“Yes, you can get ahead as a woman”

Women’s employment is crucial for economic autonomy, as well as strengthening national economies and fostering gender equality. This is why the UN Women Second Chance Education Program is supporting women like Catalina, Denisse and Maria in their journey to security and success.

Globally, marginalized women are often excluded from education and employment and a staggering 483 million women are illiterate worldwide, a figure that has barely changed in 20 years. The Second Chance Education program seeks to build a global model with local solutions for marginalized women to fill the gaps in their education and improve their opportunities for decent employment by providing practical and employable skills.

“One of the things I learned and put into practice most were the interview tips,” said Maria.

“We simulated interviews, the improvement of resumes, and keywords.”

Training sessions for participants in Santiago, Chile covered topics such as strengthening personal confidence through recognition of their talents and abilities, activation and expression of their power and leadership and the importance of networking.

“When you are unemployed it is not always easy to encourage yourself to go on,” said Denisse.

“They give you the chance to believe in yourself, and say yes, you can get ahead as a woman, and you can go very far.”

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Second Chance Education Program Chile by the numbers

  • 476 learners enrolled
  • 723 returned to formal education
  • 1355 completed employment/vocational training
  • 3630 entered entrepreneurship/self-employment
  • 5624 received life skills
  • 100% virtual learning hubs
  • 80 courses curated

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