Tsitsi Masiyiwa leads Africa Gender Initiative (AGI), a new platform launched to unite African Philanthropists to tackle gender inequality
The Africa Gender Initiative (AGI), a platform for African philanthropists to come together, mobilise funding and work collaboratively to help close the gender gap, has been launched.
The new, bold platform, led by entrepreneur and recently named African Philanthropist Of The Year – Zimbabwe’s Tsitsi Masiyiwa, has been widely and warmly welcomed as the initiative comes at a time when reports indicate that due to the Covid-19 pandemic gender parity in Africa is now almost 100 years away.
The AGI, which was launched at the recently held African Philanthropy Forum in Kigali Rwanda, will aim at uniting African philanthropists to break down barriers to gender inequality across the continent, over the next decade.
Tsitsi Masiyiwa, who is also the co-founder of Higher Life Foundation, is joined by a progressive all-African group of philanthropists including Beryl and Neverl Kambasha, Mayda and Trevor Mapondera, Yellowwoods Foundation, Byron Fundira and Tsi and Peter Pembere, who see the urgent need to speed up this process.
As its inaugural activity, the AGI will raise US $50M to support the efforts of the Co-Impact Gender Fund on the African continent. Co-Impact’s Gender Fund is providing funding to primarily women-led, locally rooted organisations tackling systemic gender-based barriers in the key areas of health, education and economic opportunity. In Africa, the Gender Fund will focus on Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
Through the African Philanthropy Forum and Co-Impact, participants of the AGI will be part of a global community of funders coming together to advance gender equality and women’s leadership through resource mobilization and advocacy.
The Co-Impact Gender Fund was launched in March 2022, to support individuals and organizations driving change in Africa, Asia and Latin America by building women’s leadership in key areas such as law and economics and addressing gender-based inequalities in healthcare, education and economic opportunity.
Given the current state of gender parity in Africa, initiatives such as the AGI are desperately needed. Even before the pandemic, McKinsey Global Institute[1] determined that progress toward gender equality was stalling in Africa. A recent World Economic Forum[2] report now calculates that due to the Covid-19 pandemic gender parity on the continent is still at least 98 years away.
“I’m delighted to launch the Africa Gender Initiative alongside the African Philanthropy Forum and a group of funders that want to see a more progressive Africa. We are convinced that philanthropy can do more, and want to encourage others to join our call for change, “ Masiya says adding:
“We need to finally trust our own and drive funding in the hands of those that know the continent’s needs best. It is time for a new generation of African leaders that break down gender inequalities and allow everyone to reach their full potential.”
While most global philanthropic funding is going to Africa, only a fraction of this money reaches African non-governmental organizations, programmes or initiatives, with even less going to women-led organizations. Instead, over 80% of gender-focused funding goes to multinational non-governmental organizations and governments[3].
This severe lack of funding in conjunction with the exacerbation of gender injustice due to the Covid-19 pandemic provides the backdrop and impetus for the Africa Gender Initiative.
To advance a collaborative and long-term approach to giving the Africa Gender Initiative is set up as a community borne out of the cooperation between the Africa Philanthropy Forum, Delta Philanthropies, and Co-Impact. Future funding partners will become part of a network of philanthropists, local advocates, and experts to address deep-seated inequalities more efficiently.
The AGI has already received attention from leading figures in the African gender and political space, including Ms. Graça Machel, the former First Lady of both South Africa and Mozambique, and life-long advocate for women’s rights and gender equality, who commented on the launch of the Initiative saying:
“Women and girls across Africa are longing for equal treatment and opportunities. We need to listen to their calls and address gender inequality now, as a group by joining forces and working collaboratively. The way forward is to foster more women’s leadership across the continent to create societies that allow everyone, especially women and girls to thrive.”
