Organizations Promoting Gender Equality in UNSDG 4: Quality Education

Gender equality in education is an important sub-component if the world is to realize UNSDG 4: Quality Education. While there has been progress, millions of girls globally are yet to get schooling, and large gaps exist. Bringing this sub-problem to an end needs more than that; that would require an enabling environment that allows them to stay in school and complete their education. Education for gender equality enables girls, fuels economic progress, and sustains a healthier society.

Startups can make a difference in the development of innovative solutions working directly to bridge these gaps. Impactful programs that break down barriers to education for girls by using technology, community engagement, and creative educational models are part of what startups can do. If you're looking to build for impact and really drive a difference in gender equality in education, listed below are organizations that provide great examples of strategies that work.

At build3, we support startups dedicated to such transformative missions, offering guidance and inspiration to help you achieve your goals. This article showcases leading organizations whose efforts can serve as a blueprint for your startup's journey towards promoting educational equity.

1. Malala Fund

About Malala Fund

The Malala Fund is working toward the guarantee of 12 years of free, safe, quality education for girls, led by Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. Their mission is breaking down barriers so more than 130 million girls around the world can go to school.

Founder: Malala Yousafzai

Founded in: 2013

Location: Birmingham, UK

Ways in Which Malala Fund Leads Progress

1. Advocacy and Campaigns

• Malala Fund leads global campaigns, including "Girl Power Trip" and "We Are Displaced," to raise awareness about the importance of girls' education and the risks many girls face in pursuing it.
• They work with policymakers at all levels to make girls' education a political priority, shaping laws and policies that affect millions.

1. Education Champions Network

• Through their Education Champions Network, the organization stands up for local educators and activists in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Brazil.
• They fund and support grassroots activists to run advocacy for policy change and educational programming relevant to their area.

1. Research and Publications

• The Malala Fund supports and commissions research to provide evidence-based insights to what barriers girls face while trying to access their right to education.
• Their reports, including "Full Force" and "Girl's Education and COVID-19," provide data-driven recommendations to stakeholders on how best to forge ahead.

1. Emergency Response

• In times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Malala Fund quickly adapts to support girls' education continuity.
• They provide emergency grants and resources to educators, ensuring that girls continue learning even during disruptions.

Lessons for Startups

• Attract attention through advocacy and thus influence policy changes.
• Support local initiatives and empower grassroots leaders.
• Use data-driven research at the heart of your future startup to inform and optimize your strategies.
• Be flexible and responsive to emergencies; maintain educational continuity at all costs.

2. Educate Girls

About Educate Girls

Educate Girls works on community mobilization to enhance the enrollment of girls in schools in India. Their vision is a behavioral, social, and economic transformation for all girls toward an India where all children will have equal opportunities to access quality education.

Founder: Safeena Husain

Founded in: 2007

Location: Mumbai, India

How Educate Girls is Leading Progress

1. Community Volunteers (Team Balika)

• Educate Girls has built an army of community volunteers called Team Balika, who work at the grassroots level to enroll out-of-school girls.
• These volunteers have really been useful in changing community attitudes and convincing parents to send their girls to school.

1. Data-Driven Approach

• The organization uses data and technology to trace the out-of-school girl child, beyond monitoring her enrollment and learning outcomes.
• They do so by collecting data through a mobile-based application in real time, which helps in identifying the strategies and interventions.

1. Collaboration with Government Schools

• Educate Girls partners with government schools to improve infrastructure, teaching quality, and learning outcomes.
• They train teachers and provide resources to create a conducive learning environment for girls.

1. Life Skills and Empowerment Programs

• Apart from the academic interventions, Educate Girls is engaged in life skills training to empower girls with confidence and skills that would enable them to lead a better life.
• These programs cover aspects such as leadership, health, and financial literacy, preparing girls for a better future.

Lessons for Startups

• Engage and mobilize community volunteers for grassroots impact.
• Use technology and data efficiently for monitoring and decision-making.
• Partnering with already established schools/ educational institutions will amplify/increase your reach.
• Include life skills training for holistic development of an individual.

