SAFE-Girls to support the empowerment of adolescent girls in Nepal until 2028
The Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, and the United Nations Population Fund- UNFPA, together with provincial ministers, on 10 December 2024 launched SAFE-Girls with funding of US $6.6 million in Nepal – out of which $2.2 million will be utilized to empower girls, adolescent teenagers, and young women in Madhesh Province for the next four years, specifically targeting harmful practices and gender-based violence that women and girls are exposed to. The project will also be implemented in the provinces of Lumbini and Sudurpaschim.
SAFE-Girls will create safe spaces for adolescents and provide tools, including digital ones, to assist them in developing their social capital and peer-based support networks, provide comprehensive sexuality education in and out of schools, and strengthen services for gender-based violence prevention and response across municipalities. It will include partnerships with key federal and local ministries and agencies that attended the launch.
During the launch, Mr. Mooheon Kong from KOICA highlighted the importance of the partnership between Nepal and South Korea. “It is a special year for the diplomatic relationship between Nepal and South Korea. This year we celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations. Over this period, our countries have shared a strong bond built on mutual respect, cooperation, and a shared commitment to development and prosperity. This project will further strengthen this bond by accelerating investments in gender equality, which are crucial to guaranteeing this social and economic change has inclusive and good outcomes.”
UNFPA Representative for Nepal, Ms. Won Young Hong, stressed, “It is crucial that we build on the strong results achieved by all spheres of government so far that realise the potential of adolescent girls and young women as change agents. SAFE Girls has the potential to bring transformational change to the lives of adolescent girls in Madhesh and beyond, and develop strategies for their empowerment to scale up to other areas of Nepal, and, most of all, demonstrate that when young women and girls are empowered, their potential to drive transformative change is unmatched.”
The Honorable Minister of Sports and Social Welfare Mr Pradeep Jaiswal presided as the chair of the launch event. Honorable minister of Education and Culture, Ms Rani Kumari Tiwari, Honorable Minister of Home, Communication and Law Mr Raj Kumar Lekhi, Honorable minister of Health and Population Shatrudhan Prasad Singh, along with honorable members of policy and planning commission were also in attendance.
During the launch event, all ministers and government officials expressed their strong commitment to supporting the SAFE-Girls project and ensuring its successful implementation, emphasizing the importance of empowering adolescent girls and young women to overcome harmful practices and gender-based violence and pledged their collaboration to create an enabling environment for their growth and development.
“SAFE Girls is more than just a project; it is a transformative campaign that seeks to reshape our province and inspire change across the entire nation,” stated Hon. Minister of Sports and Social Welfare, Mr. Pramod Jaiswal. He highlighted the programme’s immense potential to empower girls and young women, ensuring they have the skills, confidence, and opportunities to lead fulfilling lives. The Hon’ble Minister emphasized that initiatives like SAFE Girls are not just a step forward for gender equality but a foundation for building resilient, inclusive communities. He extended his heartfelt wishes for the programme’s success, expressing hope that it would serve as a catalyst for sustainable development, challenge entrenched inequalities, and pave the way for a brighter future where every individual has the opportunity to thrive.
