UN Women is currently implementing a programme called Second Chance Education and Vocational Learning (SCE), which is aimed at empowerment of the most marginalized women who, owing to poverty and gender-based discrimination, have been denied access to opportunities at an early age.
The programme undertakes a holistic approach to empowerment using the pathways of learning, employment and entrepreneurship. The SCE programme enables and offers women opportunities to (1) re-enter formal education, (2) undertake vocational education (3) receive entrepreneurship, training and skills training, (4) potential employment. SCE offers a comprehensive solution by adopting a holistic approach, leveraging partnerships at all levels, using innovative pedagogies and finance to achieve its objective.
In India, SCE programme is being implemented in 12 districts across 4 states – Bihar, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan, covering 200 villages.
During the course of implementation of the SCE programme, experiences of women and girls has highlighted that finding job opportunities were restricted due to the lack of degrees and/or diplomas from higher education/training institutes, lack of employable skills (domain and transferable skills) and lack of entrepreneurship opportunities.
Do you know that SKILL REPORTER updates are very relevant for Skill Development professionals, Policy Makers, Education Sector Professionals, Social Workers, CSR Experts, and people engaged in businesses dealing with Education Sector? Click here to follow SKILL REPORTER on Facebook.
To respond to this challenge UN Women will implement the proposed project (i.e. FLIGHT) to create a cadre of skilled women, who have completed their higher education and are ready to gainfully participate in the digital and formal economy. This project will be implemented for a duration of three years – March 2021 to February 2024 in the Greater Metropolitan Region Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Thane, Palghar & Raigad in Maharashtra.
By the end of three years, approximately 750 women and girls will pursue their higher education to attain a degrees and/or technical education post schooling along with attaining employable skills for gainful employment. Further, about 5000 girls and their parents will be sensitized on gender equality and women empowerment.
Supporting access to quality education as well as employment and entrepreneurship training to marginalized women and young women, at an improved scale and at an affordable cost, is at the core of what UN Women aims to achieve. There is a critical need for practical and empirical knowledge about how to effectively implement such a programme in a variety of contexts. The SCE Programme being piloted by UN Women, is generating evidence about experiences of women and girls, highlighting that finding job opportunities are restricted due to the lack of degrees and/or diplomas from higher education/training institutes, lack of employable skills (domain and transferable skills) and lack of entrepreneurship opportunities. The proposed project is informed by this evidence. The experience gained from the proposed project coupled with the evidence generated by the SCE pilot programme will support UN Women to be better able to assist in shaping relevant policy to increase women workforce participation, especially in skilled jobs of the future.
Understanding Challenges and Opportunities in Formal education:
• The average educational attainment of girls is up to class 8 – education in government schools is free till the 8th grade.
• Dropout rates among students belonging to the marginalised communities (Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe and Minority communities) in all programme districts is high.
• As mobility continues to remain a major challenge for rural women, girls are often forced to discontinue their education as a secondary or high school in their areas are few and thus are often required travel to neighbouring regions to continue their education.
• Other reasons are – conditions and infrastructure of the schools, distance to school, poverty, illiteracy among parents, burden of household responsibilities for the girls and marriage at a young age.
• Post lockdown, and due to the ongoing crisis, it will be difficult for women and girls from the villages to pay educational fees as the livelihood for many families has been affected
• Options like open schooling (NIOS) have not started their classes and study material is not easily available for upcoming exams and assignments
• Education of girls is not a priority for parents and also the young women who may have submitted their fees or had shown willingness towards enrolling themselves in Open Schooling may not necessarily find the required support to ensure completion of education.
• A large number of girls drop out after they complete their school education and parents are in a hurry to marry them young
UNWOMEN plans to engage an (Implementing Partner) as defined in accordance with these documents. UN-WOMEN now invites sealed proposals from qualified proponents for providing the requirements as defined in the UNWOMEN Terms of Reference.
Proposals must be received by UNWOMEN at the email address specified not later than (time) 2359 hrs on (date) 16th August 2021. The budget range for this proposal should be [INR 1,25,00,000 – INR 1,50,60,000]. For complete details, refer the EOI Document (Click Here to View / Download)
Do you know that SKILL REPORTER updates are not only very relevant for Skill Development Professionals but many times also relevant for Policy Makers, Education Sector Professionals, Social Workers, CSR Experts, and people engaged in businesses dealing with Education Sector? Click here to connect with SKILL REPORTER on Linkedin
