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Photo: A roundtable of women and men scientists from Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo, during the L'Oreal-UNESCO

For Women 2018 sub-Saharan Africa Fellowship Ceremony, 6 December 2018, in Nairobi, Kenya

NEWSLETTER ISSUE 97

Message of the Director

Dear Colleagues and Partners,

Last week I was in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the high-level meeting of IGAD Ministers, in

charge of Higher Education. This was part of a broader conference, organized by IGAD to

provide policy and political direction on access to education for all, including refugees at all levels;

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review progress made in the implementation of the Djibouti Declaration on Refugees Education;

adopt a costed action plan for the implementation of the Djibouti declaration and plan of action for

the next two years; and to validate and adopt regional policy frameworks and strategies on

education for refugees, returnees and host communities.

It is important to note that in the IGAD region there are more than 3 million refugees and 4.5

million displaced persons (UNHCR, 2016). Moreover, almost all IGAD member states host internally

displaced people and/or refugees from other countries with the major refugee hosting countries

being Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda

I stressed the relentless work of UNESCO in expanding and enhancing the quality of education

through the inclusiveness of national education systems. Sufficiently inclusive national education

systems will facilitate access by refugees, returnees and host community children and youth to

primary, secondary and tertiary education, bearing in mind the need for more direct financial

support to ensure that “no one is left behind”.

UNESCO supports the efforts that lead the achievement in the IGAD countries, the harmonization

of curricula to facilitate student mobility across various levels of the system and across borders,

through the UNESCO Addis Ababa Convention on higher education, which endorses the right of

refugees to higher education.

On 10 December, Human Rights Day, I will continue in Addis Ababa to participate in the Joint

Regional United Nations Sustainable Development Group (R-UNSDG) for Eastern and Southern

Africa- Western and Central Africa and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa meeting.

During the week we had visitors! Mr. Hubert Gijzen, Director, UNESCO Regional Office for Southern

Africa, gave a talk on the importance of UNESCO, its networks and partnerships; the Better

Education for Africa's Rise project (BEAR II) continues to strike in Kenya, aiming at

influencing government policies by creating inclusive curricula that rightly brand technical and

vocational education and training for equipping young people with necessary skills for today's job

market;

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hosted the regional training on Career Development and Competency-based Interviews & Selection

for UNESCO staff; and a presentation from UNESCO HQ information session on the UNESCO

Strategic Transformation - tackling the need to respond to a fast changing environment,

challenges and new goals, with the objectives of strengthening the management culture, the

efficiency of the organization and its positioning of 2030.

I am going to Morocco for the UNESCO Forum on Artificial Intelligence in Africa, from 12 to

13 December 2018, where challenges and opportunities of freedom of expression, data privacy and

responsibility and ethical issues for the continent will be explored for the future of Artificial

Intelligence (AI) in Africa. Keep on following our social media channels: @UNESCOEast &

@unescoeastafrica

I wish you a productive week ahead!

Ann Therese Ndong-Jatta

New Team Members of UNESCO in Eastern Africa

Charles Mwaniki

Former Senior Assistant Director of Education – Kenya at the

Directorate of Policy, Partnerships and East African Community

Affairs. Initially worked as a teacher and Quality Assurance and

Standards Officer, coordinating the Peace Education programme

at the Ministry and also the Inter-Country Quality Node on Peace

Education under the auspices of the Association for the

Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), Charles joins

UNESCO in the Education sector in Nairobi to support the

implementation of a country support to Kenya, under the International Institute for

Educational Planning (IIEP) programme on strengthening Education Sector Planning for Conflict

Prevention and Crisis Preparedness as well as support the UNESCO response and intervention in

Education in Emergencies (EiE) including Refugees, IDPs and Out of School Children. He wishes

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that "the programme will positively impact target groups for posterity".

New Job Openings

World Heritage Volunteers 2019 – Call for Projects

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre announced a Call for Projects for the World Heritage

Volunteers (WHV) Campaign 2019. This Call welcomes the participation of all interested

organizations and institutions.

