Water and Pads is an excellent example of sustainable education

By Dr Sibylle von Heydebrand, Executive Vice President of the International Alliance of Women IAW

In November 2024, I was invited to give a special address at the Global Sustainable Education & Leadership Conference 2024 at the University of Greenwich, UK, focusing on sustainable education for girls.

After the conference, I was honored with the “Outstanding Leadership Icon Award” at the House of Lords in London in recognition of “her tireless efforts and impactful leadership in advocating for girls’ education and global gender equity”.

The speech emphasized the grassroots IAW project “Water and Pads for Schoolgirls”, highlighted global challenges faced by girls, and outlined strategies to promote sustainable education for equity and justice.

Key Issues:

1. Global Discrimination Against Girls: Girls face malnutrition, lack of education, child marriage, and violence. Over 96 million girls are illiterate, compared to 57 million boys, while 12 million girls marry annually. Educating girls reduces poverty, improves health, and fosters economic growth.
2. Sustainable Education: It ensures fairness by removing barriers, promoting gender-responsive curricula, and combating stereotypes, enabling girls to enter male-dominated fields like STEM.
3. Barriers: Cultural norms, economic constraints, child marriage, and lack of menstrual health resources hinder girls’ education.
4. Gender Gap in Literacy: Women comprise two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population.
5. Engaging Boys and Men: Boys must be educated about gender equality to foster societal change.
6. IAW Grassroots Project: The “Water and Pads for Schoolgirls – Empowerment for Life!” project addresses menstrual health in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

I called for global financing, political action and the reduction of inequalities, and I appealed to the world to ensure that no girl is left behind, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda. My urgent message: “Leave no girl behind” was met with great applause.

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From a Girl to a Doctor - a Real Career in ICT

On April 27, “Girls in ICT Day,” the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and partners will highlight the need to promote technology career opportunities for girls to become both Information, Communications and Technologies (ICT) users and creators in the digital world. This year’s theme is “Digital Skills for Life.” It continues the UN International Women’s Day theme “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” and the Global Digital Compact’s focus on open, free, and secure digital spaces for women and girls.

Encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM education.

Reflecting as a technologist and developer of STEM programming for girls, the decision to pursue an ICT career provided me an opportunity to develop solutions in diverse fields from environmental remote sensing to biomedicine.

In developing STEM education programming, a combination of foundational skills helps girls succeed in digital spaces. Presenting them with diverse career options, and integrating life skills, empowerment, and competence-based training work together to ensure they have the tools to solve serious problems confronting their communities while moving closer to achieving sustainable development goals.

One memorable example is from my engagement with African women role models at a Rwanda eskills4gilrls meetup. These role models in ICT shared the power of learning to code as an entry into IT entrepreneurship. Once they learned to code, they could envision new ideas, design their websites, and compete with men to market their capabilities. Role model Carolyn Ekyarisiima stated, “Coding is a superpower. Once that girl has that superpower she is like a mighty sword for her family.” Role model Grace Ouendo stated, “I think coding is good for her because it is all about bringing solutions to where there are no solutions in the technology world.” Role model Ernestina Appiah stated, “Even if you don’t choose it as a career, you will need the skills that come with coding like critical thinking and the ability to collaborate.”

Inspire girls and young women to work in STEM careers.

In my career, I did not have the benefit of regular one-on-one sessions with a mentor or role model who was an expert in my field. I often struggled with isolation being the only woman of color on a team of white males. This is an even more critical situation for girls in developing countries who experience limited access to affordable internet, mentoring, and role models.

As a role model and board member for Career Girls, I understand that it’s fundamental for girls to see role models to “close the imagination gap.” As the largest online database of role models, Career Girls brings together over 800+ accomplished women working in cities across the United States and countries around the world, including Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Japan. Through a series of videos, each role model shares the story of her career journey in their own words and through an easily accessible format. What skills from her childhood does she still rely on today? What is a typical day like in her career? What obstacles has she overcome? Our role models answer these questions and many others to provide an engaging and comprehensive look at wide-ranging careers. We choose women at the top of their field, providing real-world experience and helping girls envision different possibilities for a career they often associate with males while reinforcing messages of positive self-esteem and self-worth. 

Engage the community and promote collaborations through partnerships.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the link between the digital divide and academic achievement gaps for girls by forcing many school districts to move from in-person to remote schooling. Virtual education grew in popularity. In particular, STEM camps for girls, where tech companies partnered with NGOs, provided live, hands-on online instruction experiences and access to role models.

Career Girls virtual camps are a shining example of a successful collaboration opportunity between NGOs and the private sector. For three years in a row, the Career Girls Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Robotics camp has been sponsored by Toyota Research Institute (TRI), which granted girls free registration, access to world-class women researchers in these fields, and their very own robot to engage with and learn from. The girls could program their robot to walk, use its arms, and even avoid obstacles intelligently through coding.

