The GEAR Alliance Project
This Girls Education Advocacy in the Region (GEAR) alliance was founded in 2020 with four core organizations namely Students And Youth Working on reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT) in Zimbabwe, Farming Communities Educational Trust (FACET) in Zimbabwe, Girls Activist Youth Organization (GAYO) in Malawi and National Action for Quality Education (NAQEZ) in Zambia. SAYWHAT is the lead applicant in this project while the rest are implementing partners. GEAR alliance project is funded by Education Out Loud (EOL). The overall goal of the coalition is to ensure inclusive and equitable access to quality education by adolescent girls and young women in rural and farming communities in Southern Africa.
The alliance has a shared common problem of the shrinking of socioeconomic spaces that continue to negatively affect the access to quality education by girls especially in rural and farming communities. The alliance understands that there are progressive international treaties that governments in SADC and beyond are signatories to. The partners therefore aim to enforce through advocacy governments to create conducive learning environments for young girls to have their educational rights fulfilled.
It is important to note that, lack of quality education perpetuate young girls’ vulnerability to social and economic hardships. There is evidence of educational inadequacies, inequality and gaps in rural and farming communities which CSOs have not managed to address to help girl child to access quality education.
The alliance therefore aims to address educational gaps in the three countries through strengthening the capacities of the partners so that they are able to advocate for an inclusive and equitable education system for rural young girls in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
To strengthen the capacities of GEAR alliance CSOs in advocating for an inclusive and equitable education system for rural young women and girls in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe by June 2022.
To support in country advocacy activities by GEAR alliance CSOs on educational accountability for rural and farming community girls by June 2023.
To coordinate the participation of GEAR alliance members in pre, during and post review of regional and international educational frameworks at SADAC, AU and UN levels by June 2024.
To promote the vertical and horizontal linking and learning of gear alliance members as they conduct inclusive and equitable educational advocacy by June 2024.