3. Room to Read

About Room to Read

Room to Read is a global organization transforming millions of children's lives in low-income communities with its key focus on literacy and gender equality in education.

Founder: John Wood, Erin Ganju, and Dinesh Shrestha

Founded in: 2000

Location: San Francisco, USA

How Room to Read is Leading Progress

1. Literacy Programs

• Creating libraries for children and printing millions of local-language children's books as part of its Literacy Program
• Capacity building for teachers to be able to help children learn to read effectively

1. Girls' Education Program

• Material, financial, social, and emotional support to help girls finish secondary school and achieve key life skills.
• Room to Read provides long-term support for girls such as mentorship, life skills training, and material aid to help them pursue their studies without any hindrances.

1. Partnerships and Advocacy

• They collaborate with governments and other organizations to replicate successful literacy and girls' education models in national education systems.
• At all levels—local, national, and global—Room to Read advocates for policies to make advancement of gender equality in education possible.

1. Research and Impact Measurement

• It undertakes extensive research into the measurement of impact made by its programs and refines its strategies accordingly.
• It publishes findings that contribute to the global understanding of effective educational interventions.

Lessons for Startups

• Develop comprehensive literacy programs to build foundational skills.
• Provide long-term support and mentorship for girls to ensure educational continuity.
• Partner with governments and organizations to scale successful models.
• Use research and impact measurement to refine and validate your approach.

4. Pratham

About Pratham

Pratham is one of the largest NGOs in India working for quality education among underprivileged children. Their work is oriented towards creating better learning processes through new ways of teaching and community-based approaches to learning.

Founder: Madhav Chavan and Farida Lambay

Founded in: 1994

Location: Mumbai, India

How Pratham is Leading Progress

1. Read India Program

• Pratham’s flagship Read India program aims to improve basic reading and arithmetic skills among children.
• It works directly with communities to extend learning outcomes through simple, replicable models.

1. Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)

• ASER is an annual survey by Pratham to map the state of rural education across India.
• The survey provides critical data that informs education policy and practice across the country.

1. Vocational Training and Skills Development

• Pratham runs vocational training programs to provide young people with employable skills.
• Such programs bridge the education-to-employment gap and equip youth with economic independence.

1. Early Childhood Education

• Pratham works with all their preschool centers to establish early childhood education.
• Age-appropriate learning materials are developed to support a quality early education program, following the training of caregivers.

Lessons for Startups

• Implement scalable and community-based educational models.
• Use data and assessments to drive program improvements and policy advocacy.
• Incorporating vocational training to bridge employability gaps;
• Focus on early childhood education to build strong foundational skills.

5. CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education)

About CAMFED

CAMFED is an international nongovernmental organization working towards poverty eradication in Africa, with a major focus on education for girls and empowering young women.

Founder: Ann Cotton

Founded in: 1993

Location: Cambridge, UK

How CAMFED is Leading Progress

1. Comprehensive Support for Girls

• CAMFED provides holistic support to girls, from paying school fees to dresses, stationery, and board.
• They ensure that financial barriers do not prevent girls from accessing education.

1. Alumni Network (CAMA)

• The CAMFED Association is a powerful network of female leaders who have completed their education thanks to the support of CAMFED.
• CAMA members pay back to communities through mentorship of the next generation of students and acting as ambassadors for girls' education.

1. Community Partnerships

• CAMFED works closely with communities to identify the most vulnerable girls and offer them support.
• They engage local leaders, parents, and school authorities in creating an enabling environment for girls' education.

1. Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship

• This is an organization that equips young women to be economically independent by enabling them with financial literacy and skills in entrepreneurship.
• With such skills, it means that the graduates from CAMFED could establish job-creating businesses, hence developing their communities.

Lessons for Startups

• Provide holistic support to address all barriers to education.
• Build strong alumni networks to sustain long-term impact.
• Engage communities to foster local ownership and support.
• Incorporate financial literacy and entrepreneurship training to promote economic empowerment.

