eliminate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance¡ªparticularly as they affect women and girls of African descent.
Building a Gender-Equal Africa (Beijing 30+)
Beijing 30+ Africa Stories
In East and Southern Africa, the Generation Equality team is supporting the regional by engaging commitment makers, empowering youth activists and champions, and leading monthly deep dives on the 12 critical areas of the Beijing Platform for Action.
