Project targets girls who drop out of school due to early pregnancy, providing these school-aged mothers with academic and practical training
A Jamaican project to help school-aged mothers return to the classroom will receive this year’s UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education.
UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini and Vice Minister of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Xuejun Tian, will award USD 50,000 to the Women’s Centre from Jamaica during a ceremony at UNESCO’s Headquarters, on 11th October, which is International Day of the Girl Child.
An international jury selected the laureate from many remarkable nominations submitted by UNESCO Member States and partner non-governmental organizations.
The Women’s Centre of Jamaica is rewarded for its project, Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC). It targets girls who drop out of school due to early pregnancy, providing these school-aged mothers with academic and practical training, health services, nursing and more. Young mothers are encouraged to re-enter school to complete their basic education and some to advance to tertiary education. The project, which has benefited from and impacted on state policies in Jamaica, has been replicated in other countries, supporting girls and women in the acquisition of knowledge and skills for a fulfilling life, helping them transition to employment.
Established in 2015 by the Executive Board of UNESCO and funded by the People’s Republic of China, the UNESCO Prize for Girls’ and Women’s Education contributes directly to the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, notably its 4th and 5th goals concerning respectively education and gender equality.
