Girls and young women make up the majority of the world’s 628 million unemployed young people who have neither an education nor vocational training. Investing in girls’ and young women’s economic empowerment is an essential step in the path to achieve gender equality. In the words of Nyasha: “When girls and women are empowered, society has a whole benefit from it. When girls have access to practical learnings that fit the job market, they manage to access jobs and financial independence. With the right efforts, we can transform societies.” Economic empowerment should start early, when gender stereotypes begin, and should continue throughout girls and young women’s lives. Efforts should aim at challenging perceptions about what girls and young women can and can’t do, providing vocational training and life skills, and access to financial support. That’s why, as emphasized by Sofia, education is incredibly powerful as a first step towards economic empowerment. Enabling girls and young women to learn throughout their lives and develop key skills can transform lives, communities and entire countries. We want an EU that stands up for girls and young women’s right to paid traineeships, vocational training, and for the right to financial support for people from all backgrounds, globally. We also want an EU that can support in raising awareness about opportunities that exist for girls and young women, making sure that the knowledge is accessible and enlarging access to education at all levels.
