the capacity of CSOs to influence policy advocacy, monitoring and accountability mechanisms at the EAC, ECOWAS and AU levels. The partnership focuses on Partner State reporting and implementation

of Maputo protocol, Africa Youth Charter, EAC Youth Policy and the EAC Regional Implementation Framework on UNSCR 1325.

NAIROBI, Kenya, 23rd October 2017 - EACSOF Kenya signed a Partnership Agreement with Forum for Africa Women Educationalist (FAWE) Regional Secretariat under the Girls Advocacy Alliance (GAA). GAA is a program developed by Plan Netherlands, Terre des Hommes Netherlands and Defence for Children Netherlands that was selected by the Dutch Ministry with the aim to eliminate gender based violence and reduce the economic exclusion of girls and young women by 2030. The GAA Africa region alliance will work in Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia. These activities will enhance the capacity of partnering CSOs to influence policy advocacy, monitoring and accountability mechanisms at the EAC, ECOWAS and AU levels.

The Girls Advocacy Alliance Program is an initiative implemented by FAWE Regional Secretariat and Plan AUC which seeks to enhance the capacity of five regional and sub-regional youth led organizations to influence regional policy- making and monitoring bodies on gender based violence and economic exclusion. The overall goal of the partnership is to encourage girls and young women in Africa and their CSOs to use regional monitoring accountability mechanisms to hold their governments accountable to the fulfillment of their protection and rights.