Deadline for application: 13 January 2019

News of the week

Eritrea takes a holistic approach to the conservation and management of the modernist city

of Asmara World Heritage site A platform for the Seismic Hazard Evaluation in the East African Rift System Rainwater Harvesting as adaptation strategy for Africa

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Last week's events

Second conference on IGAD Ministers in charge of Education/Higher Education on the

implementation of he Djibouti Declaration on Education for Refugees, Returnees and

Host communities

2 to 6 December 2018, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The IGAD (Inter-Governmental Authority for Development) which is spear-heading the

Implementation of the Djibouti Declaration and Plan of Action on Refugee Education, convened a

meeting of Ministers in charge of Education in the IGAD Member States on the 6 December 2018 in

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where all countries present agreed to a Call for Action on the Djibouti

Declaration in four key areas which broadly include: a) Inclusion of Refugees in National Education

Systems with multi-year costed plans; b) Development of a Regional Qualification Framework with

particular attention to tackling the immediate challenges faced by refugees and returnees with

respect to recognition of prior learning and qualifications and focus on building the capacity of

existing mechanisms and bodies to coordinate the recognition of the qualifications of refugees and

returnees; c) Development of a Regional Skills Development Strategy through Technical and

Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for Refugees, Returnees, IDPs and Host Communities;

and d) Align national education policy frameworks to a regional education policy framework with

specific reference to the inclusion of refugees and returnees.

The Government of Uganda is to host a meeting on the issue of jobs and livelihoods in early 2019

for all IGAD countries, as relates to the Nairobi Action Plan.

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Sensitization of Ministry of Education and Teacher Service Commission directors on the

needs for learners living with HIV

Kenya School of Monetary Studies, 4 December 2018

UNESCO, in partnership with National AIDS and

STIs Control Programme (NASCOP), Ministry of

Education, Teachers Service Commission (TSC)

and Clinton Health Access Initiative, organized a

one day sensitization meeting for education

directors from all the 47 counties in the country

of Kenya. The meeting brought together 95

county directors of education drawn from

Ministry of Education and TSC. Presentations on

status of learners living with HIV was made

NASCOP. The documentary on learners living with HIV supported by UNESCO was also aired (click

on the link to view it).

Through group discussions, the county directors came up with key actions on how they will support

the creation of an enabling environment for learners living with HIV at the school level.

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UNESCO's Wealth - The UNESCO extended Family of Networks and Partnerships

5 December 2018

On 5 December, Director of UNESCO Regional

Office for Southern Africa, Hubert Gijzen-

Director, focused his presentation on UNESCO

Strategic Transformation- Partnership pillar,

where he stressed the importance of

communication- visibility, partnerships, resource

mobilization for programme support and

implementation. He balanced the challenges-

opportunities discourse at UNESCO, also

considering the UN wide reform and the Agenda

2063 vision for Africa. According to the presentation, there is more "wealth" than "poverty"- in

terms of UNESCO institutes, intergovernmental science programmes. international conventions,

World Heritage sites and UNESCO networks. Mr. Gijzen highlighted the need to mobilize

partnerships and networks, which can be harnessed effectively to maximize opportunities to fulfill

the broader UNESCO's mandate of Building Peace in the Minds of Men and Women. Finally, the

greater impact to deliver as One UN Family, relying on strong partners, was a good point of

discussion and debate, as well as the differentiation between branding-messaging of UNESCO-

which should be seen as One (vs. sectoral) ."Once a week, step back and look at the bigger

picture, to monitor and evaluate your work and the wider UNESCO in the world, its image and its

core programs" he concluded.

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Strengthening subregional coordination in support of the African Union and the New

Partnership for Africa’s Development & enhancing monitoring and evaluation in the

Regional coordination mechanism for Africa

United Nations and the African Union adhoc expert meeting

Nairobi, Kenya

3 to 6 December 2018

The two meetings, organized by the United

Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the

Regional Coordination Mechanism Secretariat,

provided a platform for participants to deliberate

on the draft study report on the subject, in

order to identify gaps, provide comments and

inputs and propose recommendations, as well as

for experts and policy makers from African

regional and subregional organizations, UN

system agencies and organizations, to share

experiences, including good practices, lessons and action-oriented recommendations for the

functioning of the regional coordination mechanism in the context of the ongoing African Union and

United Nations reforms.

