Illustrative photo. (Photo: hoilhpn.org.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – The UNESCO Office in Vietnam on March 29announced the second phase of the project “We are ABLE –Promoting Gender Equality and Girls’ Education for Children in Ethnic Minorityareas of Vietnam” with ABLE stands for the project's slogan "Achieving Better Living and Education", which emphasises confidence in the ability of ethnic minority children, especially girls, to overcome challenges.
The phase will be implemented in Cao Bang, Kon Tum, and NinhThuan provinces, aiming to empower ethnic minority youth, especially girls andyoung women, in boarding secondary schools and neighbouring communities toovercome stereotypes and to voice and act on their dreams, hopes, andaspirations in education.
Speaking at the event, Justine Sass, Chief of the Section ofEducation for Inclusion and Gender Equality of UNESCO Headquarters in Paris,said that education can be a true source of empowerment when it addresses thegender-based barriers, stigma, and discrimination that hold learners back fromfulfilling their right to education and future life, work and leadershipopportunities.
"We must harness education's power to unlock the potentialof learners in all of their diversity and transform educational institutions toachieve just, equal, and inclusive societies", she shared.
UNESCO Representative to Vietnam Christian Manhart said that theproject is expected to contribute to the Vietnamese Government's new 10-yearEducation Development Strategic Plan, the Strategy for Ethnic MinorityDevelopment, and the national commitment to the achievement of the SustainableDevelopment Goals, especially Goal 4 on Education and Goal 5 on genderequality.
The first phase of the project was implemented from 2019 to 2022in 12 districts of three provinces - Ha Giang, Ninh Thuan, and Soc Trang,reaching about 16,300 students including over 8,000 girls.
Across the 24 beneficiary schools, among ethnic minority learners, drop-out rates dropped from 3.8% to2.9%, and transition rates to upper-secondary rose from 69.7% to 76.7%.
Over 2,130 teachers and educational administrators were trainedon gender-responsive school counseling.
Furthermore, 120 ethnic minority women and youth joinedentrepreneurship training courses and received support through the Women'sUnion in communes./.
