Gender at the Center Initiative (GCI)

  • A Advocacy Campaign/Project

A Active

Key Information

The Gender at the Centre Initiative (GCI) applies a whole-system approach to gender-transformative education, bringing together ministries of education, civil society, technical experts and young feminists. The Initiative, led by the GCI Alliance, partners with African countries to strengthen technical gender capacity, foster political will and support the transformation of harmful gender norms.

Lead Implementing Organization(s)
Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone

Activity URL

https://www.ungei.org/what-we-do/gci

Government Affiliation
Government-affiliated program
Years

2019 -

Partner(s)

European Union, Government of France, Government of Germany, Government, of Italy, Government of the United Kingdom, African Union - International Centre for the Education of Girls and Women in Africa (AU-CIEFFA)

Ministry Affiliation
Partnered with Ministries of Education for all the program countries, including 1. Sierra Leone's Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, 2. Burkina Faso Ministry of National Education, Literacy and the Promotion of National Languages, 3. Niger Ministry of National Education & Ministry of Women’s Promotion and Child Protection
Funder(s)

Not applicable or unknown

COVID-19 Response
Unknown
Geographic Scope
Global / regional
Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  
Unknown
Areas of Work Back to Top
Education areas
Attainment
  • Primary completion
  • Secondary completion
Quality
  • School facilities
  • School quality
  • School-related gender-based violence
Cross-cutting areas
  • COVID-19 Response
  • Early/child marriage
  • Empowerment
  • Food/water security
  • Gender equality
  • Masculinities/boys
  • Menstrual hygiene management
  • Other aspects of sexual and reproductive health
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs
  • WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene)
Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Community leaders, Policymakers

Age

Not applicable or unknown

School Enrolment Status

Some in school

School Level

  • Lower primary
  • Upper primary
  • Lower secondary
  • Upper secondary
Other populations reached
  • Boys (both in school and out of school)
  • Girls (both in school and out of school)
  • Youth
Participants include
  • Displaced/refugee - Internal (from other areas of the same country)
  • Other
Program Approaches Back to Top
Community engagement/advocacy/sensitization
  • General awareness-raising/community engagement
  • Technical assistance/capacity building to civil society organizations or governments
Curriculum/learning
  • Gender-sensitive curricula
Increased availability of learning materials
  • Educational Radio or Television Programs
Life skills education
  • Sexual and reproductive health (including puberty education)
School-related gender-based violence
  • Safe and welcoming schools
Social/gender norms change
  • Work with community leaders
Teaching
  • In-service teacher training – gender-responsive pedagogy
Program Goals Back to Top
Education goals
  • Curricula, teaching and learning materials are free of gender-bias and stereotypes
  • Education sector plans, budgets, policies, and data systems are more gender-equitable
  • Increased school completion (general)
  • Teachers and learners have the knowledge and skills to promote gender equality
Cross-cutting goals
  • Changed social norms
  • Improved sexual and reproductive health
  • More equitable gender attitudes and norms
  • Reduced child marriage
  • Reduced school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV)