Sugam Jagriti

Digital Technology & Skill Dev. Training to youths For Employment and Gender Equality

Short description

The project will focus on computer skill training with the inclusion of soft skill training and Digital Empowerment. Further, community awareness, sensitization, and mass mobilization will be practiced on social security & entitlement schemes, gender equity, the importance of education, etc. in the community with the expectation of favourable behavior change and conducive environment building. It is a day to reflect on the status of women and girls in all their diversity. It is an opportunity to renew our commitments to make gender equality and digital empowerment a reality and move. Community stakeholders, Women PRI members, youth, women leaders, and representatives will be included in the project activities. As a result, female youth will be digitally empowered with self-employment and a decrease in gender discrimination.

Rationale:

The Target area  Islampur block of Nalanda Dist., Bihar (India) is one of the backward blocks in Bihar. More than 40% fall below the poverty line and poverty is aggravated by low literacy rates, high unemployment, and large family size. The schedule is for the underprivileged section of society. They have very less or negligible land holding and fulfill two square meals by labour work of any kind.

In terms of economic parameters, Bihar’s backwardness refers to its per capita income being the lowest in India and it has been so for the last four decades. On the social front too, Bihar lags far behind the other states and the starting point of its social backwardness is its poor educational status.

In the context of the status of women, lack of social development, particularly in the field of education, insulates a society from all ideas of modernity, including gender equality. The work participation rate for women here is 18.8 percent (nation 25.6). The lower WPR for women is partly due to the backwardness of its economy where employment opportunities are limited or even some cultural traits of the region, but the lower literacy and health standards of the women are equally behind their lower economic role.

Due to a lack of employment opportunities poor are compelled to migrate to big cities or brick factories.  Here they have to lead a pathetic livelihood. Women are targeted for violence and discrimination not just because of their gender but also on the basis of their caste, community, religious affiliation, and other factors.

For there to be driving digital innovation and greater gender equality, it is essential to continue to explore opportunities and constraints, to enable women and girls to have a voice and participate in digital decision-making on an equal footing.

A gender-responsive approach to innovation, technology, and digital education can increase the awareness of women and girls regarding their rights and civic engagement. Equal participation of women in digital, economic, political, social, and cultural fields is very important for building an egalitarian society.

 Objectives:

• To ensure equal rights for women to make them digitally confident so that they can live their life with self-respect and dignity.
• To provide women and girls with an opportunity to be self-conscience and digitally equipped.
• To strengthen the forum for discussion on women’s participation in the digital dividend in balancing gender equality.

• To minimize gender inequality in society.
• To improve the family income level.

Activities:

Computer Literacy, Data Entry training & Soft Skills

Beneficiaries with a focus on Dalit, SC/ST, backward, and poor women and girls for computer skill training will be selected by applying a participatory approach involving a committee and primary beneficiaries (10^th -12^th  pass out ). The total no. of beneficiaries will be 480 poorest of the poor youths belonging to SC/ST, backward and deprived families.

The training duration will be of 03 months including 20 students in a batch. In parallel  03 batches will be run. During 24 months we will cover 480 students. The training duration will be 3 hrs. per day. Competent, experienced, and skilled resource persons will be hired as trainers. The following activities will be done :

Demonstration in each session.

Periodic review of the trainees.

The practice of resource materials during training.

Conducting practical as well as theoretical classes.

Group discussion on difficult topics.

After completion of the training participants will be provided a training completion certificate.

Seminar on Gender Equity and Digital Empowerment: Women leaders, women members youth, students including females, teachers, social activists, community stakeholders, Women VO leaders, PRI members including women PRI members, etc. would be invited to the workshop. In the workshop, different forms of gender inequality and the social responsibility to minimize gender inequality & Importance of Digital Empowerment would be discussed. Further, an action plan would be developed, and periodic follow-ups would be taken.

IEC printing and BCC events-

different kinds of IEC materials i.e. parcha, poster, pumplet, hoarding, community operation materials, songs, audio-visual aids, etc. would be prepared in different subjects i.e. social security & entitlement schemes, gender equity, the importance of education, etc. under the project. It would be used at the district, block, and panchayat levels for community sensitization and awareness.

Community sensitization on social security & entitlement schemes, skill development training, gender equity, the importance of education, etc. through the conduction of meetings, workshops, seminar

Problem Statement

Youth including females are the very potential group, they are also literate up to 10-12th std. but due to a lack of skill and opportunity, they are compelled to work labour work or migrate to other cities where they face a series of physical as well as mental exploitation. There is lacking industry or small-scale industries where youth can get employment. In such a way, they also lose inner potential and confidence. Govt. has started skill training for poor youth i.e. computer skill training etc., but they are not enrolled in skill training programs due to ignorance, unawareness, and lack of information and coordination.

Solution:

Sugam Jagriti aims at empowering female youth by supporting them to avail technical training for increasing employability and community sensitization for developing a gender-friendly ecosystem.

Target Impact:

• Target beneficiary: 480 underserved and unemployed 16 years old female youths
• Training course: ICT and digital skills
• Awareness: Increased awareness of skills training needed to sustain in the job market.
• Community sensitization on gender inequality
• Duration: 24 months

Estimated Budget: $ 31200

Credibility and Experience:

As of March 2023, SUGAM JAGRITI has reached around 5000 young people with skills training Leadership & awareness. Apart from placing trainees in certified courses, Sugam Jagriti has its own computer training center for unemployed youths and poor students.