Hi Everyone! I am Shumaila Naz, working as an Assistant Manager, HumQadam at Charter For Compassion Pakistan. As it is International Women’s Day, being a woman, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all women in the world who are transforming their lives through TVET.

As well as I would like to express my gratitude to TVET Sector Support Prograamme (TVET SSP) for engaging the public and private sectors to build a demand driven TVET System in Pakistan for access to quality skills training through various modes of workplace based training (WBT).

It is encouraging that government of Pakistan, with support of European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, is making adequate efforts to equip more women and young people with TVET skills for improving their households’ income. Undeniably, provision of TVET skills to women and youth is a key factor in economic development and there is a great need of formulating polices to extend such programmes to all young people and involve them in economic activities. In current era, it is high time that all women should be equipped with TVET skills.

TVET SSP by its role as an active change agent to continue to push for equal access , quality, equity and relevance as well as empowerment of women by embarking its emphasis on skills for work through implementation of CBT&A in public and Private institutes.

Achieving gender equality in the labor market is also one of the goals set by the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals and it is considered a crucial factor for TVET SSP to reach a sustainable development.

As a connection between industry and labour market, TVET has the potential to increase women’s participation in the labour market, by ensuring equal access to quality education, skills acquisition, and technical training, particularly in those occupations that are traditionally held by men.

The evidence about the efficacy of TVET supports the claim that it results in improving peoples’ lives by increasing their means of livelihoods. The success of benefits of this programme is not only confined to urban centres and specific genders but women who have equally gained access to opportunities of earning income after getting TVET skills.

As the pandemic pursues to change the world of work, vocational and skills training is a key way in which we can ensure women are part of this change. Supporting the empowerment of women through TVET, HumQadam For a better tomorrow in CFC is being supported by TVET Sector Support Programme, which is funded by the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Royal Norwegian Embassy. The Programme has been commissioned by the

German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close collaboration with the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) as well as provincial Technical Education and Vocational Training Authorities (TEVTAs) and private sector organizations, is vital to ensuring women are embraced in economic recovery as they became self-sufforting.

It is an irrefutable fact that without the engagement of skilled women in economic activity no country can ascertain the socioeconomic solidity and opulence. Women, after getting TVET skills, have started taking active part in the economic activities. During the visit, I had an opportunity to meet with the beneficiaries of TVET SSP and one of the success stories is discussed below.

Hina “My family’s financial conditions were very bad before getting TVET. My husband barely found casual work opportunity to earn some income because he has no marketable skills. Living in such a melancholic situation was very tough, particularly for the family’s children and women. In 2019, I attended a six-month training course in dressmaking from the CFC. After getting the training, I began to work. During the wedding season, I earn PKR 30,000-40,000. Otherwise, I earn about 10,000-15,000 PKR per month.