6. Akshaya Patra Foundation

About Akshaya Patra Foundation

Akshaya Patra Foundation is running the world's largest mid-day meal program to distribute nutritious meals among school-going children across India.

Founder: Madhu Pandit Dasa

Founded in: 2000

Location: Bengaluru, India

How Akshaya Patra is Leading Progress

1. Mid-Day Meal Program

• Akshaya Patra provides freshly cooked wholesome meals to more than 1.8 million children every day.
• The program incentivizes school attendance and retention, particularly among girls from low-income families.

1. Infrastructure and Innovation

• The Foundation cooks the meal with top-class hygiene in state-of-the-art kitchens. Processes are further innovated from time to time so that they can scale and be sustainable.
• They continuously innovate their processes towards scalability and sustainability.

1. Collaboration with Government and NGOs

• Akshaya Patra collaborates with the government and other NGOs to reach more children and increase their impact.
• These collaborations help integrate their meal programs into broader educational initiatives.

1. Community Engagement

• The organization involves local communities in their operations, creating a sense of ownership and accountability.
• They educate parents and communities about the importance of nutrition and education for children’s development.

Lessons for Startups

• Address nutritional needs to enhance educational outcomes.
• Leverage technology and innovation for operational efficiency.
• Collaborate with government and other organizations to scale impact.
• Engage local communities to build sustainable programs.

7. Girl Rising

About Girl Rising

Girl Rising is an international campaign dedicated to girls' education and gender equality, which works through the medium of a nonprofit organization with unique competencies in media and storytelling.

Founder: Christina Lowery, Holly Gordon, and Shabnam Mogharabi

Founded in: 2013

Location: New York, USA

How Girl Rising is Leading Progress

1. Storytelling and Advocacy

• Girl Rising taps into the power of storytelling, showcasing all it stands between girls and education.
• The produced films and campaigns of media increase awareness, drive people to act, and are operated at global levels.

1. Educational Programs

• They develop educational curricula and resources based on their films, which are used in schools and communities to promote gender equality.
• These programs encourage, therefore, critical thinking and empathy that empower students to be agents of change.

1. Partnerships for Amplification

• Girl Rising partners with NGOs, corporations, and governments to amplify their message and drive systemic change.
• These partnerships help expand their reach and influence, creating a larger impact.

1. Research and Impact Measurement

• The organization conducts research to assess the effectiveness of their programs and campaigns.
• They use this data to refine their strategies and demonstrate the impact of their work to stakeholders.

Lessons for Startups

• Use storytelling to raise awareness and inspire action.
• Develop educational resources that promote critical thinking and advocacy.
• Form strategic partnerships to amplify your impact.
• Measure and refine your programs to ensure effectiveness.

8. Plan International

About Plan International

Plan International is an international development and humanitarian organization that advances children's rights and equality for girls. It has been operational in more than 75 countries and works on education, health, protection, among others.

Founder: John Langdon-Davies and Eric Muggeridge

Founded in: 1937

Location: Woking, UK

How Plan International is Leading Progress

1. Girls’ Education Initiatives

• Plan International offers a host of activities in support of girls' education, which ranges from scholarship programs, school, and school-infrastructure construction to teachers' training.
• It also ensures that girls have access to quality education and are provided with the necessary skills to compete effectively in the future.

1. Child Protection

• The organization works to ensure that children, especially girls, are free from various forms of violence, abuse, and exploitation.
• They also provide a safe space, counseling, and legal support to victims and ensure a safe and conducive learning environment.

1. Youth Advocacy

• Plan International works with and for young people to mobilize advocacy efforts and claiming the right to become leaders within their communities.
• They provide trainings and support for youth-led initiatives advancing gender equality and education.

1. Community Engagement and Capacity Building

• They work with communities to shift cultural and social barriers to girls' education.
• The organization builds the capacity of local leaders, parents, and educators to support and sustain educational initiatives.

