The Challenge of girls' Education in Mali - Improved Demand Access and Retention

The Défi éducation des filles (DÉFI)- (challenge to Girls education) project aims to improve education so that it becomes inclusive equitable and of high quality for vulnerable girls in conflict-affected areas in the regions of Ségou Mopti Gao and Timbuktu. This project plans to improve specifically the situation of out-of-school girls and boys. Savings and loan groups that aim to support girls’ education and train teachers and school leaders in gender-sensitive pedagogy will also be supported. The project works to change social norms and other barriers to girls’ education. It does so through a communication approach based on interactive radio broadcasts. It also seeks to better education services by improving the performance of the public sector in the provision of equitable educational services. The project offers vocational training to girls who can no longer access primary education while offering remedial classes for those with learning difficulties. Project activities include: (1) establishing a program to reintegrate children excluded from the school system; (2) conducting a gender-responsive assessment with communities to identify barriers and opportunities to help improve girls' access to education; (3) providing technical assistance to the Ministry of National Education of Mali for the inclusion of gender sensitivity in existing teaching materials. This assistance covers basic literacy and numeracy skills for the socio-professional reintegration of girls and women; (4) creating theatre radio programmes designed broadcast and evaluated on the education and rights of women and girls to encourage their participation; and (5) creating safe spaces for girls in schools to promote women's health and menstrual hygiene education.

The expected outcomes for this project include: 1) Reducing harmful social norms and other gender-related barriers affecting girls' education in terms of demand access and retention in conflict-affected areas through an interactive radio-based communication approach. 2) Increasing and improving gender-sensitive safe and quality educational pathways for out-of-school and out-of-school girls and boys in conflict-affected areas. 3) Improving the performance of the public education sector in managing equitable and evidence-based education services. These services must address the needs of out-of-school and out-of-school girls and boys in conflict-affected areas.