Equality of Opportunity in Education and Training - Goverment Programmes - Argentina

Regional Programme for Strengthening Technical and Vocational Training for Low Income Women

This programme is administered by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Human Resources Training. The general objective of this programme is to have an impact on institutions and policies on vocational training with the aim of increasing their qualitative and quantitative response to women's specific labour problems and of making sure that they more and more include a gender perspective. The target population of this programme is for the majority composed of women of low income with an education level not reaching the end of secondary school.

The Programme is a regional Inter American Development Bank and OIT/CINTERFOR funded programme, implemented in Argentina by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Training of Human Resources with the participation of the National Women's Council.

The programme includes two sub-programmes:

1. Development or revision of methodologies and testing of pilot vocational training actions with a gender perspective. This includes the drafting, revision of application of curricula, educational material and teaching/learning techniques in different vocational training areas. Ths is carried out with the co-operation of some local vocational training institutes selected in areas of the country where the proportion of female workers in the labour market is higher and where the socioeconomic and productive differences among sexes are more evident. The private employer sector, as well as employee organisations and civil society representatives, are called to participate in the development of this programme through the establishment of Technical Local Committee with a consulting role.
2. Promotion, evaluation and national and regional dissemination of experiences and actions.  The programme includes the elaboration of dissemination strategies in order to achieve, through previous experiences, a raised awareness on gender and equal opportunities issues.

The time frame for the development of the programme is a three year period.

Co-operation with the National Institute of Technology Education (INET) is also envisaged.

Labour Emergency Programme (PEL) Sub-programme for Community Development

This programme is administered by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Human Resources Training. It is a transitional employment programme aimed at facilitating occupation and training of unemployed workers, especially women heads of households with low professional skills, who do not benefit from other Ministerial programmes or unemployment allowances. At least 60% of the beneficiaries of this programme must be women.  The programme promote projects of public and social utility for the community, such as, for example, internal reform of public buildings, production of goods for institutional consumption, environmental projects, renewing of cultural goods like books or educational material, social services directed at vulnerable population like elderly people, victims of intra-familiar violence or sanitary promotion projects.

The programme is implemented through national, provincial and municipal public entities and through NGOs. These agencies present to the Ministry project proposals for a duration of a minimum 3 months and a maximum of 6. Beneficiaries of this programme receive a allowance, and insurance for civil responsibility, health and labour accidents, and specific vocational training aimed at the development of personal, market and social aptitudes for their better entry into the labour market. Vocational training has to be directed not only to the realisation of the concrete projects but also to better prepare for participants for future employment opportunities, including self-employment and associative forms of production.

The National Women's Council contributes to the program through dissemination, assessment and evaluation of results as well as in the design of specific training modules.

Youth Programme

This programme is administered by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Human Resources Training. It is aimed at delivering basic vocational training and labour practice to enable young people who encounter difficulties to enter the labour market.

The programme includes short free courses and internships in enterprises as well as vocational training and training in the basic competencies that facilitate the search for employment. During both the training and internship period, beneficiaries receive an allowance and are covered by insurance for labour accidents. Women with children younger then 5 years old receive, in addition to the established grant, a subsidy aimed at facilitating their access to the programme.