Lessons for Startups

• Make sure that educational programs are holistic in addressing multiple barriers.
• Prioritize child protection to ensure a safe learning environment.
• Empower youth to become advocates and leaders.
• Engage communities to build sustainable support systems.

9. Teach For India

About Teach For India

Teach For India is a nonprofit organization with the vision of educational equity in the country through the enlistment and training of bright minds to teach in under-resourced schools.

Founder: Shaheen Mistri

Founded in: 2009

Location: Mumbai, India

How Teach For India is Leading Progress

1. Fellowship Program

• The Fellowship Program places young professionals and graduates in Teach For India as teachers for two years in schools with low-income backgrounds.
• These fellows work towards better learning outcomes for the students, and more importantly, instill a love for learning.

1. Leadership Development

• The program emphasizes leadership development, preparing fellows to become lifelong advocates for educational equity.
• Alumni go on to lead initiatives, start organizations, and influence education policy.

1. Community and School Partnerships

• Teach For India works with schools, communities, and local governments in building an enabling environment that will help students overcome their challenges.
• These relationships amplify the impact of their work while ensuring its sustainability.

1. Innovative Teaching Methods

• Fellows design and use innovative teaching methods and tools to engage students and make the process of learning more effective.
• Their concern is with all-round development: academic, social, and emotional.

Lessons for Startups

• Recruit and train passionate individuals to drive change.
• Focus on leadership development to sustain impact.
• Collaborate with schools and communities for effective interventions.
• Incorporate innovative teaching methods to enhance learning.

10. Katha

About Katha

Katha is an Indian nongovernmental organization that puts together the power of education, teacher training, and publishing to make a difference in the quality of education for underprivileged children.

Founder: Geeta Dharmarajan

Founded in: 1988

Location: New Delhi, India

How Katha is Leading Progress

1. Story Pedagogy

• Katha uses a unique story pedagogy to make learning engaging and effective.
• They publish culturally relevant stories and books that resonate with children and enhance their reading skills.

1. Teacher Training

• The organization provides extensive training to teachers to improve their teaching methods and classroom management.
• They focus on creative and interactive techniques to foster a love for learning among students.

1. Community Libraries

• Katha opens community libraries and caters to the children by providing them with access to quality books and an ambience for reading.
• It also acts as a community center where learning and development take place.

1. Holistic Development Programs

• Other than academics, there are Katha programmes related to arts, sports, and life skills for the all-round development of children.
• They aim to create well-rounded individuals ready to face the challenges of the future.

Lessons for Startups

• Utilize innovative pedagogies to make learning engaging.
• Invest in teacher training for better educational outcomes.
• Establish community resources to support learning.
• Promote holistic development to prepare children for the future.

11. Shiksha Initiative

About Shiksha Initiative

The Shiksha Initiative of Bharti Foundation aims at improving the literacy and numeracy levels of children in rural India with the help of innovative pedagogy and use of digital tools.

Founder: Sunil Bharti Mittal

Founded in: 2000

Location: New Delhi, India

How Shiksha Initiative is Leading Progress

1. Digital Classrooms

• These are modern, digitally equipped classrooms for the better learning experience.
• Interactive content and digital tools make classes more engaging and effective.

1. Teacher Empowerment

• Shiksha Initiative trains teachers efficiently in the use of digital tools and innovation in teaching techniques.
• Continuous professional development ensures that teachers keep motivating and updating themselves.

1. Community Involvement

• The initiative involves parents and community members in the educational process, whereby it can foster a supporting environment for the children.
• Through regular community meetings and awareness programs, the importance of education is underscored.

1. Focus on Girl Child Education

• Shiksha Initiative pays special attention to the enrollment of girls in schools and their subsequent retention.
• They work on breaking social and economic barriers that come in the way of educating girls.

Lessons for Startups

• Incorporate technology to make learning more effective.
• Continuously train and support educators.
• Engage the community to build a supportive educational environment.
• Focus on gender-specific challenges to ensure equal opportunities.

