The following factors provide motivation for ACTS to re-establish and pursue this programme:

1. The programme recognises the potential of STI’s role in enhancing the contribution of women to sustainable development in Africa. Women in Africa are the majority contributors to family food security through smallholder subsistence farming. With increasing vulnerabilities, their capacity to feed Africa shall be limited. Furthermore, the participation of women in economic activities along the agricultural value chains has also remained negligible. In addition, women are more vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Enhancing access to STI by women, such as agrotechnologies, climate innovations and digital solutions can contribute towards addressing the socio-economic challenges facing African women today.
2. Africa is the fastest growing and most youthful population in the world, with implications for job creation and stability. Almost 60% of the population in Africa is under the age of 25 years. This burgeoning youth population is both an opportunity and a challenge. The population provides an opportunity for the continent to address Africa’s sustainable development challenges, tapping on the existing natural resources and using the creativity and innovation of its youthful population to catalyse economic transformation. On the other hand, the increasing youth population, coupled with high levels of unemployment is a time bomb and a nightmare for several policy makers in Africa. Using STI to create more employment opportunities for the youth, and enhancing access to technologies for self-employment are some of the interventions towards addressing these challenges.

To empower women, youth and vulnerable groups to harness science, technology and innovation for economic, social and environmental sustainability in Africa.

To provide policy choices that exploit the potential of women, youth and other marginalised groups to harness STI for sustainable and diversified livelihoods and socio-economic development in Africa.

To support the development of enabling policies, organisations and institutions for harnessing the potential for application of science, technology and innovation.

1. During the 2022-2026 period, the Gender, Youth and Inclusive Development programme will pursue the following strategic objectives:
2. To undertake policy research that promotes the uptake of STI solutions (by youth, women and marginalised persons) to self-reliance;
3. To package research results into knowledge products for dissemination, outreach and policy engagement;
4. To undertake technology brokerage and transfer of innovations that provide sustainable solutions to meet the needs of women, youth and marginalised communities;
5. To ensure growth and financial sustainability of the programme.

In 2022-2026, the Gender, Youth and Inclusive Development Programme will work closely with the other programmes to ensure gender issues are mainstreamed into programmatic activities. In addition, resource mobilisation will target specific projects that span between gender and sectors of relevance to the continent. These include gender and energy; gender and digital innovation; gender and agriculture etc.