African Regional Convening to Support Parents and Caregivers - June 21-23, 2022
The African Regional Convening of the Global Initiative to Support Parents (GISP) stimulated the interest or engagement of almost 1500 individuals from 742 unique organizations in the fields of health, education, social welfare, women’s affairs, early childhood, water and sanitation, mental health, violence prevention, innovative finance, climate, and many others. The convening united representatives across governments, civil society organizations, programme implementers, philanthropies, multilateral organizations, bilateral funders, private companies, universities, schools and daycare centres, and hospitals around the common cause of supporting parents and caregivers.
The event highlighted the diversity and scope of parenting support, touching on policy and practice, the role of fathers in parenting, the unique features of parenting adolescents, support for adolescents who are parents, parenting in humanitarian settings, and alignment with the Nurturing Care Framework, and the need to work with parents and children as co-creators. Many presenters noted the diversity of culture and context across the continent and the critical need to localize interventions.