The robotics courses, organized at UNFPA centers in northwest Syria, were attended by 659 female residents aged 10 to 16. Education in these classes, experts say, not only allows girls to gain knowledge of mechanics and programming, it develops creativity, teamwork skills, the ability to make decisions and think critically, and also strengthens their self-confidence.
Unlike many other programs, where women are mainly taught to cook, sew or do hair, there are design classes here, thanks to which women discover new abilities.
Of the 4.2 million inhabitants of this part of Syria, more than half are internally displaced persons, and 3.5 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. The pandemic brought additional difficulties and further complicated life in northwestern Syria - schools were closed, it became more difficult to obtain medical and humanitarian assistance.
Girls are one of the most vulnerable groups in the population. “They are affected primarily by the crisis in Syria and are often victims of gender-based violence,” says Rim Khamis, a staff member of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The local office of the organization is located on the other side of the border, in Turkey, but the main work is here, in the border regions of Syria.
