UNESCO - NEPAL - Dalit Caste Girls

Winning people's will for girl child education: community mobilization for gender equality in basic education

In 2004 and 2005, the UNESCO office in Kathmandu conducted an action-research project to work on the access and retention in school of girls from Dalit (or untouchable) castes. Given the social and cultural complexities relating to this most deprived caste group, their activity was focused on community mobilisation and gaining "people’s will" on girls’ education. This report attempts to document the process, the outcomes and the lessons learnt from UNESCO’s project to "Win People’s Will" (WPW) to educate girl children in two communities in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal.

Some of the main achievements of the programme include:

• girls enrolled, re-enrolled and attending school
• awareness of the importance of education at the family and community level
• adult literacy/Health Education/Handicrafts Training
• empowerment of women earning money by means other than sweeping
• opening a bank account to support students in the future, and manage income generating activity profits.

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PUBLISHER About: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

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