Abuja: The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Africa has emphasised that investing in girls’ education is a matter of justice and human rights, not charity. FAWE Africa Executive Director, Mrs. Martha Muhwezi, made the call in Abuja at the 21st FAWE Nigeria National Annual Conference. The conference was themed ‘Education as a Tool for Reparative Justice: Centering Nigerian Girls and Women for Systemic Change’ and gathered stakeholders to discuss and promote gender-transformative policies in education.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Muhwezi, represented by Senior Advocacy and Partnerships Officer FAWE Africa, Catherine Asego, urged governments, educators, and civil society actors to strengthen advocacy for gender-transformative policies, ensure safe learning environments, and equip teachers to foster equality in classrooms. She highlighted the structural injustices women and girls face across the continent, including child marriage, gender-based violence, and exclusion from STEM, leadership, and economic participation. Muhwezi emphasized that these inequalities result from systemic barriers deeply rooted in history.
Muhwezi stated that education remains one of the most effective instruments of reparative justice, as it restores dignity, rights, and voice, empowering girls to challenge inequity and transform society. She added that education must serve as a restorative and adaptive force, addressing historical inequities and equipping young Africans to navigate climate and social transformation challenges.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof. Paulinus Okwelle, represented by the Assistant Director, New Programmes and Institutions, Mrs. Felicia Opara, noted that reparative justice requires deliberate investment in bridging educational disparities that limit the progress of women and girls. He called for concrete policies linking teacher training to gender equity outcomes, emphasizing that prioritizing women in education guarantees sustainable transformation across governance and economic sectors.
The National Chairperson of FAWE Nigeria, Mrs. Fiddere Kaibo, stressed the need to address lingering inequities holding back millions of women and girls in Nigeria. She noted that education is the most powerful mechanism for justice, transforming not only individuals but entire societies. Kaibo mentioned that FAWE has championed gender-responsive pedagogy, the Safe Schools Declaration, and School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) programmes, which have strengthened teacher capacity and improved school safety. These interventions, she said, have inspired thousands of girls to stay in school and pursue their dreams.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that FAWE Nigeria, established in 1996, advocates for girls’ education and addresses barriers to access, retention, and performance through policy advocacy and community projects. As a member of the pan-African FAWE network, founded in 1992 by five women ministers of education, FAWE Nigeria works to ensure that every girl can go to school, stay in school, and complete her education.