IKEA Foundation [to 24 October2015]
http://www.ikeafoundation.org/news/

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IKEA Foundation commits EUR 16 million for programme to improve the lives of one million underprivileged women and girls in India
October 12, 2015
To celebrate the Day of the Girl Child, IKEA Foundation announced a new partnership that aims to provide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to one million underprivileged women across India. The unique three-year programme will be implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Xyntéo and the India Development Foundation (IDF). The programme is approved by India’s Ministry of Finance.

Even as India has witnessed a decline in women’s participation in the workforce by 10 percentage points between 2005 and 2010, recent estimates from the International Monetary Fund suggest that India’s GDP could expand by 27 percent if the number of female workers increases to the same level as that of men.

Recognizing the importance of improving women’s workforce participation, this programme has three objectives:
:: create a positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of women through training, employment and entrepreneurial skills development,
:: test and establish an innovative model of a public-private partnership that responds to the aspirations and needs of women, and identified needs of the private sector,
:: establish a continuum that connects education, to skills, jobs and growth…