02/06/2026
At the recent Global Partnerships Conference in London, our Board member Theo Sowa joined a global plenary on "Ending Violence Against Women and Girls – A Global Challenge Requires a Collective Response." She spoke with the clarity that comes from decades of frontline experience working alongside African women and girls.
Her message was clear: ending violence against women and girls cannot be sustained by goodwill and isolated interventions alone. It requires deep, accountable, and sustained collective action – rooted in community and driven by those who understand what is truly at stake.
This is our founding logic at the Graça Machel Trust. Our Founder, Mrs Graça Machel, built this organisation on a simple but radical truth: no single actor – no government, NGO, or donor – creates lasting change on their own. The challenges facing African women and girls are systemic and interconnected. The response must be equally systemic, connecting across borders, sectors, and communities.
Theo reminds us that solutions cannot be designed from a distance; they must be co-created with the communities most affected, and of the importance of partnerships in making impactful and sustainable change.
📹 Watch Theo's remarks from the panel discussion on the link below.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
On 19-20 May 2026, the UK, South Africa, British International Investment and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation will convene governments, businesses,...