The recommendations will take into account the need to ensure the optimal application of the

framework and its continuous adjustment and refinement in the light of new and emerging issues,

such as a planned merger of the Mechanisms and the regional United Nations Development Group

(UNDGs) into one coordination mechanism at the regional and subregional levels and the seamless

relationship envisaged with the United Nations Country Teams' (UNCT)- UNDAF process in

particular.

The results of these two meetings will be presented to the Joint Regional United Nations

Sustainable Development Group (R-UNSDG) for Eastern and Southern Africa- Western and Central

Africa and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa meeting to be held in Addis Ababa on

10 December 2018.

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Sub-Saharan Africa Scholarship Ceremony of the L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science

on the African continent

Nairobi, Kenya

6 December 2018

Fourteen emerging women scientists

from Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria

and South Africa received the L'Oreal-

UNESCO for Women in Science Award

on 6 December 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Fellowship Programme Award

recognizes the Scientific Talent of

emerging Women Researchers on a

wide variety of research and scientific

topics: From computer science to

nanotechnology, from chemistry to health sciences, from mechanical engineering to molecular

medicine, the 14 researchers are an example of women breaking the glass-ceiling, being

ambassadors and role models for other young women willing to pursue a career in Science,

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). During the ceremony, the Women For Science

fellows received research grants allowing them to support and accelerate their research. Through

the power of collaboration and scientific networking, women scientists will connect all over the

continent of Africa and will be able to find innovative solutions to today's challenges.

The L'Oreal-UNESCO sub-Saharan Africa programme was established in 2010. Since then, 140

African women scientists have been supported to conduct scientific research, with 49 countries

being part of the Africa Regional programme.

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Missions

Ann Therese Ndong-Jatta

Joint Regional United Nations Sustainable Development Group (R-UNSDG) for Eastern and

Southern Africa- Western and Central Africa and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

meeting

10 December 2018

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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Forum on Artificial Intelligence in Africa

12 to 13 December 2018

Benguérir, Morocco

Karalyn Monteil

Participation in the 2005 Convention Intergovernmental Committee Meeting and review of SIDA

projects

9 to 15 December 2018

Paris, France

Abdul Lamin Rahman

Presentation of UNESCO's Pedagogical use of the General History of Africa during the African Union

Cluster meeting on Curriculum Development, and consultation with Government of Ethiopia on

Youth Development

10 to 13 December 2018

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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Upcoming Events

Human Rights Day

10 December

Birthdays

Saidou Sireh Jallow

11 December 2018

Videos

A snapshot on Education

#Education needs global, regional and local action. This video is a snapshot of the reflection on

progress and challenges for education.

SDG 4 Data for Lifelong Learning

Lifelong Learning is essential to reduce poverty, reach gender equality, make societies fairer and

more prosperous. How do we measure and what do we measure in education progress among the

countries? Watch the video to learn more about the work of UNESCO Institute for Statistics

UNESCO Capacity Development for Teachers & Literacy & Skills for Life in Somalia

The video portrays the two projects carried out by UNESCO in Somalia: one on

capacity development for teachers, and the second one on Literacy and Skills for Life, funded by Al

Maktoum Foundation, to improve the education and livelihood conditions to diverse groups in

Somalia.

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Publications

SDG 4 Data Digest: Data to nurture Learning

Read more on Addis Ababa UNESCO Revised Convention on the Recognition of Studies,

Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in African

States

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Tweet of the Week

from @UNESCOEast: "More Science to get innovative Solutions for the Future We Want #Agenda2030

#Agenda2063, we need more Women in Science" Professor Hubert Gijzen, Director of @unescoROSA

during @4womeninscience & @UNESCO press conference