Sisterhood. Leadership. Economic Independence.
Preparing Women for Economic Independence
For young women to become economically independent, WEP provides girl-focused NGO partners the Leadership Academy. Within this supportive, safe, spirited Sisterhood of peers, young women develop confidence, skills, and become aware of opportunities before entering a career of their own choosing.
The Challenge
In India, 48% of women ages 15-24 drop out of secondary school, 27% enter child marriage; and 87% enter low income jobs.
Without WEP, they are at risk of:
Early Marriage
India has one of the highest prevalence of child marriage in the world. 7% of girls are married before 15, and 27% before the age of 18.
Low Wage Employment
73% of women work within their homes or at daily wage, sometimes unsafe, irregular employment.
Trafficking
27% of the trafficked individuals in India are children for either the sex trade or child labor. 61% are girls. In Andhra Pradesh, where WEP works, 11,625 of the almost 20,000 missing children were girls.
Domestic Violence
30% to 50% of women in India have reported experiencing some kind of violence in their homes.
WEP’s Academy is a BRIDGE for young women to entering adulthood valuing their:
Sisterhood
Leadership
Economic Independence
