UNGEI UNGEI Country Partnerships in Country Partnerships in the South Asia Regionthe South Asia Region - Afghanistan Girls’ Education - Afghanistan Girls’ Education Initiative (AGEI)Initiative (AGEI)

- Young Champions for Education - Young Champions for Education

UNGEI Country UNGEI Country PartnershipsPartnerships

Formal UNGEI partnerships in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Formal UNGEI partnerships in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, evolving in Pakistanevolving in Pakistan

Four trendsFour trends Government as an active partnerGovernment as an active partner

Most pronounced in AfghanistanMost pronounced in Afghanistan Also in Nepal Also in Nepal Planned in 5 states of India in 2008Planned in 5 states of India in 2008

Partnership without the governmentPartnership without the government Partners advocate to the government for policy and other reforms Partners advocate to the government for policy and other reforms

(Bangladesh)(Bangladesh) Young Champions facilitate country PartnershipYoung Champions facilitate country Partnership

Pakistan in 2 provinces, to be followed by federal UNGEI under DFID Pakistan in 2 provinces, to be followed by federal UNGEI under DFID project (GEPSP) project (GEPSP)

Using SWAp as an entry point (successful advocacy for dis-Using SWAp as an entry point (successful advocacy for dis-aggregation of data in EMIS)aggregation of data in EMIS)

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

Afghanistan Girls’ Afghanistan Girls’ Education Initiative Education Initiative (AGEI)(AGEI)

Launched in 2007 with 17 partner organizations including line Launched in 2007 with 17 partner organizations including line ministries, donors, research organizations, NGOs, UNministries, donors, research organizations, NGOs, UN

Co-chaired by MOE and UNICEFCo-chaired by MOE and UNICEF Forum for information sharing, networking and funding for Forum for information sharing, networking and funding for

improved coordination and collaboration on girls’ educationimproved coordination and collaboration on girls’ education Strong political commitment (ed. universal & compulsory from Strong political commitment (ed. universal & compulsory from

grades 1 to 9), girls’ education focus area in the 5 year education grades 1 to 9), girls’ education focus area in the 5 year education plan of Afghanistan which aims to increase enrolment of girls and plan of Afghanistan which aims to increase enrolment of girls and boys in primary schools to 60% and 75% by 2010 boys in primary schools to 60% and 75% by 2010

AGEI seeks to support the government's objectives for girls’ AGEI seeks to support the government's objectives for girls’ education education

Results under AGEIResults under AGEI

Ownership and participationOwnership and participation Situation analysis of girls’ education report prepared Situation analysis of girls’ education report prepared

by partnersby partners Monthly meetings with rotating venue (8 held so far, Monthly meetings with rotating venue (8 held so far,

last meeting was at Save the Children, next to be last meeting was at Save the Children, next to be held at WFP)held at WFP)

Thematic working groups under 7 thematic working Thematic working groups under 7 thematic working groups: community participation and youth, groups: community participation and youth, ECD/pre-school, girls’ education, school ECD/pre-school, girls’ education, school construction, literacy, out of school curriculum construction, literacy, out of school curriculum development, school feedingdevelopment, school feeding

School mapping exercise underwaySchool mapping exercise underway

Results under AGEIResults under AGEI

Three young champions as AGEI partners Three young champions as AGEI partners implementing one –year action plansimplementing one –year action plans Four community radio stations and women’s listener groups Four community radio stations and women’s listener groups

established established Text material under development for media drive and scout Text material under development for media drive and scout

involvement to help prepare young females who have involvement to help prepare young females who have completed secondary schooling to become teachers completed secondary schooling to become teachers (brochures, posters, newspaper ads)(brochures, posters, newspaper ads)

Enrollment drive planned for winter session but cancelled at Enrollment drive planned for winter session but cancelled at the last minute due to worsening security situation in the last minute due to worsening security situation in Nengahar province in SeptemberNengahar province in September

Equal access interested to set up youth to youth radio Equal access interested to set up youth to youth radio programme (Nepal model)programme (Nepal model)

Challenges for AGEIChallenges for AGEI

Security related to girls’ schoolingSecurity related to girls’ schooling Female teachers/presence in SchoolsFemale teachers/presence in Schools Status of women and girls: severe Status of women and girls: severe

gender disparities in access, rural urban gender disparities in access, rural urban differencesdifferences

Better coordination of effortsBetter coordination of efforts

Update on Young Update on Young ChampionsChampions

Active in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Active in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, PakistanNepal, Pakistan

Bangladesh: TOT organized for Bangladesh: TOT organized for adolescents, advocacy through articles in adolescents, advocacy through articles in print media, joint activities w/ Save the print media, joint activities w/ Save the Children, television talk show and Children, television talk show and reporting, documentary drama planned reporting, documentary drama planned

Update on Young Update on Young championschampions

Nepal: regional e-group, lead role in Nepal: regional e-group, lead role in organizing activities on World Literacy organizing activities on World Literacy Day (including release of girls’ education Day (including release of girls’ education strategy paper & gender mainstreaming strategy paper & gender mainstreaming manual), advocacy for targeting of manual), advocacy for targeting of marginalized communities & female marginalized communities & female teacher recruitment, enrollment drives in teacher recruitment, enrollment drives in 22 education resource centers22 education resource centers

Update on Young Update on Young championschampions

Pakistan: formal agreements with government in Pakistan: formal agreements with government in Punjab and North West Frontier Province (NWFP)Punjab and North West Frontier Province (NWFP)

Aim: reduce drop out of girls in grades 1 and 2 in Aim: reduce drop out of girls in grades 1 and 2 in Punjab, developing capacity & linkages among govt., Punjab, developing capacity & linkages among govt., civil society, academia using boy scouts as a vehicle to civil society, academia using boy scouts as a vehicle to promote girls’ education in NWFP promote girls’ education in NWFP Provincial level partnership exists in NWFP (SC-US, UNFPA, Provincial level partnership exists in NWFP (SC-US, UNFPA,

WFP) under DFID supported Gender in Education Policy WFP) under DFID supported Gender in Education Policy Support Project (GEPSP) Support Project (GEPSP)

Province level committees, youth resource centers, boy Province level committees, youth resource centers, boy scouts, BCC materials, TOTscouts, BCC materials, TOT

Planned: youth conference w/ UNFPA, TV show w/ Save Planned: youth conference w/ UNFPA, TV show w/ Save Newsletter, website in processNewsletter, website in process Federal level partnership to be set up under GEPSP Federal level partnership to be set up under GEPSP

And finally …..And finally …..

UNGEI country partnerships are evolving in UNGEI country partnerships are evolving in different context specific waysdifferent context specific ways

It is often difficult to separate and attribute It is often difficult to separate and attribute UNGEI role from that of the organization’s role UNGEI role from that of the organization’s role in country processes (UNDAF, PRSP, SWAp)in country processes (UNDAF, PRSP, SWAp)

To do: Formation of country partnerships in Sri To do: Formation of country partnerships in Sri Lanka, Maldives, BhutanLanka, Maldives, Bhutan

Need the support of GAC members with Need the support of GAC members with presence in these countriespresence in these countries

Generally, need greater involvement of GAC Generally, need greater involvement of GAC members at country levelmembers at country level