Vision:
A Yemen in which skilled, well qualifiedand active young women and men play leadership roles in all domains of society enabling Yemenis to contribute to a better world.
Mission
To increase youth participation in social , political and economic aspects of society especially through education in vocational , communication, leadership and life skills in response to the needs of the community and the labor market locally , regionally and internationally.
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YLDF(represented by its two centers GWCC & YEDC) targtes youth within the age group of 18 and 30 years of age as well as future youth between 8 and 17 years of age. The YLDF definition of youth takes into account Yemeni law, the Yemeni National Youth Strategy, the Arab League, and International (UN) definitions, all of which differ from each other somewhat. It agrees with the Arab reasoning that there is delayed independence of youth in Yemen and in Arab countries in general, and acknowledges that poor education makes it difficult for youth to identify their goals and to begin to be effective until they are 24 years old or older, and after they have graduated from university.
This target group faces many challanges namely illiteracy, and unemployement. These challenges form a heavier burden on women as female population suffers of higher rates of illiteracy and drop out from formal education. In addition very low percent of young females are represented in the paid labor force and their participation rate in the economy is quite low. Female participation is at 8%, whereas male participation reaches 30%. In Yemen , young females face obstacles that hinder their development and empowerment. Customs and financial problems and family restrictions are major barriers preventing young Yemeni females from development and decision-making. Most young females in Yemen are unable to support themselves financially due to either a lack of education or a lack of experience and skill that would enable them to become independent and secure their own future. Lack of resources and skills, mixed sex schools, and need for financial support all contribute to the poor participation of females and the scarce presence of female leadership in the Yemeni community.
For youth of both sexes, it is compulsory to take a year off after graduation from high school. During this year, girls and boys are not allowed to enroll for higher studies in a public university, and seeking employment is not feasible. The government provides no alternatives during this period. The result is that many girls become confined to their homes while they are in age that they could, increase their skills and self-confidence, particularly if they plan to attend the university or enter the job market in the future.
Despite governmental commitment and donors to the educational sector and all the efforts to reduce gender inequalities, lack of proper education and training is the most significant barrier to female participation not only due to cultural attitudes, but more due to the lack of appropriate facilities, low number of female teachers and economic circumstances.
Design of early long-term training programs targeting young girls was based on a survey conducted in public and private schools to study Yemeni girls' perceptions of their future, their needs during the gap year, and problems that may prevent them from achieving these needs. The results of the survey led GWCC to develop this one-year program for the girls of Sana'a on their gap year. In general, design of training programs in both GWCC and YEDC is influenced by the present day labor market needs as well cultural restraints, social limitations that span across both the privileged and under privileged classes of the Yemeni society. Regardless of financial status many young women are discouraged from continuing their education or gaining extra skills such as language, computers, and Internet because universities, institutes that teach languages, and computer/Internet cafes are not exclusively for girls. Co-education is not an option for many Yemeni parents.
YLDF aims to allow these girls the same opportunities as students attending private schools by offering them partial or full scholarships. GWCC is also committed to encouraging participation by those young women who are from backgrounds with traditionally less access to education and opportunity, such as the Akhdam.
The YLDF is committed to participatory an creative methods and approaches in providing quality and sustainable skill development programs to its target groups with a focus on increasing opportunities of women and the poor based on the principle of non-discrimination and respect of human rights.
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Current Activities/ Programs:
Young leadership Program
Young Women Leadership Program
Human Rights Program
Democracy Program
Public Administration Program
Young Business Professional Program
Youth Civic Engagement Program
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Current Activities/ Programs:
Young leadership Program
Young Women Leadership Program
Human Rights Program
Democracy Program
Public Administration Program
Young Business Professional Program
Youth Civic Engagement Program
Programs include short term and long term English courses, computer/internet, marketing and sales, business English, basic and business management, business planning and development, and accounting. Long term programs in YLDF such as the Youth Civic Engagement Project provide an innovative year-long curriculum with a focus on experiential learning, networking, leadership and skill building, all focused on preparing young women and men for their next endeavors mainly as agents of change in the civil society.
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