Africa’s future will be written by its girls and women — if they have the resources and rights to lead. Graça Machel calls for a generational shift in how girls’ education and leadership are supported, while Françoise Moudouthe challenges donors and policymakers to back feminist movements with flexible, sustained funding. Satta Sheriff brings the voice of a new generation, connecting women’s leadership to broader fights for climate justice, peace, and economic inclusion. This episode is full of hard truths about the barriers girls and women face, paired with inspiring examples of what happens when those barriers come down.

Guests

• Graça Machel, women’s and children's rights advocate; former freedom fighter and first Education Minister of Mozambique; co-founder of The Elders.

• Françoise Moudouthe, CEO of the African Women’s Development Fund

• Satta Sheriff, Human Rights Activist & African Union Panel of the Future Member

Background Materials

• Women’s Rights in Review 30 years after Beijing, UN Women

• Futures Africa: Trends for Women by 2030, The African Women’s Development Fund

• African Young Women B+25 Manifesto, African Union