The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has invited nominations for the 2024 UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education. The last date to submit applications is June 7. A duly filled applications should be sent to the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO (INCCU) no later than May 24 for further review and transmission to UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, by the deadline.
The designated Nodal Officer for this process is Mrs Madhu Bala Soni, Under Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education.
The prize grants two laureates $50,000 (Rs 41,65,397) each to support their ongoing efforts.
This prize aligns with two Sustainable Development Goals: "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all."
Nominations are open to governments of UNESCO Member States through their permanent delegations to UNESCO, as well as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in official partnership with UNESCO. These nominations must focus on established projects or programmes aimed at advancing girls' and women's education.
Each Permanent Delegation or NGO can nominate up to three candidates per edition of the Prize, and self-nominations are not permitted.
Selection of the two Prize laureates will be conducted by UNESCO's Director-General, based on recommendations from the Prize's independent International Jury comprising five experts in the field of girls' and women's education from various regions. Projects or programs will be considered if they demonstrate a clear focus on advancing girls' and women's education, promoting gender equality in and through education, and contribute to one or more of the five priority areas of the Prize:
Participation: Supporting girls' transition from primary to lower-secondary education and facilitating completion of full basic education.
Literacy: Assisting adolescent girls and young women in acquiring literacy skills.
Environment: Promoting the establishment of a gender-responsive and safe teaching-learning environment.
Teachers: Engaging teachers as catalysts for change with gender-responsive teaching attitudes and practices.
Skills: Supporting girls and women in acquiring knowledge/skills for life and work.
Nominations must be submitted online in English or French by a nominating entity (Permanent Delegation to UNESCO of the concerned Member State, or an NGO in official partnership with UNESCO).
Permanent delegations can access the online submissions platform through their official UNESCO account. NGOs in official partnership with UNESCO can request access to the platform via email to GWEPrize@unesco.org.
If a nominating entity prefers the candidate to complete the online nomination form directly, UNESCO can create an account for each candidate.
All nominations must be submitted and validated via the online platform by the concerned Permanent Delegations to UNESCO or NGOs in official partnership with UNESCO by midnight on May 24, 2024 (UTC+1, Paris time).