and help them to eventually return to formal education. This may even encourage families who have never sent their girls to school to do so. Boys and men also have a role in promoting girls’ education as well as helping to raise awareness about the importance of keeping girls in schools; protecting girls in school from violence, and working against the gender stereotypes that are such big barriers to girls’ education in disaster situations. In Baluchistan, for example, 40,000 scouts joined forces with UNICEF and were trained to help local communities understand the importance of educating girls.76 Education in emergencies is beginning to be seen as an essential part of disaster response, but it still needs to be given increased priority, and we believe the education share of humanitarian funding should increase from two to at least four per cent. Donors and governments must ensure that humanitarian funding for education includes specific resources for formal and non-formal education programmes for adolescent girls in addition to support for primary education. Education sector plans need to have a gender and age analysis that ensures adolescent girls as well as boys have access to quality formal and non-formal educational opportunities. Adolescent girls themselves are absolutely clear that education is a priority – that in a disaster it is the one thing that will make them ‘happy’. Can the humanitarian and development communities meet their challenge?
marginalised adolescent girls from Sonderwater informal settlement. Training sessions in environmental education, first aid, and fire safety were provided as part of a capacity-building programme. 80 The girls designed and participated in a community event, which aimed to increase risk awareness of the wider community as well as demonstrating the girls’ leadership capabilities. Based on the success of the first project, the programme has been replicated in other areas of South Africa. Eighty-one adolescent girls have received direct training. 81 As peer educators, the girls have passed their knowledge on to increase community awareness and improve survival skills. New opportunities have also been created in leadership roles and participation in disaster coordination. some of the girls have also been involved in a weekly local radio broadcast, promoting safety within the community. The G.I.R.R.L Project has helped in overcoming the perception of girls as victims, in a society which can present challenging social conditions and obstacles. it has brought their abilities and distinct needs to the attention of key local disaster personnel. And it has shown that by providing training and skills to girls, they can become confident and empowered to spread key messages to the wider community regarding disaster G.i.R.R.l risk reduction. 82 Project group
for girls living in informal settlements in South Africa, the capacity to deal with floods and shack fires is undermined by physical and sexual violence.78 With this in mind, the innovative G.I.R.R.L Project was launched to recognise adolescent girls as agents of change in disaster risk reduction.79 It started in 2008, working with
kylah FoRBeS BiGGS
The g.i.R.R.l PRojeCT (giRls in Risk ReduCTion leAdeRshiP) “You have encouraged us in standing up for ourselves in facing the challenges to our lives.” Lerato, G.I.R.R.L participant, 1877
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