UN Women at Youth Connekt Africa Summit 2024: Empowering Young Women for a Transformative Future

Kigali, Rwanda – November 8-10, 2024

Overview:
UN Women is pleased to announce its participation in the Youth Connekt Africa Summit 2024, which will be held in Kigali, Rwanda. This year, UN Women is organizing a series of impactful events aimed at empowering young women across Africa, fostering their role as leaders in innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. Through these events, UN Women seeks to engage key stakeholders in advancing the agenda of gender equality, women’s empowerment, and youth leadership in Africa.

Event Highlights:

Youth Perspectives for Inclusive Agrifood Systems in Africa

Date & Time: November 9, 2024 | 14:30-15:30
Venue: Kigali Convention Centre (KCC), Main Auditorium
Organizers: UN Women & FAO

Description: This plenary session aims to showcase key approaches and pathways that have been effective in preparing youth for the labor market through effective skilling. The conversation will distinguish between approaches that impart relevant skills for wage employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship. It will also apply a gender lens to address the gender-specific barriers that limit young women’s participation in agrifood systems.

The first half of the plenary session will be dedicated to a panel discussion, with the second half focusing on audience interaction and outlining key policy recommendations for improving skills development for the agrifood sector. This event will bring together young leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems in Africa. The session will highlight youth perspectives on how to leverage agriculture for economic development, food security, and gender equality. Speakers will include Ms. Jennet Kem, UN Women Country Representative; Hon. Minister, Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources, Rwanda; Nomathemba Mhlanga, Agribusiness Officer, FAO Subregional Office for Eastern Africa, and FAO Representative a.i. for Rwanda & Kenya;  Dr. Ron Rosati, Vice Chancellor, Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) etc.

Empowering the Next Generation of Women Innovators: Tech, Innovation, and Startup Pathways for Young Women in Africa

Date & Time: November 9, 2024 | 10:30-12:00
Venue: KCC, Room MH3
Organizers: UN Women & Smart Africa

Description: The goal is to foster sustainable pathways for women-led innovations to thrive and contribute to Africa’s socio-economic development. This parallel event will focus on overcoming the barriers young women face in tech entrepreneurship. Experts and innovators will address key challenges such as access to finance, policy reforms, and infrastructure, while offering actionable solutions to support women tech leaders across the continent. The goal is to create sustainable pathways for women-led innovations to thrive and contribute to Africa’s socio-economic development. Speakers will include Founders of women-led startups and social enterprises from across Africa, Angel investors, venture capitalists, and impact investors focusing on the African tech and innovation sector, mentors and experts and development partners and policymakers. Special keynote address includes Honorable Ms. Nthati Moorosi, Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation- Lesotho, Prudence Ngwenya - Director - Women, Gender and Youth Directorate - African Union (WGDY); Jennet Kem, UN Women Representative to Rwanda, among others.

African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) Mini-Hackathon: "Getting Started in a Career in Coding"

Date & Time: November 10, 2024 | 09:30-10:30
Venue: KCC, AD11
Organizers: UN Women & the African Union
Description: Accordingly, as part of the Africa Youth Month celebrations and in alignment with the African Union Theme of the Year 2024 "Educate an African fit for the 21st Century," the Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate (WGYD) of the African Union Commission, in collaboration and partnership with UN Women, will host an AGCCI (African Girls Can Code Initiative) Mini Hackathon at two significant events: 1) The Pan African Youth Forum and 2)  The Youth Pavilion at the YouthConnekt Africa Summit. The hackathon will feature a selected number of talented young girls from the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) and will spotlight their skills in coding, offering them a platform to create innovative outputs within a set timeframe. The hackathon aims to showcase the potential of young African girls in technology and inspire participants of the Pan African Youth Forum and the Youth Pavilion to pursue careers in the ICT sector. The Mini Hackathon aligns with Objective 4 of the Africa

Youth Month celebrations: “To empower young people through training, capacity development and opportunities to thrive in various spaces, including education, employment, and entrepreneurship.” This mini-hackathon is designed to introduce young African girls to the exciting world of coding and tech careers. Participants will engage in hands-on coding sessions and learn about the growing opportunities in the tech industry, aimed at inspiring the next generation of female coders and innovators. UN Women and AUC will provide opening remarks while one of the young girls will present the closing remarks.

Key Objectives of UN Women’s Participation:

• Promote women’s leadership in tech, innovation, and agriculture, with a focus on empowering youth to take leadership roles in shaping Africa’s future.
• Address gender disparities in access to resources, networks, and opportunities for young women in business and technology.
• Foster dialogue among stakeholders—including governments, the private sector, and civil society—to identify policy solutions and programs that will ensure young women have the support they need to succeed.
• Highlight the role of young women as key drivers of socio-economic transformation on the continent.

Why This Matters:
The Youth Connekt Africa Summit 2024 is a platform for young people, innovators, and policymakers to engage in forward-thinking discussions on the future of Africa. UN Women’s events will underscore the importance of inclusive development and address the critical gaps young women face in accessing opportunities in agriculture, technology, and entrepreneurship.

Press Contacts:

• Karungi Pearl, Communications Analyst: [ Click to reveal ]
• Geno Ochieng, Communications Consultant: [ Click to reveal ]

Supervision:

• Jennet Kem, UN Women Country Representative: [ Click to reveal ]
• Tikikel Tadele-Alemu, Programme Management Specialist: [ Click to reveal ]

Follow UN Women on Social Media:

• Twitter: @UN_Womenrwanda

About UN Women

UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality, women’s rights and the empowerment of women. It works in partnership with governments, civil society, and the private sector to advocate for and advance gender equality globally. Through its programs and initiatives, UN Women strives to create a world where every woman and girl can exercise her rights, live free from violence, and achieve her full potential.