GIZ Gender Competition 2016
GIZ Sri Lanka: Vocational Training in North & East of Sri Lanka
Introduction
In collaboration with the Government of Sri Lanka and the Federal Republic of Germany, the Deutsche
Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in cooperation with the Ministry of Skills
Development and vocational Training will establish the Sri Lankan German Training Institute (SLGTI) in
Kilinochchi, to meet the skill needs of the local, national and international labour market.
The VTN projects main aim is to provide high quality training for youth from NVQ 4 upwards in trades that
would have a high skills demand and career opportunities. While the proposed training center SLGTI, which
will be located in Kilinochchi is a medium term plan is expected to be operational from July 2016 onwards, the
training programs have already commenced and are housed in the NAITA training centre as well as under the
guidance of selected partner organizations.
The project will attempt to address the vocational and technical skills needs of youth, both women and men in
the region and eventually the country. The project will mainstream gender requirements in all its programs,
procedures and interventions. (if you need more information please visit: www.vtnaita.com )
The task of recruiting and retaining women in Vocational Training activities remains a challenge to the project.
Due to the post conflict nature of the area of operation – the difficulties women face has increased. The loss of
livelihoods as well as family members has thrown women into roles that were not conceived before. The
psychological effect that this has had on their lives has been remarkable. The problems hindering the access
for women and girls to vocational training:
The traditional cultural structure confines women to particular roles. The prevailing social norms influence
the participation of women and girls’ in economic activities differently according to their age, marital status
and educational qualifications as well as to the sector in which training is provided.
The distance to the training centres are a deterrent for women and girls in rural areas to access VT
programmes.
There are hardly qualified female trainers employed in the north.
The poorly social acceptance of woman in so called “men dominated trades”.
The training packages are less adapted to women’s needs.
There is a missing interest for women to be trained, due to a lack of awareness about vocational training.
From the mentioned challenges the following objectives arise for the vocational training sector and the VTN
Project:
1. To support and encourage young females to be confident and to gain employment.
2. To raise awareness and information in communities about the possibilities and opportunities of vocational
training for women and men.
3. To support vocational training centres and institutions to include gender issues and empowerment for
woman.
Promoting Gender equality.
Promote the awareness within the communities (especially family members) to accept the women who are
studying the vocational training and to be given the opportunities to work with men in the work places.
giz-VTN conducting advocacy promotion on
vocational training specially in the north of Sri Lanka
and at the same time all over the country with the
support of NAITA or VTA. These are the activities
leads to encourage more women participation in the
VT centers.
The women’s day event increased young men and
women trust and confidence within themselves especially
in the Northern Province students (they were affected by
war and they were victimized).
.
Instructors got well understanding and they
balanced gender equality during the training of
trainers’ workshop
Gender as a quality feature of our work
giz initiated and encouraged the partners conducted the cultural events and exposer visit for all students.
Northern Province training students (young men and women) met in the southern province training students in
the first time. And they shared their experience in the training sectors.
The cultural events increased their trust between instructors and students got well understanding them and
they balanced gender equality also during and after the event in the class rooms.
Gender and RBM
The RBM applied in the project in order to
measure gender outcome of the project. The
project has and indicators which defines In
altogether 48 newly developed and/or revised
basic and further training courses, the
promoted vocational training establishments
train an annually increasing number of youth
from the project region, of whom 30% are
women.
Cooperation.
The project mainly focuses on the Gender mainstreaming and Economic empowerment of the women through
the project in line with the BMZ action plan that defines. The project has the steering committees for take
strategic decision of the project that influence to achieve the gender goal together with stakeholders. In the
operational level we have a VT provider’s forum led by the District Secretariat that will support to achieve the
gender objectives as a team.
Women coordinate and organize the village
young communities in the village to promote the
carrier guidance awareness program.
Conclusion.
The project facing challenges to initiate the young Tamil girls to learn vocational training courses especially
automobile, electrical and electronical sector.
The VTN project is in its inception stage and the needs for gender mainstreaming has been recognized and
prioritized.
Since the VTN project works closely with several state and non-state agencies the gender mainstreaming
system will address these institutions too.
It is hoped that eventually the SLGTI and its core partners will internalize the gender mainstreaming strategy
of the VTN project.