The United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the importance of Gender Equality in bridging gender gaps. SDG 5 aims to achieve equality for women in economic resources and leadership roles, using technology to empower them. In developing nations like Pakistan, it's crucial to involve women in human capital development initiatives to expand their economic opportunities. Vocational training programs play a pivotal role in enhancing rural women's skills, financial independence, and overall socio-economic well-being.

A comprehensive look at vocational programs worldwide highlights some critical elements for effective program design.

Motivating Participation:

In rural areas, women often prioritize household responsibilities over learning new skills, especially when the potential economic benefits are uncertain. To boost participation and consistent attendance, it helps to offer incentives like financial rewards and completion certificates. For instance In 2010, two non-governmental organizations, Pratham and Social Awareness Through Youth Action (SATYA) introduced a stitching and tailoring vocational training program for low-income women in New Delhi, India. They asked participants to make a monthly deposit of INR 50, with the assurance from the NGOs that those who completed the entire program would be repaid INR 350. Those who finished also received certificates. An evaluation revealed that these women were 6% more likely to secure employment, worked 2 hours longer on average, and earned double the amount compared to other women in their communities.

Connecting to Markets:

For sustainable economic gains, vocational programs should link participants to job opportunities and markets. Many rural women lack business knowledge, making it challenging to earn from their newfound skills. Solutions like common interest groups, exhibitions, and meetings between buyers and sellers provide platforms for women to showcase their work, network, and build professional relationships.

In 2014, the Punjab Rural Support Program (PRSP) initiated a training program offering courses in various crafts like tie-dye, fabric painting, and beautician services within PRSP's community organizations. Following the program, a post-evaluation revealed that 96% of the 410 surveyed women in Faisalabad considered improving employment opportunities as a critical need.

On a different note, the Women's Economic Empowerment program, a collaborative effort by the Kaarvan Crafts Foundation and the British Asian Trust, delivered favorable outcomes. This program took a comprehensive approach, addressing both supply and demand aspects. It provided technical and business training while facilitating market outreach. The result was a significant improvement in earnings, savings, decision-making capacity, and market access for 1,650 women across seven districts in Pakistan.

Findings & Lessons from TCF’s Vocational Program:

Akademos recently conducted an impact assessment of a project called "Empowering Community Women through Skills Training & Micro-Enterprise at TCF Schools," launched by The Citizens Foundation. This project has a twofold mission: equipping women with technical skills and financial stability, enabling them to earn a living and support their families through micro-enterprises. The overarching goal is to alleviate poverty and enhance community well-being by empowering women economically.

The primary objective of the impact assessment was to gauge the effectiveness of the skills training provided by TCF's Vocational Program. The study delved into the reasons why female graduates enrolled in the program and examined how it influenced their socio-economic indicators, including income, assets, participation in household decision-making, and self-confidence.

To gather comprehensive insights, the assessment involved more than 400 participants selected from 12 centers through purposive case sampling. Furthermore, in-depth interviews were conducted with two women from each center, employing critical case sampling for qualitative insights.

Here are some key findings from the impact evaluation:

A majority of program participants applied their newly acquired skills for personal and family purposes. Notably, 69% reported using these skills to create clothing for themselves and their families. Additionally, 34% ventured into home-based stitching businesses, with an impressive 69% of them being unmarried participants. Furthermore, 25% of these business owners even hired workers.

Stitching and making clothes for my family	69%
Started my own home-based stitching business	34%
Not utilizing	12%
Working on paid orders from customers/shops	09%
Currently working as an apprentice with TCF	07%
Teaching others	02%

The training led to a remarkable 210% increase in the average craft income of the beneficiaries. Before the training, women with basic stitching skills earned an average of PKR 722. However, upon completing the training program, their average income surged to PKR 2,245. This substantial 67.8% increase can be attributed to many women who were previously unemployed, gaining the skills and confidence to start their businesses and boost their income.

Average Change in Craft Income (PKR)

The training also had a positive impact on various social indicators. Respondents frequently reported improvements in the quality of their work (54%), the acquisition of new skills (43%), and increased confidence (27%) as the program's key benefits. Though only 4% of the graduates mentioned improved household decision-making without prompting, 72% reported an improvement when asked separately.

Quality of work improved	54%
Learnt an additional skill	43%
Feel more confident	27%
Income has increased	21%
Feel more independent	18%
Able to cut my expenses	18%
Better access to education facilities	07%
Formed lasting relationships	06%
Better say in household decision making	04%
Better marriage prospects	02%
Better access to health facilities	01%
Better nutrition	01%

Soft Skills:

Balancing work outside the home with household responsibilities can be tough for rural women. Vocational programs should offer courses on developing soft skills, like financial literacy, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship, to help women manage their businesses and access new markets from their homes.

Addressing Gender Dynamics:

Improving women's economic status doesn't automatically lead to significant changes in social indicators. In 2013, the Population Council's Egypt office, with funding from USAID, launched the Neqdar Nesharek program. This initiative aimed to provide skills training to marginalized rural women in Egypt.

The program went beyond vocational training, incorporating life skills, legal rights, and civic education. It partnered with local training institutes and enterprises, offering a diverse range of training options, from accessory making and sewing to hairdressing and computer skills.

However, when they conducted an impact evaluation a year later, they found that although more women were engaging in income-generating activities, crucial social indicators such as household decision-making and gender equality remained largely unchanged. To address this, there's a suggestion to create social circles for young women through vocational programs, providing a platform for communication and recreational activities to tackle gender-based issues.

To summarize, these results underscore the positive impact of TCF's vocational program on graduates' socio-economic indicators, including income, assets, decision-making power, and confidence. The ability of trainees to apply their skills for personal and household use and to establish their businesses highlights the program's effectiveness in imparting practical skills for livelihood purposes. Nonetheless, there is room for improvement, such as incorporating incentives for commitment, fostering market linkages, developing soft skills, and addressing gender-related challenges. Implementing these improvements could position the program as a model for similar initiatives in the country and other regions in the global south.

Author’s Bio:

Alishba holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics with minors in Business and Chinese Language from New York University. As a Senior Consultant, she excels in the development sector, focusing on education, microfinance, skills & livelihood development.

Empowering Women Through Vocational Training: A Practical Approach