Danida-SP-ToC6-Niger

Niger ranks 187 out of 188 countries in the 2015 Human Development Index. The gross enrolment ratio in primary schools is 67% for girls and 85% for boys, and the completion rate at primary level is 43% for girls and 60% for boys. Primary education suffers from insufficient quality and low education level among teachers leaving learners without skills to find jobs and create a living. The number of young people lacking fundamental skills is increasing. More than 68% of the population is under 25 years of age. Despite a high economic potential, natural resources (sun, river, desert) and abundant energy (extraction of uranium since 1971, coal since 1980, gold since 2004, and oil since 2011), the investment in the education and training sector in Niger is low and currently characterized by large discrepancies between budgetary enrolments and the discourse of political commitment to devote 25% of the general State budget to education (20% in 2010 and 15% in 2016). Moreover, the bulk of the budget is concentrated at the central level and mainly covers operational costs and staff. The transfer of the responsibility for basic social services, including education to local governments in 2014 constitutes an important step but, if to be successful, will require substantial support from central Government. The proposed project represents a move by Oxfam IBIS’ to work in Niger and has been formulated through continuous dialogue with Oxfam in Niger. It falls within the Oxfam Country Strategy as well as Oxfam IBIS’ three thematic competences: Economic & Social Justice, Education for Active Citizenship and Peace, Rights & Inclusion. The project will contribute to national gender, education and youth policies, and to the SDGs 4, 5 and 17. There is a potential for complementary interventions in collaboration with the Danish development programme in Niger (2017-2021) on fiscal justice, democratic governance and strengthening civil society, especially women’s capacities to claim their rights to education. The overall objective of the project is to ensure the rights to inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for boys and girls, young men and women in Niger. The specific objective of the project is that investments in the education and training of girls and boys and young men and women are strengthened and better managed at the local and regional level in Maradi, Tahoua and Tillabéry regions.