Girls Learn, Women Earn - Invest in the future: Empower girls, transform Côte d'Ivoire

The World Bank's "Girls Learn, Women Earn" (GLWE) campaign is a call to action: invest in girls' education and unlock the immense potential of women in Côte d'Ivoire. When girls learn, women earn, and communities thrive. This isn't just about individual success; it's about building a stronger, more prosperous future for the entire nation. GLWE focuses on the "3Es": Education, Entrepreneurship & Financial Inclusion, and Enablers, recognizing their interconnectedness in empowering girls and women.

Why this campaign matters

Educating girls and empowering women is not only a matter of justice, it's smart economics. The World Bank recognizes that gender equality is a key driver of development. When women have equal opportunities, families prosper, communities flourish, and national economies grow. Research shows that investing in gender equality can significantly boost GDP per capita. Yet too many girls in Côte d'Ivoire face barriers to education, and women are often excluded from economic opportunities. GLWE is committed to dismantling these barriers through its focus on the 3Es..

The World Bank's commitment to Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire is a priority country for the World Bank Group's new Gender Strategy, focusing on digital inclusion, financial inclusion, and access to social protection. GLWE is a flagship initiative designed to accelerate progress in these critical areas. We are working to ensure that all World Bank-financed projects in Côte d'Ivoire address gender disparities and create pathways to greater opportunity for women and girls.

Launching on International Women's Day (March 8, 2025), GLWE is a 100-day campaign driven by the "3Es":

• Education: Keeping girls in school and providing access to quality education, from primary school through higher education and technical training.
• Entrepreneurship & Financial Inclusion: Empowering women economically through training, access to finance, and support for business development.
• Enablers: Creating a safe and healthy environment for women and girls by improving access to essential health services and addressing gender-based violence (GBV).

We recognize that education and economic empowerment are intrinsically linked. Girls need quality education to secure good jobs or build successful businesses. And to thrive, they need to be safe and healthy, free from the threat of violence.

A national movement for equality and empowerment

GLWE is a national campaign, launched in partnership with UNFPA, AGEFOP, and Africa Woman 2.0, and championed by the State Minister of Public Service. We are bringing together government officials, private sector leaders, the diplomatic corps, donors, civil society organizations, NGOs, and the media to create a powerful force for change.

Join the campaign!

We need you to be part of the solution. As the African proverb says, "It takes a village to raise a child." We need everyone working together to create a brighter future for girls and women in Côte d'Ivoire.

Who can participate

Any organization committed to gender equality and women's empowerment is welcome to join, including:

• Public institutions
• Parastatal organizations
• Private sector companies
• Donor community
• Universities
• Development agencies
• United Nations agencies
• CSOs
• NGOs
• Media organizations

How to participate:

1. Register: Register your organization by February 28, 2025 - Registration form
2. Describe Your Actions: Outline the specific activities your organization will undertake in one or more of the campaign pillars (Education, Entrepreneurship & Financial Inclusion, Enablers).
3. Commit to Action: Commit to implementing these initiatives by June 6, 2025.

Join the #GirlsLearnWomenEarn Movement!

Use the hashtag #GirlsLearnWomenEarn and the GLWE logo to share your activities and inspire others.

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Disclaimer:

The "Girls Learn, Women Earn" initiative encourages all organizations to participate in the 100 Days of Action. The opinions, statements, and actions of participating organizations are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank Group.

Pillar 1: Education – Keeping girls in school

• Improve school infrastructure and adapt facilities to girls' needs.
• Prevent school pregnancies and implement sexual and reproductive health education.
• Encourage girls to pursue STEM fields.
• Expand technical training opportunities.
• Create alternative learning paths for out-of-school girls and promote adult literacy.
• Raise awareness about the importance of girls' education.

Pillar 2: Entrepreneurship and financial inclusion – Supporting women's economic empowerment

• Enhance women's financial inclusion through microfinance, banking, and digital solutions.
• Implement mentoring and internship programs.
• Strengthen women entrepreneurs' business skills.
• Organize entrepreneurship awareness activities, including in STEM fields.
• Improve access to financial services and credit for women.

Pillar 3: Enablers – Creating a safe and healthy environment

• Improve access to health services through the Couverture Maladie Universelle (CMU) scheme, ensuring essential services, including reproductive and maternal health, as well as specialized care for women and girls (e.g., obstetric fistula treatment).
• Combat GBV, early marriage, early pregnancy, and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
• Strengthen the enforcement of GBV laws and raise awareness.
• Provide support services for survivors of GBV.
• Engage community and religious leaders to promote positive social norms.
• Improve data collection on GBV.