Gender Mainstreaming
Gender gaps persist globally in women’s access to skills development and participation in the labour market. The main challenges that women face include gender prejudices in occupational choices, barriers to education and training, especially in rural and informal economies and socio-cultural and economic constraints. Despite the progress that has been achieved in girls’ and women’s education, occupational segregation remains a predominant feature of training and labour markets, limiting women’s choices and confining them to lower-paid and lower-status jobs than men. Not only are women over-represented in some occupations (and under-represented in others) but segregation also often occurs within occupations, with men holding the more responsible jobs.
To create a gender-sensitive and observant pool of training faculty in the skills development ecosystem, Learnet Skills with the support of NSDC and UN Women has designed a capacity building program focusing on creating gender awareness and consciousness of the skills trainers such that it positively influences the participation of women learners to choose skills training courses as a suitable and aspirational career option.
Implemented by Learnet Skills Limited, the program is a 20-hour online capacity building program for the skills trainers on Gender Mainstreaming.
The training course focuses on creating awareness about the prevalent gender gaps, gender inequality, and sensitization about gender mainstreaming, inclusivity, and gender-responsive behaviour in the skilling ecosystem. The training content created for the program constitutes both trainer-led delivery and self-paced modules for an interactive learning experience.
The program aims at targeting 4,500 Skills Trainers and creating a pool of Master Trainers on Gender Mainstreaming who can further sensitize the significant stakeholders in the skills ecosystem, thereby encouraging women to acquire skills pertinent for the transition from training to employment.
The Gender Mainstreaming program hopes to contribute to breaking the barriers that women face in education and their occupational choices. Women are consistently and constantly told by society and its myriad manifestations that they are incapable and unnecessary for various job roles, but this cannot be further from the truth. With a cohort of Master Trainers who are sensitive towards issues and challenges that are systemic in nature, it will create a long overdue dent in access to Education & Training for women.