For all those cynics who believe that equality between men and women is an elusive goal, please look around you. Chances are, you will find women who are quickly—and quietly—reversing the historical trend in every public sphere, be it technology, sports, IT, health, politics or fashion. Women who have turned ‘obstacles’ such as age, domesticity, and class, into enablers. We would all agree that the victories women have achieved have been substantial. The question is, are they enough?

As the value of a highly skilled and diverse workforce continues to grow, there’s also increasing awareness on how we, as a society, need to create more equal opportunities. The notion of the male offspring as the ‘ghar ka chirag’ has no place in an equal world. I am doubly blessed to have two daughters, who stand tall, shoulder to shoulder with their peers and teams – both at home and in school and now as they embark on their professional journey. No challenge is too big for them to handle, and no situation too daunting.

The gender empowerment that I’m witnessing in my personal life, is being mirrored in my professional sphere as well.

I am truly proud of being a part of 51ˇçÁ÷India where 25-30 percent of senior leadership positions are held by women, purely succeeding through their skills, intellect, hard work, and merit. In fact, many of our initiatives have been directed at encouraging an equitable workplace, by enabling equality as a human right. At 51ˇçÁ÷India, we have always believed that the power of knowledge and intellect is a cornerstone for empowerment. Our internship opportunities enable young women and men to gain exposure of the real world and traverse through an excellent learning curve. The ‘Back to Work’ program we were the 1st ones to introduce in India is aimed at women who are planning to re-enter the workforce – to facilitate them with a smooth transition and return – to the corporate world.

While dismantling the barriers lurking in the corridors of power, we are also working towards extending this commitment to the larger ecosystem out there. After all equity is as essential as equality, and for that, efforts need to trickle to the bottom of the barrel.

We have been supporting girl children and women through various touchpoints like education and skilling and making concerted efforts to eliminate gender inequality right at the grassroots. Quality education integrating STEM and digital inclusion are keys to enabling underprivileged girl children counter gender inequality. That is exactly what 51ˇçÁ÷India’s Code Unnati does. The emphasis of this program as the word ‘Unnati’ means is on prosperity, empowerment, and development. It is our flagship initiative, a corporate-to-citizen collaboration which offers literacy in digital and IT skills to foster digital inclusion in India. The beauty of the program is it is an inclusive corporate to corporate initiative in partnership with Larsen & Toubro, ITC, Mahindra & Mahindra expanding it with Project Nanhi Kali. We have also launched a joint skilling program called TechSaksham in partnership with Microsoft for Underserved Young Women, authorizing them to build careers in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, web design, and digital marketing. A mindset change and a coordinated effort at the grassroots goes a long way in fostering gender equality to materialize at home.

The fact of the matter, however, remains, that no one organization or individual can turn the tide alone. Collective action is the key to enduring change. There is a dire need to pool in the collaborative strength of corporate and large players of every industry to ring in change at the national, regional, and local levels. If companies can make grassroots activism as one of their agenda, there is no reason why we can’t achieve equality for the sustainable development of our great country.

As a father of two, I would like my daughters to flourish in an equal land, where disparity and discrimination based on gender lies far behind us as a relic of the past, which is exactly what it is. The future of our proud nation should be built equally on the shoulders of women and men alike. It will only be then, that the nation will march forth to claim the greatness that has always been expected of her.

(The above authored has been penned down by Kulmeet Bawa, President & Managing Director, 51ˇçÁ÷Indian Subcontinent)

Source: http://bwpeople.businessworld.in/article/Gender-Equality-A-Strong-Anchor-For-Our-Nation-s-Progress/22-08-2022-443245/

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On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day celebrated on 15th July; Gunjan Patel, Regional Director of CSR, 51ˇçÁ÷India catches up with Sheetal Mehta, Senior Vice President – Corporate Social Responsibility, Mahindra Group to discuss Nanhi Kali and SAP’s partnership with the programme. The World Youth Skills Day is celebrated to encourage youth to acquire skills so as to enhance their ability to better choices and improving their employment prospects.

