KOICA supports employment and entrepreneurship for 18,000 out-of-school women in Bangladesh

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) supported vocational skills training and employment and entrepreneurship for approximately 18,000 out-of-school female adolescents and young women aged 15 to 24 in seven regions of Bangladesh.

KOICA announced on the 19th that it held the closing ceremony of the 'Out-of-school female youth capacity building project through vocational skills training based on market demand in Bangladesh' at the Sheraton Dhaka in Banani, Bangladesh on the 12th (local time).

This project was promoted for five years from 2022 to help out-of-school female adolescents and young women aged 15 to 24 achieve economic independence in seven regions, including Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Project participants were provided with customized programs that reflected labor market demands, including IT education, mobile phone repair, car maintenance, sewing, beauty, and driving.

KOICA supported them to establish a foundation for economic independence through field training and corporate connections, employment and start-up support, and financial service connections.

The cumulative employment-startup connection rate of project participants reached 84%. Women who have started businesses, such as opening stores in local markets in connection with financial services, have maintained their businesses for more than three months.

Although economic growth continues in Bangladesh, there are significant restrictions on women's social and economic advancement due to gender discrimination and lack of educational and economic opportunities.

KOICA believes that alternative education and vocational training for out-of-school youth are necessary as the problems of early marriage and school dropout are particularly serious.

In Bangladesh, the rate of child marriages under the age of 18 is the highest in Southwest Asia. Female adolescents’ dropping out of school is also considered a major social problem.

As the population aged 15 to 24 accounts for approximately 20% of the total, it is important to strengthen the capabilities of young people so that they can enter the labor market.

Accordingly, KOICA and UNICEF provided vocational training and conducted community participation programs and social behavior change campaigns to help families and communities support women's education, employment, and entrepreneurship.

Resma Bola (23) stopped studying due to family circumstances, but thanks to this project, she received training in mobile phone repair and is currently working as an intern at a mobile phone service center.

Mr. Bola emphasized, "I gained confidence while doing repair and sales work for local residents. I do not think that my gender limits my abilities. I definitely want to open my own business in the future."

Kim Ji-hoon, head of KOICA's Bangladesh office, said, "We will continue to work closely with the Bangladesh government and international organizations to actively support the capabilities and potential of young women and to help educated young people achieve practical economic independence."