2013 International Day of the Girl Child
Stories from the field
Youth mobilization and activism empowers girls to speak out and
attend school
Education is one of the most critical areas of youth empowerment and mobilization, especially for
girls, who consistently face exclusion and discrimination over the course of their lives.
‘Speak out’ clubs in Rwanda
UNICEF, together with partners, is empowering girls to speak
out. In Rwanda, UNICEF partnered with the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)
to conduct Tuseme, or ‘speak out,’ clubs in 54 schools across the country. These clubs comprise
boys and girls from all grades and provide an opportunity for students to come together to
discuss challenges they face at school. “Theatre is an important tool
for addressing social issues and raising awareness among school
children. It is a fun way to engage children and build confidence.
Children really enjoy theatre but at the same time it plays an
important role in passing on important messages,” said Pacifique
Jean Claude Ingabire, Program Office at FAWE.
In June, at Murama School in Bugesera District, over 100 students
gathered to watch a theatre performance by the school’s Tuseme
club. The play tackled issues that might prevent girls from
completing their education: early pregnancy, self-esteem and
transactional relationships between young girls and older men.
“The Tuseme club has helped me build my confidence and speak
out against issues such as teacher harassment and teenage
pregnancies,” said Priscole Cyuzuzo, an 18 year-old girl. Solange
Uwamahoro, Head Teacher of Murama School, added, “The clubs have helped empower young
girls. When they have problems they are able to talk about how they might overcome these
challenges.”
Young Champions stand up for girls’ education in Nepal and Pakistan
In South Asia, the
United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative’s (UNGEI) Young Champion (YC) programme identifies
and trains young volunteers dedicated to the promotion of girls’ education. YCs work together
with other activists to convince parents to send their children to school, keeping records and
monitoring out-of-school children.
In Nepal, Mr. Kalara Ram, 30 years-old from Lahan Municipality, exemplifies the success of the
YC model. After completing his training, Mr. Ram identified 52 children in his community not
going to school and counselled these children and their parents on the importance of quality
education. He continues to raise the voice for children’s rights among social and governmental
organizations and inspires children from the most disadvantaged communities to enrol and stay
in school.
In urban slums on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, Mr. Syed Mohsin Raza volunteers in the YC
initiative to get every child in school. Since September 2010, he has “managed to have more
than 200 children enrolled. Initially, it is difficult to convince the parents.
I tell about the advantages of educating their children and eventually they agree. I encourage
them to keep their children in school for at least 10 years,” he said.
Most out-of-school children are marginalized and poor; some have been forced by circumstances
to drop out and engage in child labour. Shirin Nayyar, 6 years-old, was enrolled due to the efforts
of Mr. Raza, who convinced her parents to let her receive non-formal education. Within a few
months, Shirin showed good progress and enrolled at the local Government Primary School
Ahmedabad.
“I am a poor man and did not realize the importance of education my children,” said Abbas
Nayyar, Shirin’s father. “Ever since Shirin started going to school, my thoughts have changed.
Now I believe that parents who do not send their children to school commit a major sin. I will
work hard to education all my children so that they could have a better life.”
In Ghana, UNICEF is equipping a group of
Tech Girls to become young journalists and
tell their stories via blogs and digital
photography. They are also given skills to
advocate for change in their communities.
Gloria Seidu, 11, is one of the members of
the group, said, "I am writing a story about
the girls who sell sachets of water on the
street. They are missing out on going to
school."
There are 100 Tech Girls in schools across
the Northern Region of Ghana. For the
past year, they met outside of class time
for sessions in ICT. The girls had never touched a computer before so the lessons started with
the basics. "Before, if you would go to class, only boys would raise their hands to talk. Now the
Tech Girls stand tall and speak out. There is a difference in their general performance, and their
grades have all improved," Pong Tamale School headmaster, Tia Anthony. More of their stories
can be found on www.voicesofyouth.org.
Through these youth empowerment and mobilization efforts, UNICEF and partners address
issues of girls’ education at school and community levels. They are giving a voice to youth
activists and ensuring that these voices are heard. Mr. Raza added, “I keep visiting their schools
to check their progress, and see their families to know how they feel about their children being
educated. In case a child stops coming to school, I follow up and try to find the reason. It is
important that no child drops out once enrolled.”
Related links:
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http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/rwanda.html
http://www.unicef.org/nepal/
http://www.unicef.org/pakistan/
http://www.ungei.org/index.php
http://www.fawe.org/