The outcome? A staggering 92.5% of the girls shared a likelihood of pursuing a career in STEM. In addition, campers reported an increase in their understanding of the steps they will need to take to achieve their career goals, the education and skills needed for their favorite career, and how doing well in school now will help them achieve their dreams.

We must equip girls with the knowledge and tools to make advances in ICT technology so that the outcomes of applying these solutions have a positive impact on their future. That means not just having access to digital skills but also having a seat at the table to decide critical policy issues on the use of these powerful technologies.

Dr. Beverly Thompson
Senior Scientist in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Accelerator
Member of Commission on Digital Divide

The picture on top of the page shows Dr. Beverly Thompson giving a presentation to Dr. Lee Schwartz, Geographer of the Department of State and the Director of Office of the Geographer and Global Issues. The topic was using satellite imagery to help reach nomadic settlements in the Lake Chad Basin to support vaccination campaigns. 

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About Inclusion in Digital Life

Dr Ernesstine Ngo Melha (IAW Executive Vice-President) is the founder of the NGO AAEEH (IAW Associate). 

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, she talks about disabilities and digital opportunities on her association’s YouTube channel.

To the YouTube Video (French)

Dr. Ernestine Ngo Melha’s demand to give girls with disabilities unhindered access to digital opportunities can be found on the website of AAEEH (please choose the language).

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Report by Empowerment and Human Resource Development of India, an affiliate of IAW.

MOBILITY

The National Education Policy of India released in 2019 rightly addresses some foundational issues in Indian education system regarding gender. The lessons from Indian experience can shed light in the challenges and required solutions for Educational attainment under 4th Sustainable development goal. The most important of them is Access. The report proposes various steps to increase access of women into schools. This includes creating special education zones, Gender inclusion funds, the targeted scholarships, and formula based and discretion funding of gender inclusionary projects in school levels. The report also addresses the problem of sexual harassment which women faces during the course of travel to schools and within schools. The report also suggests meals scheme in schools which will incentivize women of poor households to access schools.

HOWEVER, ONE THING IS MISSING: MOBILITY.

Trying to increase access without addressing mobility is like dancing without the help of limbs.

1. Mobility: The report makes a passing mention of the cycle distribution scheme of Bihar which increased the school attendance rates among girl children. Mobility of women free from harassment and safe from other disturbances is a key in attaining the access rates of women.

SUGGESTIONS :

• For this, public schools should have bus services which promote last mile connectivity for girl children. This will increase access on a large scale. The expenses in this regard should be seen as an investment and not as expenditure. Efficient service for last mile connectivity of women can have a drastic impact on the confidence of girls and their families towards school as safe learning spaces for girl children.
• There could be a last mile connectivity fund set up for each school with the joint allocation of Central government, state government, local governments and parent community.
• Creating women only buses in districts with high risk for girls to travel for education.

It would be ideal if the staff of the buses are also women.  (Recruitment of women drivers and needed training could be taken up with the partnership of various other government departments). 

DIGITAL INCLUSION AND TARGETED SERVICE DELIVERY 

It is necessary to promote digital access of women to promote greater mobility of ideas among women and mobility of greater opportunities among women.

Streamlining of digital content through apps, websites, softwares etc. targeted at women can also be adopted to provide women centric services to girl children. This should include

• Free Distribution of digital gadgets and internet infrastructure meant to increase access to the below said services.
• Free academic content, access to library databases, articles, government reports, studies etc.
• Schedules of bus timings to schools( Public transport and private transport etc can be included in it)
• Information regarding government schemes targeted at girl children and steps to easy application.
• Specific segments to increase awareness of anti sexual harassment laws with toll free numbers and other services which each girl children can access.
• Information regarding Internships, opportunities for gaining professional experiences, scholarships, student exchange programs etc.
• Information
• Presence of IT centers in schools for guiding the girl children to use these gadgets including its repair, maintenance, up gradation of the services. Further, the IT cells should be tasked with the job of helping girl children achieve greater digital skills through content and process exposures. Further, IT cells should aid the girl children with applications for scholarships, other applications etc.

ACCESS TO GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL MECHANISMS AND COUNSELING:

It is no secret that girl children faces a number of problems while studying in schools. This include gender biases, discrimination, unfair treatment by parents and even teachers, maltreatment etc.

• There should be a toll free number for the child to report any complaints instantly and the same should be made available through the above mentioned digital mechanisms.
• Further, the toll free numbers should be operated by bodies which has expertise and expert professionals to guide the children through traumas and undesirable experiences.
• The professionals should be adept in laws against sexual harassments, various government policies meant to empower girls, close coordination with the regulatory bodies of the concerned State to direct immediate action towards the schools.
• The discussions between the child and the professional should be confidential
• The redressal mechanisms should be linked with the necessary Institutions under the Statutory bodies enabled with adequate legislation. For example, Juvenile Justice care and protection Act 2015.
• There should be counseling sessions regularly conducted both targeted as well as general for understanding the problems of the girl children.
• There should be storing of data gathered through the above mechanisms and the same should be utilized through the help of studies to local strategies for the schools.
• Conducting such educational research should be under the jurisdiction of a dedicated center for educational research which should be constituted and run under the concerned government bodies. Women should be adequately represented in this Centre, Adequate coordination with NGO’s working on the concerned locality, etc.
• Based on the findings, a report has to be forwarded to the concerned Department to make both general as well as specific interventions for the educational system in the concerned jurisdictions.
• Local strategies to be framed for each villages and if necessary for each schools.
• Sufficient linkages with the professionals, officials and institutions under JJ Act, POCSO, Women’s commission, Minorities Commission, ( Equivalent institutions in other countries)