12. Save the Children

About Save the Children

Save the Children is an independent international organization fighting for children's rights, including the right to education. It works in over 120 countries with emergency aid, health, and education.

Founder: Eglantyne Jebb

Founded in: 1919

Location: London, UK

How Save the Children is Leading Progress

1. Education in Emergencies

• Save the Children provides education support at times of crisis, ensuring that children keep learning in the face of disasters.
• They set up temporary learning spaces and distribute educational materials in disaster-affected areas.

1. Early Childhood Care and Education

• The organization has a belief in early childhood education; thus, it offers various programs to prepare children before joining school.
• They train caregivers and provide age-appropriate learning materials.

1. Child Protection Programs

• Save the Children runs child protection programs geared at protecting children from violence, exploitation, and abuse.
• The programs include setting up a safe learning environment and psycho-social support to the children concerned.

1. Advocacy and Policy Influence

• It advocates for policies in relation to upholding the children's right to education and protection.
• They collaborate with governments and international bodies in ensuring that children's needs are factored into policy decisions.

Lessons for Startups

• Provide education support during emergencies to ensure continuity.
• Invest in early childhood education for long-term benefits.
• Implement child protection measures to create safe learning environments.
• Advocate for policies that support children's rights to education.

13. Educate Girls Globally

About Educate Girls Globally

Educate Girls Globally mobilizes communities and partners with governments to enrol and retain girls at school. The geographic focus is currently India and developing countries generally.

Founder: Lawrence Chickering

Founded in: 2002

Location: Colorado, USA

How Educate Girls Globally is Leading Progress

1. Community Mobilization

• EGG mobilizes communities to take ownership of girls' education and builds a supportive environment for girls' education. This they do by training community members to become advocates and role models for girls' education.
• It works on the improvement of the infrastructure of the schools, ensuring an environment which shall foster learning.
• They engage in addressing basic needs such as sanitation, which affects girls' attendance in school.

1. School Infrastructure Improvement

• The organization works to improve the infrastructure of schools, ensuring that the facilities are conducive to learning.
• They address basic needs like sanitation, which particularly affects girls’ school attendance.

1. Capacity Building

• EGG provides capacity-building programs for teachers and school administrators.
• These programs enhance the quality of education and management in schools.

1. Empowerment Programs

• Beyond education, EGG runs empowerment programs that build girls’ confidence and leadership skills.
• They focus on life skills and vocational training, preparing girls for future opportunities.

Lessons for Startups

• Mobilize communities to support educational initiatives.
• Improve school infrastructure to create a better learning environment.
• Invest in capacity building for educators and administrators.
• Include empowerment programs to build confidence and skills.

14. Global Partnership for Education (GPE)

About Global Partnership for Education

The Global Partnership for Education is a multi-stakeholder partnership and a financing platform to strengthen education systems in developing countries.

Founder: Established by the World Bank

Founded in: 2002

Location: Washington, D.C., USA

How GPE is Leading Progress

1. Funding and Grants

• GPE provides financial support to countries for developing and implementing education plans.
• They ensure that funding is used effectively to improve education outcomes, particularly for girls.

1. Capacity Development

• The organization supports initiatives on capacity development to enhance the abilities of education stakeholders.
• This generally includes training for teachers, school leaders, and education officials.

1. Policy Advocacy

• GPE advocates for policies that promote gender equality in education.
• They work with governments to integrate gender-sensitive approaches into national education strategies.

1. Data and Monitoring

• GPE emphasizes the importance of data collection and monitoring to track progress and inform decision-making.
• They support countries in building robust education data systems.

Lessons for Startups

• Secure funding and use it effectively to support educational initiatives.
• Invest in capacity development for sustainable impact.
• Advocate for gender-sensitive education policies.
• Utilize data to monitor progress and guide strategies.

Conclusion

These organizations have a lot to teach, and the calibration of similar strategies can go far toward the realization of UNSDG 4 regarding the advancement of gender equality in education. Each of these has a view and some practical methods to work with, guiding toward an inclusive and fair educational landscape.