Economic Empowerment of Girls
Living in Post-conflict Situations
through Vocational EducationBurundi, Liberia and Sierra Leone
Codou Diaw
The Forum for African Women
Educationalists (FAWE)
ADEA Biennale
Maputo
May, 2008
Context

TVET back in full force in education policy debates
especially as it relates to options for expanding access,
quality and outcomes of Secondary Education.
Numerous presentations during this meeting

Many make a convincing case for TVET & point to the
high potential for TVET to empower and reduce poverty

Others point to the benefits of TVET such as a skilled
and more productive workforce and

Yet others discuss the challenges associated with TVET
provision & policies -- i.e. equity
Emerging considerations

Gender equity in TVET provision

TVET Provision in conflict situations
The statistics from the three cases reviewed have
prompted FAWE to address such issues,
especially for the high numbers of out-of school
girls in the 3 countries
Out-of-School Girls
Burundi: 518,000
 Liberia: 142,000 out of a pop of just over 3 million
 Sierra Leone: 431,000 out of 5,6 million
 Total: 650,000 girls out of a pop of 8 million
(UNESCO, 2006)

Among the over 1 million girls are out of school in
the 3 countries, many are over-aged and have
become young mothers without education and
formal skills.
Background

The recognition of the critical situation in postconflict situations has prompted FAWE to put an
emphasis on the issue of conflict as a serious
challenge to girls’ education in its 2008-2012
Strategic Plan.

FAWE has therefore embarked on a specific
intervention to empower girls who have been
negatively affected by the conflicts in their
countries.
Background (Cont’d)

The first intervention in the programme focuses on 3
post-conflict countries – Burundi, Liberia, and Sierra
Leone. The objective was to conduct a study in two
parts:
Part one of the study is to:

Review the state and policies of TVET in SSA using a gender
lens

Do a comparative review of gender in TVET policies in the 3
countries

Draw lessons and recommendations for addressing the
situation through training and policy transformation
Purpose of the Review

Part two of the study is fieldwork in the three
countries and is ongoing:

To supplement the data from the policy review

To inform FAWE’s demonstrative TVET project for
out-of-school girls in 3 countries funded by DANIDA

To provide specific baseline data on TVET in the
districts targeted by the project to allow FAWE to
track progress over the life of the 3-year intervention
Contents of the Review Paper

First, it summarises recent policy-related literature on
vocational skills development in sub-Saharan Africa,
incorporating a gender perspective.

Second, it reviews the existing policy documents that address
issues of technical and vocational education and training
(TVET) for girls in post-conflict situations.

Third, it assesses from a gender perspective the nature of
vocational skills development in Burundi, Liberia and Sierra
Leone, based on the recent literature on TVET in SSA, and on
policy documents in the three countries.

Fourth, it makes recommendations that will ultimately be used
to convince governments in the three countries to incorporate
gender equity concerns in TVET policy reforms and to
develop female-focused or gender-based TVET programs.
What Did the Review Reveal?
 A few major studies stand out (Atchoaren & Delluc,
2001; Martin, 2002; Oketch 2004; 2007, 2008); AU
(2007)

Very little on TVET in conflict situations in Africa

Even less on the gender dimension in TVET in conflict
(Zukerman & Greenberg, 2004)

Even the AU report (2007), the latest on the direction
TVET should take in Africa, glosses over the gender
inequities in TVET provision in the continent
What did the review reveal?


In all three countries there is official and informal
TVET provision
While in Burundi & Liberia there is a draft policy,
there is none in Sierra Leone. Yet TVET provision
is + or – structured in all 3 countries.

In Liberia, there a clear attempts to include a
gender dimension but not a clear gender-based
vision in Burundi & Sierra Leone.

Links have been made between the TVET and
empowerment but gender-neutral or genderbiased approaches hamper targeted provision
Potential of TVET in reconstruction


TVET’s role in post-conflict reconstruction is undeniable,
provided that:
It targets fields that are useful in the rebuilding process

It targets the most vulnerable and affected and is learnercentered

It provides ready to use skills in specific fields

It includes peace education and life skills at least

It includes micro-finance schemes to boost entrepreneurship

It has a gender focus that clearly targets girls/women
Gender Analysis framework
Zukerman and Greenberg (2004) provide a
framework for gender analysis in post conflict
situations. Three gender dimensions are
identified:

Dimension 1. Women -focused activities

Dimension 2. Gender-aware programming

Dimension 3. Transforming gender roles
Analysis of TVET Policies

Burundi

The policy of technical education and
professional does not overtly promote the
acquisition of vocational and technical skills
for girls. In fact, there is no policy of
education that targets girls specifically:
ImplicationsDimensions 1-3 are absent.





Liberia
Although data cannot be provided due to
the on-going analysis of baseline survey,
Liberia is experiencing more girls’
enrolment in TVET now.
This increased enrolment was inspired by
the President of Liberia’s pronouncement
on the reformation of the education
system in Liberia, with emphasis on TVET
in line with the UN’s emphasis on TVET.
Started to implement Dimension 1 but
2-3 absent in policy.



Sierra Leone
Official TVET provision in Sierra Leone has not
specifically targeted girls. Nevertheless, girls
who manage to gain access to SS have the
option of joining the NVQ. For those who drop
out before SS, possibilities are minimal.
Very few programmes during the post-conflict
period have focused on out-of-school girls and
young mothers, and these were mostly the
initiatives of NGOs. Implications: Dimensions
1-3 still absent.
Critique of Current TVET Policies
and Provision

Gender stereotypes in TVET still prevalent

Lack of pro-gender policies in TVET

Many girls are exposed to long-standing societal
attitudes that perpetuate stereotypes on what careers
girls should or should not enter

TVET provision for girls still emphasises their caretaker
‘domestic’ gender roles and provides them with few
alternatives to date

The initiative by FAWE is designed to redress this
situation
Way forward
The goal of the FAWE program is to not only
demonstrate how to empower out-of-school girls
with a qualifying skills that address girls’ needs
and aspirations but to also …
Transform TVET policies and provision to
become gender-responsive at the national level.
To achieve that strong partnerships are needed
with all actors in the area, particularly MOE,
agencies, CSO, and communities.
Recommendations

Implement TVET policies that clearly articulate,
incorporate, and promote:

Gender responsive policies and programmes that
target girls/ women specifically

Emphasize female contributions to the
reconstruction process beyond their caretaker roles
through training in traditionally male-dominated
fields

Acknowledge the empowerment potential of TVET in
rebuilding economies and positively transforming
gender relations in post-conflict countries.