The partnership will strengthen TVET and enterprise development systems, to make these more inclusive and accessible for women by working on policies, systems, and operational levels. ProGRESS stands for ‘Promoting Gender Responsive Enterprise Development and TVET Systems’.

The Project will be implemented by the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), under the TMED with technical assistance from ILO, and in close cooperation with other relevant ministries. It is designed to positively address the issues linked to low labour force participation of female workers both in wage and employment markets; and limited access to business development services required for initiating self-employment.

Objective

The ProGRESS Project will support the promotion of employability of the female workforce of Bangladesh to improve their economic wellbeing and maximise their contribution to the national economic growth through strategic improvement in TVET and enterprise development systems to transform them to become more inclusive and accessible for women by- 

• Gender mainstreaming in the skills development policies, programmes and budgeting, for more equitable participation of women
• Building capacities of key labour market stakeholders e.g., government institutions, employers and workers’ organizations
• Improving public-private partnerships for and increasing the participation of women in TVET and enterprise development activities, through reforms in training programmes, gender-friendly training systems and facilities and post-training support; and improving capacities of business development service providers to promote green skills and entrepreneurship for women.

At a glance

Target beneficiaries: 10,000 young women and men focusing on women, persons with disabilities, and other disadvantaged groups

Geographical focus: Chattogram, Sylhet, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachari, Mymensingh, Dinajpur, Rajshahi and coastal districts of Khulna and Barishal divisions

Project targets

• Trained 10,000 young women and men, youth, persons with disabilities and disadvantaged groups (50 per cent women) with employable skills in the selected value chains.
• Setting up of training systems promoting green and market-responsive skills inclusive for women and disadvantaged groups.
• Upscaling the capacities of skills training and business development service providers to improve and expand services for women and disadvantaged groups. 50 per cent of female trainees benefit from the TVET institutions and business development service providers.
• At least 250 women-led business start-ups have been supported.
• At least 10 per cent increase in female clients for selected financial and business development service providers.