Advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment through the GEWEL Project in Zambia
The GEWEL Project, initiated by the Government of Zambia in 2016, supports women’s livelihoods and girls’ education through a cash ‘plus’ approach amidst various social programs. With a focus on vulnerable households, it aims to alleviate poverty and build resilience, ultimately concluding in December 2024 with positive human capital outcomes.
The Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods (GEWEL) Project is a prominent social protection initiative by the Government of the Republic of Zambia. It adopts a cash ‘plus’ strategy aimed at layering additional social programs on top of basic safety net assistance. This approach enhances human capital and development outcomes by facilitating women’s access to livelihood support and ensuring disadvantaged adolescent girls in impoverished households can attend secondary education while receiving cash transfers.
Set to conclude in December 2024, GEWEL has demonstrated significant achievements in reducing poverty, strengthening household resilience, enhancing economic welfare, and improving human capital. The project’s economic inclusion initiatives aim to help individuals graduate from poverty while ensuring a robust delivery system that guarantees fiduciary accountability and efficient implementation.
GEWEL operates across four primary intervention areas: (i) Social Cash Transfers (SCT); (ii) Supporting Women’s Livelihoods (SWL); (iii) Keeping Girls in School (KGS); and (iv) Institutional Strengthening and Systems Building (ISSB). Since its inception in April 2016, GEWEL has received co-financing from the Government of the Republic of Zambia, the World Bank, and contributions from various donor trust funds from countries such as Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
In summary, the GEWEL Project is a crucial initiative for promoting women’s economic empowerment and education in Zambia. With its multifaceted approach that combines cash transfers with targeted interventions in livelihood support, it addresses fundamental issues of poverty and education for vulnerable populations. Its successful implementation demonstrates the importance of collaborative funding and strategic planning in social protection efforts.
Original Source: www.worldbank.org
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