Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has launched a four-year program in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua to promote gender equality.
The $2 million program, in partnership with Global Fund for Children (GFC), a Washington DC-based non-profit organisation, is set to benefit approximately 20,000 young girls in the three countries.
The program focuses on the capacity-building of 18 girl-led and girl-serving grassroots organizations and support activities centred on promoting gender equality and advancing the rights of girls in the spheres of education, youth empowerment and equitable access to employment opportunities, as well as freedom from violence and exploitation.
The program aims to identify local partners who have already made a strong commitment to a gender strategy that elevates the voice and opportunities of adolescent girls.
With the ultimate aim of promoting gender equality and advancing the rights and opportunities of adolescent girls, the program seeks to strengthen the local capacity of grassroots partners and enable them to act as vehicles of social change.
Annina Mattsson, programs director at Dubai Cares, said: “Many adolescent girls in rural parts of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua face severe challenges stemming from gender inequality and discrimination, including a lack of access to quality education, poor access to health services and information, and insufficient protection from violence. Unfortunately, this gender gap continues to impede future development.
“Through this Dubai Cares-funded program in partnership with the Global Fund for Children, we hope to eliminate the barriers that inhibit young girls from exercising their human rights and realizing their true potential and to subsequently shape a positive future for their families and communities,” she said.
Kimberly McClain, regional program director, Americas at Global Fund for Children added: We are extremely pleased to announce this new partnership with Dubai Cares. The Empowering Adolescent Girls initiative represents an important investment in grassroots organizations that serve and empower adolescent girls in Central America.”
Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua are ranked closely together by the United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Index (HDI) with HDIs of 125, 130, and 124 respectively out of 188 countries — far below the average for Latin America.
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