A new higher education programme worth £45 million (approximately Rwf74 billion) from the United Kingdom is set to benefit a million women and girls across sub-Saharan Africa, south and southeast Asia, the Middle East, and north Africa. Announced by the UK’s Deputy Foreign Secretary and Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, on May 20, at the Education World Forum, the Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE) programme aims to transform women and girls' lives by improving opportunities, employability, and unlocking potential. ALSO READ: Women in higher education: Gaps and solutions According to a related statement, programme will bring together businesses, universities, and governments to create 12 partnerships, which will tackle the obstacles that stand in the way of women and girls seeking further education, including creating safer learning environments and improving the quality of higher education. Mitchell emphasized the importance of gender equality. He said: “Greater gender equality brings freedom, boosts prosperity, and strengthens global security. Countries cannot develop if half the population is held back from fulfilling their full potential. The UK is ensuring that the next generation of female teachers, doctors, inventors, and leaders can unlock their potential without being held back by gender bias and discrimination.” ALSO READ: More efforts needed to close STEM gender gap at tertiary level – officials Education, Mitchell added, is the foundation for empowerment. “It equips women and girls with the knowledge to challenge harmful norms and make informed decisions, including about their health.” The programme aims to tackle obstacles that hinder women and girls from pursuing higher education, including creating safer learning environments and enhancing the quality of higher education. “Girls who benefit from higher education are up to six times less likely to marry as children and are less likely to experience violence from a partner. Women with advanced levels of education also see increased earnings. However, widespread sexual harassment and violence remain significant barriers for many women seeking university education.” ALSO READ: Women in higher education: Gaps and solutions The programme will also support women and girls by investing in initiatives to reduce gender-based violence, increase uptake of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects, boost female representation in senior academic positions, and improve university curricula by co-designing them with industry and government to meet labor market needs. Furthermore, SHEFE aims to strengthen research on gender equality, violence prevention, and employability, supporting partner governments and higher education institutions in developing evidence-based approaches.