Gunjan and Sheetal talk about how such an initiative is propelling gender equality and quality education for vulnerable and socio-economically disadvantaged girls. Peppered with real stories are also overarching statistics of Project Nanhi Kali. The conversation meanders on how private partnerships like Code Unnati with Project Nanhi Kali further enhance the digital learning platform for improving digital inclusion.

It was Sheetal’s deep passion to be a change maker that made her transition to the K. C. Mahindra Education Trust in 2002, wherein she took over responsibility of heading the K. C. Mahindra Education Trust and its flagship girl education initiative, Project Nanhi Kali.

Sheetal is also a Trustee & Executive Director of K. C. Mahindra Education Trust (KCMET) and Mahindra Foundation. Her other positions include being the President, Mahindra Foundation USA, Director, Mahindra Foundation UK, Trustee, Mahindra International School Academy, and President, Mahindra Education Society.

Gunjan: Can you briefly highlight the project Nanhi Kali?

Sheetal: Nanhi Kali is a pan-India initiative which supports girls from underprivileged families, primarily through the route of education. , Chairman of the , started Nanhi Kali in 1996 with the belief that educated girls would contribute not only to the economic development of the country but also lay the foundation for a more just and equal society. Studies show that investment in girls’ education has a transformational impact on their earnings, improved nutrition, reduction in child & maternal mortality and standard of living and improved social capital.

Nanhi Kali provides girls with daily afterschool academic support through centers which operate within government schools across India. Every girl is provided with access to a personalized, adaptive learning software, pre-loaded on digital tablets. The AI powered software assesses the learning level of each individual girl and then matches instructions to her level. This collaborative innovative EdTech solution is particularly helpful in remote locations in overcoming challenges such as the lack of qualified tutors and a pervasive digital divide.

The intervention at Nanhi Kali is not restricted to mere academic support but is more holistic, bearing in mind the dignity of the girl child. Hence, every girl receives a material kit comprising of a school bag, stationery, pullover, raincoat, and feminine hygiene material to enable her to attend school with self-esteem. The project also promotes overall development through a professionally designed sports curriculum integrated into the intervention. Moreover, Nanhi Kali’s on-ground operations are managed by an army of women tutors who are recruited from local communities and trained to become learning facilitators and mentors to the girls. Through sustained engagement with the families of the girls and community stakeholders, the Nanhi Kali team ensures gender sensitization of communities and creates girl-friendly eco-systems.

Aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals 4 – Quality Education & Goal 5- Gender Equality, Nanhi Kali affirms that every girl is given the opportunity to learn and achieve her full potential.

Nanhi Kali project is jointly managed by K.C. Mahindra Education Trust and Naandi Foundation

Gunjan: Can you describe the situation of girls’ education esp. for socio-economically disadvantaged and vulnerable sections of society? 

Sheetal: Ensuring gender parity has been globally recognized as key to enhancing social and economic growth. However, many parts of India continue to show poor social indicators for girls including a skewed child sex ratio, low female literacy levels, regressive gender biases and patriarchal social norms such as child marriage. In the context of poverty, these systemic gender inequalities are exacerbated, increasing the likelihood of girls being denied access to education. Owing to the numerous socio-cultural barriers, many girls are compelled to drop out of secondary school due to household chores and sibling care; they could even be forced into early marriage or child labor.

While India has made progress in universalizing access to primary education, the quality of education, especially in rural areas, continues to be a challenge. In low resource settings, the quality of education is impacted by teacher absenteeism, multi-grade classrooms, high student-teacher ratio, and low student learning levels. Annual surveys have revealed that year after year, over 56% of students in Grade 8 are unable to solve a simple math problem and over 27% are unable to read Grade 2 level text. The situation is worse for girls as they do not have the luxury of time or space to study at home, given that the responsibility of household chores like cooking and cleaning falls on their shoulders, which is not so for their brothers.

