Girls' Education Challenge
- F Funding Initiative/Portfolio
A Active
Key Information
The Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC) was launched by the UK’s Department for International Development in 2012 as a 12-year commitment to reach the most marginalized girls in the world and is the largest global fund dedicated to girls’ education. The UK is committed to ensuring millions of girls in some of the poorest countries, including girls who have disabilities or are at risk of being left behind, receive a quality education. Through the GEC, we aim to transform the lives of over one million of the world’s most marginalized girls through quality education and learning. Access to a good quality education and learning opportunities will empower these girls to secure a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.
Lead Implementing Organization(s)
Location(s)
South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa
Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Activity URL
Government Affiliation
Non-governmental programYears
2012 - 2025
Partner(s)
- Cheshire Services Uganda
- Concern Worldwide
- Organization for Child Development and Transformation (CHADET)
- People in Need (PIN)
- Plan International
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Charitable Foundation
- Social Development Direct (SDDirect)
- Welthungerhilfe
Nathan Associates Ltd., ChildHope, Helvetas and Centro Italiano Aiuti all´infanzia (CIAI)
Ministry Affiliation
UnknownFunder(s)
Australian Embassy in Ethiopia: Direct Aid Program (DAP), Japan Embassy in Ethiopia: Foreign office fund, OCHA
COVID-19 Response
AdaptedGeographic Scope
Global / regionalAreas of Work Back to Top
Education areas
Attainment
- Primary completion
- Primary enrollment
- Primary to secondary transition
- Secondary completion
- Secondary Enrollment
Other skills
- Life skills/sexuality education
- Rights/empowerment education
- Social and emotional learning
- Vocational training
Quality
- School quality
- School-related gender-based violence
- School violence
- Teacher training
Skills
- Literacy
- Numeracy
Cross-cutting areas
- COVID-19 Response
- Early/child marriage
- Economic/livelihoods (including savings/financial inclusion, etc.)
- Other aspects of sexual and reproductive health
- Violence (at home, in relationships)
- WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene)
Program participants
Other populations reached
- Boys in school
- Brothers
- Community leaders
- Mothers
- Other community members - female
- Other community members - male
- Parent-teacher associations/school management committees
- School administrators
- Sisters
- Teachers - female
- Teachers - male
Participants include
- Homeless/street children
- Internal migrants (from other areas of the same country)
- Orphans and vulnerable children
- People with disabilities
Program Approaches Back to Top
Access to school
- Alternative learning centers/mobile schools/home schools
- Building roads
- Expanding boarding opportunities
- Improving transportation
Curriculum/learning
- Increased availability of learning materials
Educational Technology
- Computer-assisted learning
Facilities construction/improvement
- Construction/improvement of classrooms
- Construction/improvement of electricity
- Construction/improvement of schools
Life skills education
- Gender, rights and power
- Negotiation skills
- Sexual and reproductive health (including puberty education)
- Social and emotional learning (SEL) skills building
Mentoring/psychosocial support
- Adult (non-teacher) mentors
- Peer mentors
- Teachers as mentors
Policy/legal environment
- Advocating changes to existing laws/policies
- Developing/promoting new laws/policies
- Public-private partnerships
- Raising awareness about existing laws/policies
Reducing economic barriers
- Addressing cost of school supplies
- Conditional cash transfers (including non-cash goods) to individuals/households
- Scholarships/stipends for school fees
- Unconditional cash transfers (including non-cash goods) to individuals/households
- Vouchers/grants
School-related gender-based violence
- Anti-violence policies and codes of conduct
- Safe and welcoming schools
Social/gender norms change
- Group activities with students or school-age children/adolescents
- Work with community leaders
- Work with religious leaders
Teaching
- In-service teacher training – gender-responsive pedagogy
- In-service teacher training – pedagogy general
- Teaching materials (e.g. lesson plans, curricula)
Tutoring/strengthening academic skills
- Literacy - in the classroom
- Literacy - outside the classroom
- Numeracy - in the classroom
- Numeracy - outside the classroom
Water and sanitation
- Improved water access
Program Goals Back to Top
Education goals
- Improved academic skills (literacy and numeracy)
- Improved critical thinking
- Improved social and emotional learning/skills and mindsets
- Increased enrolment in primary school
- Increased grade attainment
- Increased literacy
- Increased numeracy
- Increased primary school completion
- Increased progression to secondary school
- Increased re-enrolment in school among out-of-school children
- Increased school completion (general)
- Increased school enrolment (general)
- Increased secondary school completion
- Increased secondary school enrolment
- Increased test scores
- Increased years of schooling
- Reduced absenteeism
- Reduced grade repetition
Cross-cutting goals
- Improved financial literacy and savings
- Improved understanding of sexual harassment, coercion, and consent
- Increased agency and empowerment
- Increased knowledge of rights
- More equitable gender attitudes and norms
Additional Information Back to Top
Primary Contact
- Zelalem Mulugeta
- Concern Worldwide
- Education Program Coordinator
- zelalem.mulugeta@concern.net