Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Empowering Young Women and Girls

Madhesh Province faces significant gender and economic disparities, with young girls and women encountering barriers such as child marriage, gender-based violence, and limited access to education and employment. Despite Nepal’s federal restructuring in 2015, these challenges persist, particularly among marginalized communities. Building on previous successful Helvetas projects like ENSSURE, SAMRIDDHI and PROYEL, SheLeads integrates vocational training with advocacy and financial inclusion to empower young women and challenge systemic inequalities targeting young girls and women aged 13-40 from marginalized communities, including Dalits and other disadvantaged groups.

SheLeads Skills and Empowerment Project adopts a gender-transformative, intersectional, systemic, and multi-sectoral approach to ensure sustainable impact. It engages young girls and women in market-driven vocational training and entrepreneurship, equipping them for high-demand and non-traditional sectors. SheLeads works closely with local governments to implement gender-sensitive policies and collaborates with financial institutions. The project also fosters youth leadership through peer groups, mentorship programs, and advocacy training. Additionally, media partnerships and storytelling initiatives highlight success stories to inspire change. The first year serves as an inception phase, piloting training programs and building alliances for long-term sustainability.

The project is currently in its inception phase, laying the groundwork for implementation in Karjanha, Lahan, and Ganeshman Charnath municipalities of Madhesh Province. Key milestones include a comprehensive baseline study, the digitalization of the Results-Based Financing (RBF) monitoring system, and the establishment of strategic partnerships with the Nepal NGO Alliance.

The baseline study revealed significant gaps in employment opportunities and support structures for young girls and women across the targeted municipalities. Limited access to financial institutions, mentorship, business development services, and practical academic support hinder their ability to pursue self-employment and leadership roles. The study also highlighted pressing social challenges, including child marriage, gender-based violence, and caste-based discrimination. Addressing these barriers will require strengthened partnerships with local governments, private sector engagement, promotion of STEM and life skills education, and dedicated efforts to connect young women with financial resources and mentorship opportunities to foster empowerment and sustainable change.

To enhance efficiency and impact, SheLeads has developed a structured RBF Monitoring System, ensuring data-driven decision-making and performance-based payments. Additionally, the project is in the process of finalizing contracts with partners for implementation. Moving forward, the project will focus on implementing skill development programs, strengthening policy advocacy, and expanding economic opportunities for young girls and women.

The Ursula Zindel Hilti Foundation (UZH) is the primary funding partner, supporting vocational training, business development, and advocacy initiatives. The project’s financial plan includes CHF 500,000 for the first year, followed by CHF 1 million annually for the next three years.

In addition to UZH, the project collaborates with local governments, development partners, and private sector entities to mobilize resources for skills training, entrepreneurship support, and leadership development. Financial and technical assistance from these partners ensures the sustainability and scalability of interventions. The project also integrates co-financing mechanisms, leveraging public-private partnerships to enhance access to credit and business opportunities for young women.

By combining donor contributions, government support, and private sector investments, SheLeads fosters a comprehensive ecosystem for women’s economic empowerment, ensuring long-term impact beyond the project’s duration.