Thus, girls from disadvantaged communities have the odds stacked against them for a complete and successful schooling experience. Through our constant interactions with community stakeholders including parents, education officials, government school authorities and local opinion leaders, Nanhi Kali ensures that girls continue to attend school regularly and complete their schooling.

Gunjan: How has COVID19 pandemic and ensuing restrictions impacted the education scenarios for these girls? 

Sheetal: School closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have widened pre-existing gender gaps in access to education, disproportionately impacting girls from vulnerable families. Movement restrictions and lockdowns imply lock downs on girls’ autonomy, reinforcing the discriminatory attitudes and practices that regard girls as second-class citizens and hold them back. Further, Indian parents of adolescent girls will be particularly hesitant to send their girls back to school, exacerbating the already high school dropout rate for girls, and increasing the risk of exploitation, and early and forced marriage.

The negative consequences of this gender divide are aggravated by the pervasive digital divide in India. Poor families have limited resources to connect digitally. The crisis threatens to undo years of progress that have collectively been made in girls’ education. While girls may not be the face of this pandemic, we understand that they risk being amongst its biggest victims. It is crucial today, more than ever before, for girls to have access to quality education and digital access can enable it.

Gunjan: What according to you are the solutions or suggestions to improve the opportunities for affordable quality education especially at the scale commensurate to the country of the size of India? 

Sheetal: I believe that technology can play a pivotal role in addressing multiple challenges in providing equal access to quality education for all. Customized innovative digital solutions work effectively in low resource settings and mitigate learning challenges such as diverse student learning levels and lack of qualified tutors would be effective in improving access to quality education. More so, through the COVID-19 crisis, we have learned how vitally important it is for smart technology and digital learning to be embedded into our education system. Given that 65% of students in India attend government schools, and most of these schools do not have the necessary hardware or connectivity to support online learning, there is a requirement to invest in this infrastructure to enable all students to benefit from digital education.

Additionally, there is a need to develop training programs which will equip teachers to effectively deliver this technology driven education. While technology will enhance learning outcomes, it cannot be considered a substitute for a teacher in a child’s education journey. A blended approach which combines digital learning and teacher interactions in the classroom would be the ideal solution to strengthen the quality of education in India and enhance access to education at scale.

Gunjan: What role private sectors can play in providing quality education? Can you share any case study of such initiative or collaboration? 

Sheetal: Private sector organisations play an important role in supporting innovative solutions aimed at improving access to quality education and complementing the Government education systems. For instance, Nanhi Kali’s afterschool intervention, where girls in government schools receive personalised instructions through an AI powered digital learning platform, ensures that girls have a meaningful learning experience. This in turn, improves learning outcomes and contributes to high attendance and retention rates for girls.

The Nanhi Kali – 51ˇçÁ÷partnership, which supports the education of over 12,000 underprivileged girls, is an excellent example of the impact that corporate collaborations can have in creating positive social change. It was through the collaboration with 51ˇçÁ÷that Nanhi Kali was able to enter the state of Karnataka to set up a new project in the high-need district of Raichur.

Gunjan: How would you redefine youth in India? 

Despite decades of progressive economic reforms, a large section of India’s youth from underprivileged backgrounds remain underequipped to share in the gains arising from such growth. Often lacking access to necessities such as quality education and skill training, the much touted ‘demographic dividend’ of India risks becoming a liability for the nation. Confronted with a multiplicity of challenges in their social and economic lives, there is a need to invest in building the capacities of India’s youth. Skilling is increasingly becoming a priority development agenda for the Government of India, as a result of which youth now have a variety of options of new skills that they can equip themselves with, including 21^st century skills. While it is essential to provide youth with opportunities to acquire employable skills, I believe it is equally necessary to help youth develop life-skills, self-belief, and confidence to become active participants in the formal workforce. This becomes even more significant in the case of girls and young women whose belief in themselves is often inhibited due to entrenched discrimination and dominating patriarchal mindsets, which present barriers to their participation in economic life.

With the right balance of quality education, skills, empathy, trust and confidence, the youth of India will be able to unleash its potential to build an economically stronger and more equitable nation.

