The Young African Women Congress (YAWC) is an annual residential Pan-African women’s congregation organized by the ExLA Group under the umbrella of the ExLA Group Gender Programme (EGGP).
The 5-day congress lasted from 21st to 25th
The Women’s Commissioner of the GIMPA SRC, Matilda Hammond Spoke on the topic Higher Education for the girl child and how girls can realize their career path through higher education.
In her speech, she affirmed that Scholarships should be awarded to these brilliant girls who pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programs to encourage more girls to pursue it devoid of the perception that it’s a male field of study
She added that girls need role models who they can look up to in the society to positively influence these girls in life as they pursue their career path
The congress featured well-renowned leaders from across the world who took participants through various sessions including a keynote presentation, panel discussions, group brainstorming sessions and a night of cultural display among others.
With about 800 young women from 30 countries who participated in the 4th edition of the congress, as well as a wide continental and global media coverage, participants had a broad platform for engagement of the business and social community across the world, for growth and development.
YAWC is endorsed by UN Women through its West and Central African Regional Office (WCARO) and is duly represented by top officials every year during the congress. The AU Commission’s Women and Gender Development Directorate (WGDD) also recognizes the congress as a potent tool for the total transformation of the continent of Africa and has been a major partner in harnessing the agenda for the congress.