The project also helps to sensitise adolescent boys to gender equal norms and prevention of violence against women and girls.
The Netherlands' King Willem Alexander and Queen Maixima visited RPVV (Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya) school, in Nand Nagri and got acquainted with the 'Go-Girls-Go' project. During the visit, the King and the Queen had discussions with students to understand the programme from their perspective and how it has helped them in their overall development.
Adolescent girls (15-18 years) in India are experiencing huge transitions. Their aspirations for and imagination of a better future has grown exponentially. But they face cultural, social and institutional constraints in fulfilling their aspirations.
Norms and practices based on entrenched patriarchy inhibit their economic participation, and restrict their mobility due to insecurity, sexual harassment and violence in public. Despite policies, legislation and institutions aimed at promoting gender equality, most school educational programmes remain gender blind, with adolescent boys and girls not learning and practising equal gender relations.
'Go Girls Go' is a pilot project in 4 government schools of Delhi, focusing upon girls, so that they can complete their education, join vocational education, and strengthen their agency to lead change. It will also influence boys and sensitise them to equal rights for women, and preventing violence against women and girls, a Netherlands Embassy statement said.
The project complies with the sustainable development goals 4 (which is to provide universal quality education) and sustainable development goal 5 (which is to create universal gender equality).
The project adopts a multi-stakeholder approach, through interventions and workshops in the target government schools. Intervention in the schools is implemented through participatory learning programme, youth led community outreach programme, empowerment of girls, advocacy & knowledge generation.
Among the activities is participatory learning programme: to build awareness among adolescent girls and boys through gender sensitisation workshops; analyse and challenge stigma and stereotypes; awareness on violence against women and girls, adolescent health and wellbeing; build self-confidence, communication and leadership skills youth led community outreach programme, empowerment of girls, advocacy and knowledge generation.
Empowerment of Girls: Identifying and supporting 30 girls to join vocational courses for chosen career through information sharing on opportunities/schemes/incentives, focused career counselling, exposure visits to vocational training institutes, interaction with professionals/prospective employers.
Support to Delhi Government, Department of Education, and Education Minister to adopt gender sensitisation modules, ac Knowledge Generation, Dissemination, Visibility: Preparation of online gender sensitization module and IEC material (audio-visuals); felicitation of teachers and schools that promote gender equality.
The Project beneficiaries are 200 adolescent girls and 100 adolescent boys.
The four government schools - two co-educational and two all-girls' schools are: RPVV School Nand Nagri, GGSS School Ambedkar Nagar 1, GSSV School Ambedkar Nagar 2 and SKV Andrewsgunj.
The project duration is from May 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020.
It is being funded by the Embassy of The Netherlands in India, and is supported by the Delhi Government.
( With inputs from IANS )