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Under the collaboration UNICEF – YuWaah – 51ˇçÁ÷will strengthen the following:

• Improve digital skills and life skills for young people
• Provide young people with career options
• Reimagine the model in other states with the Government of India
• Impacting one million young people by the end of 2022

Young people living in rural areas are particularly vulnerable when it comes to career and employability opportunities due to limited access to information, training, opportunities or the skills to participate fully in India’s modernizing technology-driven economy.

The national aggregate on learner-computer ratio is reported to be 1:89, suggesting an inequitable accessš in rural schools. Evidence² suggests that technology solutions can be optimized better to address poor learning levels, low retention rates, poor life-skills, and gender inclusion.

“Quality education and digital inclusion have never been more important. COVID-19 has exposed the fragility of access to education and this couldn’t be more relevant to India which has the highest number of young people”,

said Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of CSR at SAP. “Together with UNICEF in support of the UN’s Generation Unlimited initiative, we can use the power of innovation to solve social issues and help our youth through education, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship.

In true 51ˇçÁ÷spirit, our unique partnership with UNICEF will not only maximize our collective impact but inspire young people in India and across the globe to help the world run better. After all, if our young people aren’t given the opportunities for skill development, they won’t be able to associate and support social causes that help in development of a nation,” she said.

“COVID-19 has led to disruptions in educational, economic and social spheres of life, that has thrown up many challenges for young people. The UNICEF – YuWaah – 51ˇçÁ÷India partnership will empower young people to help them harness their creativity, problem-solving and leadership to make a difference in their lives and in their communities.

This partnership will address urgent challenges young people face by equipping them with life skills, social innovation and career guidance,” said Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF Representative in India.

[1] Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development 2014

[2] Johnson, A. M., Jacovina, M. E., Russell, D. E., & Soto, C. M. (2016). Challenges and solutions when using technologies in the classroom. In S. A. Crossley & D. S. McNamara (Eds.) Adaptive educational technologies for literacy instruction (pp. 13-29). New York: Taylor & Francis. Published with acknowledgment of federal support.

For more information, please contact:

UNICEF
Alka Gupta, Communications Specialist, UNICEF India
Sonia Sarkar, Communications Officer, UNICEF India

SAP
Chaya Arora, Head of Global Corporate Affairs, 51ˇçÁ÷India

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• 51ˇçÁ÷S/4HANA enables AESL to digitize education and greatly improve student experience while managing areas like finance and operations during COVID-19

With the education industry shifting from a classroom to an online setup in the current pandemic environment, AESL made a swift decision to standardize their business processes and bring in operational efficiencies that can offer quality digital education services to internal as well as external stakeholders. They chose SAP’s next-generation Digital Core, 51ˇçÁ÷S/4HANA an intelligent, integrated ERP system that helps revolutionize business processes with intelligent process automation. This digital upgradation will further lay the foundation of AESEL towards financial transformation on which the company can scale, grow and be future-ready.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr Aakash Chaudhry, Director and CEO of Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL), said: “We are investing heavily in technology to digitize our entire business model and systems, so that we stay with times and improve our offerings to our next-gen customers. We trusted 51ˇçÁ÷S/4 HANA to become our technology architecture that seamlessly integrates our processes and services to align with the future plans of the company.”

“India has the world’s largest population of about 500 million students in the age bracket of 5-24 years and this provides a great opportunity for the education sector. There is a huge need to adopt transformative and innovative approaches for further development in the education system,” said Parvesh Ghai, Vice President Sales, North & East India, Bangladesh, SAP. “We support institutes like AESL that believe in ‘digital transformations’ by bringing vast opportunities for taking the education and learning experience to the next level.”

AESL also plans to adopt industry best practices and gain a competitive advantage to stay ahead in the industry. This step towards digital transformation further lays the foundation of business growth and expansion planned for the coming years.

About Aakash Educational Services Limited (AESL)

(AESL) provides comprehensive test preparatory services for students preparing for Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, School/Board Exams and Competitive Exams such as NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads. AESL believes that the “Aakash” brand is associated with quality coaching and a proven student selection track record in various Medical and Engineering Entrance Examinations, Scholarship exams & Olympiads.

