BT and British Asian Trust to empower adolescent girls

At a ceremony yesterday that was hosted by the British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, at his residence in New Delhi, BT and the British Asian Trust made the announcement that they will collaborate for an additional three years to empower 200,000 adolescent females with digital and life skills. To shift gender norms and strengthen support for equal chances for girls and boys, the alliance will also work with 500,000 stakeholders, including parents.

The social impact partnership provides programmes that will enable girls to improve their social and economic circumstances, which will in turn strengthen the national economy and support India’s policies on skilling, education, and digital literacy. One estimate states that increasing women’s employment rates could boost India’s GDP by 27%.

Over 1 million Indian girls have already benefited from the collaboration between BT and the British Asian Trust. The cooperation has assisted girls in eliminating gender barriers in their communities and gaining access to digital and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills and employment possibilities. During UK India Week in London in 2019, this initiative won the “Social Impact Project of the Year” award at the UK-India Awards ceremony. [ii]

British Asian Trust

The three-year partnership, which will last until 2025, will reach young women in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi/NCR, and other high-need communities by:

closing the gender gap in STEM, digital skills, and education

promoting young women’s employment through skill development, entrepreneurship, and placement assistance

creating safe spaces for adolescent girls to interact, learn, and grow while also changing community and social norms regarding gender.

Local organisations Breakthrough India, ETASHA, Going to School, IT for Change, Katha, Mentor Together, and People for Action will carry out the project.

“A new generation of girls and young women may gear up to rule the globe — in teaching, engineering, robotics, or whatever sector they desire,” said Richard Hawkes, CEO of the British Asian Trust. By providing them with digital skills, career opportunities, and support in overcoming gender obstacles, we can help women take charge of their own lives and affect change in their neighbourhoods and beyond. We appreciate BT for recognising this need and for helping to support such crucial efforts aimed at influencing future generations.

“The digital transformation of India has the potential to drive the economic empowerment of women and contribute to greater gender equality,” said Pooja Lamba, VP & Director, Global Delivery Capability, BT Global. This partnership has already had significant success in giving young women from underserved communities opportunities, supporting BT’s manifesto commitments to promote digital inclusion and create a more inclusive society.

Girls’ education is one of the UK’s top international goals, according to Alex Ellis, the British High Commissioner to India. I’m excited about BT’s and the British Asian Trust’s commitment to providing 200,000 adolescent girls with better education, more employability, and improved life skills. In addition, BT and the British Asian Trust are partners in the UK’s effort in India called Pledge for Progress, which seeks to advance gender equality and mobilise substantive change.