Ottawa, February 18, 2020 – As announced during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to Senegal last week, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) will play a key role in implementing the initiative, Mille femmes: Je suis femme, j’existe, je participe (One Thousand Women: I am woman, I exist, I participate – FEP), which will facilitate access to professional and technical training for Senegalese women.
The project will adapt training to the needs of women working in numerous sectors of the informal economy, taking into account their professional and life experience. This initiative will help women hone their skills and develop income-generating activities in Senegalese growth sectors by strengthening their entrepreneurial know-how, among other competencies.
FEP is being implemented in partnership with Senegal’s Ministry of Employment, Vocational Training, and Crafts (MEFPA). The project will be deployed nationally and aims to reach women at all levels of training who are active in the informal economy and beyond, in trades and other industries. It will also support three Action Areas of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy.
“We are extremely proud to continue working with our Senegalese partners in support of professional training for women,” said Denise Amyot, President and CEO of CICan. “Having access to quality training that is tailored to local needs represents a major step toward women’s political, social and economic empowerment, and we are thrilled to share the expertise of our members from across Canada to help meet these goals.”
Canadian colleges and institutes enjoy long-running partnerships with their Senegalese counterparts and have established a number of joint initiatives in professional and technical training. In partnership with MEFPA, CICan is also spearheading the Private Sector Growth through Education for Employment (PSG-EFE) project, which includes the participation of 15 CICan members and seeks to grow Senegal’s private sector by developing training programs in line with labour market needs.
About Colleges and Institutes Canada:
Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) is the voice of Canada’s publicly-supported colleges, institutes, cegeps and polytechnics, and an international leader in education for employment with ongoing programs in over 25 countries. CICan’s members add over $190B to Canada’s economy each year and contribute to inclusive economic growth by working with industry and community partners to offer more than 10,000 programs to learners in urban, rural, remote, and northern communities.
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For more information:
Julien Abord-Babin
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
Colleges and Institutes Canada
Email: jabord-babin@collegesinstitutes.ca
Phone: 613-746-2222 ext. 3131
Twitter: @CollegeCan