GENDER EQUITY AS A MATTER OF CREATING ECONOMIC CAPACITY AND OWNERSHIP FOR GIRLS:

While the policy suggests that the books, curriculum, pedagogy and other aspects have to undergo a gender inclusive reformation, there is something which the report should equally focus on.

• Creating economic capacity and ownership for girls:

It is seen that the most effective strategy for empowering a group is to encourage ownership of that group in the social, political and economic resources. Increasing ownership is vital to give power in the hands of women and to create assertiveness among them of their rights. It is also conceivable that someone who acquires wealth ( here, we equate gender justice as a wealth in itself) will be more resilient in nourishing it and developing it.

Efforts of school system should equally be to train Girl children to create such social, political and economic wealth through their innate potential and leadership.

I propose in this paper of mine to call for creating better economic capacity and ownership among girl children by mentoring entrepreneurship.

Mentoring student level entrepreneur ship is a highly effective strategy in creating gender empowered advancements in learning spaces.

For this focus has to be on those entrepreneurships with

1. Intellectual capital
2. Green entrepreneurship and eco friendliness
3. Process based entrepreneurship: Heritage, indigenous, Art, Science and local knowledge processes which can be turned into resilient enterprises
4. Innovation based entrepreneurships:
5. Collective leadership
6. Cooperative profit sharing mechanisms

• This should be promoted with the help of activity and research based curriculum on entrepreneurship, District level incubation of girl children owned enterprises from each schools.
• Linking the incubation with diverse funding sources. Focus has to be given for micro credits on local levels.
• Incubation should also be promoted through toll free numbers that is to be disseminated to them through digital access gadgets
• Framing a detailed incubation guideline with the participation of Universities, Industry leaders etc.
• School infrastructure to be expanded for accommodating entrepreneurial spaces for girl children.
• General counseling in schools to be undertaken for finding young entrepreneurs.

It is my humble request that a detailed policy has to be drafted specifically for promoting school level entrepreneurships with the help of researchers, industry leaders and educationalist. A policy in this regard should also bring clarity on the implementing body and regulatory suggestions.

CREATING INVOLVEMENT IN POLICING, PUBLIC POLICY MAKING AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION:

There are very little areas of student engagement which inculcates gender equity in children in the likes of Policing, Public policy and Public administration.

The state of Kerala’s flagship program on Student police Cadets was an influential initiative in getting children involved in Police functions. By involving children in various community interaction initiatives of  the police and various issues of public policy and public administration, it becomes possible for children to be involved in how policy is framed, understood and implemented from an early age. Studies have indicated a decreased level of drug abuse in the schools where SPC were functioning. Creating peer focuses support groups was successfully done through the initiative.

This has to be expanded throughout India with great focus on Girl children.

• SPG’s can be instrumental in the way girl children interact with Police systems in the country. This is pivotal in increasing the safety of women in India by promoting greater participation of girl children in Police forces in the future
• There should be a SPG wing specifically for girls and the leadership position are to be reserved for girls. However, joint initiatives involving both boys and girls can be planned for SPG initiatives.
• SPG initiatives should take up wide community engagement initiatives with focus on crime reporting, traffic rules implementation, road safety, crime prevention, bridging the gap between police and common people, anti-drug abuse, counseling, anti- sexual harassment initiatives, etc
• The initiatives of SPG in Kerala can be taken up for studies.
• Center for educational research should also take up adequate research programs and suggest more equitable ways of student engagement in Police.

Public policy and Public Administration:

Similar to Student Police Cadets and the National service Scheme, There should be expansion of policy research and public administration to involve student involvement ( girl children). Just like SPG, a national body in this regard can be constituted to take up initiatives for child involvement in policy research and public administration.

A detailed policy in this regard has to be created with the help of educationists, Public administration officials and Academicians in the areas of Public policy and Public administration.

Various areas of Public policy and public administration (Information dissemination, policy appraisals, grassroot research,  legal analyses, surveys and polls, extraction of actionable leads etc)  has to be approached diligently and a detailed roadmap need to be made to see how children can be part of the process.

Further, each student ( girl children) needs to be mentored to develop their knowledge, insights and expertise in public policy and public administration to bring about greater awareness in children and empowerment.

CONCLUSION

It is only when we address the modern day challenges through a participative and value addition model of Education invested in creating meaningful social infrastructure for women can empowerment evolve from foundational sources.

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