The Girls Education Movement (GEM)

The Ministry of Education, UNICEF and FAWEU entered into a partnership to implement the Girls’ Education Movement (GEM); that has equipped girls in primary school with knowledge and skills for analyzing barriers to education and proposing solutions to them; and put them at the centre of mobilizing for their education, with boys as allies and adults as wisdom. GEM has further raised girls’ self esteem, raised the value of education at community and national levels and led to concerted efforts to free children for education, and to protect them against harassment and HIV/AIDS. The Uganda experience is regarded a Best Practice, and is being shared on the continent and beyond.

FAWEU finalized activities in the last Government of Uganda – UNICEF Country Program in May 2006. Based on the new Country Program (2006-2010), another proposal for three months was submitted and funding secured to initially train trainers of trainees and review the GEM package of materials. Another proposal for other related activities was submitted to UNICEF in support of girls’ education with a focus on the conflict affected districts in north eastern and post-conflict districts of western Uganda. Activities also emphasize achievement of gender parity and young people’s participation in the campaign for gender parity and gender responsiveness for 2007. This partnership has continued to grow and MoES, UNICEF and FAWEU are working jointly on the UNGEI program that emphasises the back-to-school mission, especially for girls. The program targets mostly the former war areas, where resettlement is taking place.