The article "Can social entrepreneurs make Africa's digital boom more inclusive?" by Helen Lock, published by Devex in July 2022, examines how African social entrepreneurs are working to make the continent's digital boom more inclusive. Despite a digital economy valued at $115 billion and a forecast of $712 billion by 2050, less than 25% of Africa's population has internet access. Initiatives like the German agency GIZ's "Digital Enquirer Kit" aim to bridge this gap by offering free training on misinformation and online safety. These efforts highlight the importance of digital inclusion for Africa's economic and social development.

Numérique, Entrepreneurship, Inclusion

The article titled "Nous ne sommes peut-être pas instruites mais nous avons beaucoup d’abnégation et savons qui nous sommes, avec beaucoup d’expérience sur le terrain politique" features the testimony of Adja Absa Laye Souaré, a fish seller and municipal councilor in Thiès, Senegal. Active in politics since 1986, she has successively been involved with the Socialist Party, the Senegalese Democratic Party, and later Rewmi. She emphasizes that, although some women lack formal education, they possess significant determination and political experience. Adja Absa Laye Souaré highlights the importance of active female participation in decision-making bodies and denounces their instrumentalization in politics. She calls for increased support to strengthen women's capacities and promote their access to leadership positions, considering their close ties with local populations as a major asset for local development.

Gender, Development, Women, Political participation, Inclusion

In the Madagali region of Adamawa State in northeastern Nigeria, approximately 250 people with disabilities experience severe discrimination, depriving them of access to essential services, opportunities, and humanitarian aid. This exclusion results in accumulated psychological distress, including feelings of fear and rejection. With support from the United Nations Humanitarian Fund for Nigeria (NHF) and in partnership with the Center for Advocacy, Transparency, and Accountability Initiative (CATAI), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) implemented psychosocial support, advocacy, and awareness-raising activities to promote the inclusion of these people. Psychosocial support sessions, including psychoeducation and support groups, were organized to improve participants' emotional well-being and social integration. The DRC also provided transportation support to facilitate access to essential services. These initiatives have enabled participants to regain self-confidence and integrate more fully into the community, thus contributing to a more inclusive society in Madagali.

Security, Disability, Inclusion, Psychosocial support

The "Gender at the Centre Initiative" commissioned a study to assess the integration of gender equality into the educational sector planning in Mauritania. This analysis focuses on the Triennial Budgeted Action Plan (PATB) 2019-2021, developed in 2012 under the leadership of the Ministry of Education and UNESCO. Findings indicate that, although there is a political effort to include gender considerations in educational policies, this initiative primarily addresses concerns from external stakeholders. Civil society organizations and technical and financial partners observe that gender issues are often raised by external actors, with the ministry showing less proactivity in this area. Furthermore, there is no clear mechanism for accountability, reporting, and monitoring the implementation of gender equality in education. Final decisions regarding the PATB are mainly made by the planning directorate, with limited coordination among various ministry departments, hindering constructive dialogue and effective integration of gender considerations into sectoral planning.

Governance, Gender, Women, Violence, Marginalisation, Political participation, Inclusion, Parity

This article by ENDA Santé highlights the worsening polycrisis scenario in the Sahel, combining armed conflict, chronic poverty, food insecurity, demographic pressure, and climate change. These intersecting challenges overwhelm health systems and constrain state capacity to ensure essential services, especially amid an anticipated dip in international funding . The piece advocates for a paradigm shift in development strategies: favoring holistic, integrated interventions, tapping local resources, strengthening community resilience, and embracing adaptive governance. ENDA Santé emphasizes the need to connect health, food security, climate action, and peacebuilding into a unified framework to effectively tackle the region’s complex challenges.

Governance, Security, Development, Health, Crisis, Inclusion