13/08/2026
On 11th August 2026, Ministry of General Education and Instruction, Republic of South Sudan with Save the Children, UNESCO South Sudan, Windle Trust InternationalTrust, FCA Finn Church Aid, UNICEF South Sudan, and other education stakeholders, launched the Africa Educate Her Campaign under the theme “Keep girls in school, empower their futures”, reaffirming its commitment to keeping girls in school, preventing dropouts, and supporting girls to continue and complete their education.
The launch brought together representatives from 10 schools with over 200 learners including Children with disability, NGOs, UN agencies, private sector companies, and banks, all in solidarity and committed to advancing the agenda of girls’ education, retention, and completion.
At Save the Children, we believe that education is not a privilege given to a girl, it is her fundamental right. Educating girls is also one of the strongest investments South Sudan can make in peace, resilience and national development.
Isaac Otieno, PDQ director, Save the Children, emphasized that this is not merely launching of a campaign but a national promise to end girl child school out drop.
“Keeping girls in school cannot be achieved by girls alone. It requires parents who believe in their daughters, communities that protect them, teachers who encourage them, leaders who defend their rights, and institutions that provide adequate resources. It also requires men and boys to become active champions of gender equality and girls’ education.” Said Otieno
Esther Nene a student from Juba Diocese Secondary School highlighted the challenges girls face in schools and community currently, stating that Girls still fight for place in South Sudan Classrooms.
“Girls are still fighting for a place in South Sudan classrooms; for thousands of girls in South Sudan, going to school remains a struggle rather than a normal part of childhood. Poverty, child and forced marriage, Cultural Norms and limited access to schools continue to prevent many girls from getting the education they need. 2.8 million children over 70% of school going children are out of school, with girls making up the largest number “ she Said
The Campaign serves as a strategic advocacy platform to generate a sense of urgency and mobilize African Union (AU) Member States, including South Sudan, and other stakeholders to accelerate efforts to protect girls’ right to education, particularly during emergencies, including security and humanitarian crises.
It also calls for stronger learning recovery strategies to address disruptions to education, particularly those living in hard-to-reach, remote, and underserved areas across Africa.
