School Feeding Platform: Breaking Barriers to Girls' Education

With GAC’s support the World Food Programme (WFP) UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) are working jointly in emergency contexts in Chad and Niger using WFP’s new school feeding platform to better meet the different needs of children and adolescent girls specifically barriers to education. A gender-responsive approach is taken to ensure girls and adolescent girls in particular are enrolled in and stay in school. All children are provided with nutritious fortified school meals integrated school health packages including education services about nutrition and health as well as about sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence (GBV). In addition adolescent girls receive additional targeted support to address their specific needs and barriers including the provision of micronutrients conditional cash incentives services and support related to sexual and reproductive health rights and tailored support in school including mentoring and coaching.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) the gender gap in access to education has decreased; (2) improved health and nutrition of targeted adolescent girls; (3) safer communities for women and girls with decreased gender inequalities and GBV; (4) reduced early marriages and early pregnancies occurrences; (5) empowered and resilient communities who value quality education for all children especially girls; and (6) national policies and programmes prioritize rights and education for girls. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.