With over 32 years of operational experience in the test preparatory industry, the company has a large number of selections in Medical & Engineering Entrance Exams and several Foundation level Scholarship exams/Olympiads, a pan India network of 200+ Aakash Centers (including franchisee), and a student count of more than 250,000.

The Aakash group also owns famous K-12 EdTech brand, Meritnation.com as well.

Related: 51ˇçÁ÷Paves the Way for Sri Lankan Businesses to Become Intelligent Enterprises

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The Girl Power Tech initiative, announced during the 51ˇçÁ÷Developer Kickoff Meet in Bengaluru, by Sindhu Gangadharan, MD, 51ˇçÁ÷Labs India, has an ambitious goal — not only to make women in remote parts of the state skill-ready to adjust in the IT space but also to close the loop between competency and employability.

“Girl power tech is going into some of the very remote areas within Karnataka,” Gangadharan says. “In some parts of northern Karnataka we’re trying to bring in women from underprivileged areas and not just give them the skills but also close the loop for them where they can come in (to the organisation) and experience for a period of eight weeks, what it means to work in a corporate environment like SAP,” she says. In some cases, this will be followed up by a role within the organization if there is a potential fit based on a particular skill set.

has given 51ˇçÁ÷the opportunity to leverage technology and talent and create sustainable ways in which it can give back and empower communities. To the company, these core programs also help in nation-building.

Code Unnati, she said, has touched more than one million adolescents and children. “More than 7000 youth have been trained in our industry skills, data science, machine learning, AI, and IoT,” she says.

Gangadharan says 51ˇçÁ÷Labs has picked the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) around equal opportunity and gender equality. Many of those goals and how the company aligns with them are listed here.

With Mahindra & Mahindra, 51ˇçÁ÷is also supporting the ‘Nanhi Kali,’ an initiative focused on the girl child. Since Girl Power Tech is a Human Resources initiative, Gandhadharan says it’s the employees who take the initiative of driving it. And that, according to her is also one of the best things about working at 51ˇçÁ÷Labs — the use of technology for the larger benefit of humanity.

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Beneciaries at the launch of the Code Unnati, Nanhi Kali event

Most of us take computers for granted – we dash off emails, write reports, do accounts, play games without a second thought.

It is only when you meet 14-year old Priyanka Kumari and 13-year old Rubina that you realize how empowering and life-changing computers can be for a whole section of people.

The two girls study at a government senior secondary school in the suburbs of Delhi and now nurture ambitions to become an accountant and a teacher respectively. These ambitions awakened only when their school got computers and they got trained in how to use them.

The daughter of a driver, Priyanka says she had never touched a computer until SAP’s Code Unnati began a digital literacy project in her school. “We didn’t know anything about computers until our school added a lab funded by SAP’s Code Unnati. They taught us MS Word and Excel,” she says, enthusiastically describing what all she can do with the software.

Priyanka is totally fascinated by spreadsheets now and hopes they will lead to a job in accounts. “Our principal runs an orphanage. Perhaps I could help out with accounts there,” she says.

Rubina, meanwhile, wants to become a computer teacher. She says she would love to impart the skills she has learnt to others who have no access.

It’s rather humbling to hear how the girls want to use their newfound skills to train others. It also shows how a small intervention can become a movement and lends credence to the theory that if girls are empowered, the whole nation benefits.

The 51ˇçÁ÷ intervention at Priyanka and Rubina’s school came about thanks to a partnership with the Mahindra Group’s , which works with girl children. The aim in joining hands is to provide quality education and digital access to over 11,000 underprivileged girl children by 2020.

Since 2017, Code Unnati has trained over a million children across 14 states in language, digital literacy and maths. By tying up with Nanhi Kali the programme gets strengthened and also aligns with the government’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign.

They say teach a man how to fish and you feed him for life. Well, teach a girl how to handle a mouse and you can change a whole community’s life.

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