Kabul, 16th September 2018 – UN-Habitat Afghanistan is supporting gender equality by bringing final year university students from the classroom to UN-Habitat offices and providing them with an opportunity to apply their academic knowledge and to gain working experience for 3-6 months under the Professional Practice Program (PPP). The PPP program places final-year female university students in actual programs that are implemented in collaboration with Afghan national agencies and local authorities to experience the work environment. The program monitors their work progress and encourages them to apply for jobs when they graduate.

On 16^th September, 24 female students from the Kabul Polytechnic University (KPU) completed their 6-month attachment with UN-Habitat’s City for All program. These PPP pioneers are part of the first batch of 70 female students who joined the PPP program in April 2018.

During a ceremony to present certificates to the 24 PPP participants, Mr. Tim McNair, UN-Habitat’s country program manager thanked the participants for their contribution to the City for All program. “We want to improve the proportion of female staff in UN-Habitat from 27% to 50% by 2020 and the PPP program is one of our strategies to achieve that”, said Mr. McNair.

Mr. Antony Lamba, the chief of party of the City for All programme, appreciated the work undertaken by PPP participants while attached to the program. “CFA is proud to have given the students the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills that they will need in their future careers. PPP is part of UN-Habitat’s contribution to the attainment of SDG 5 on gender equality” Mr. Lamba said.

Maryam Khuram, a PPP participant who spoke on behalf of the students, stated that the PPP program had provided her with a unique opportunity to overcome some of the hurdles that young females face while looking for jobs.  “We are very happy with the UN-Habitat’s PPP program. This was a great opportunity for us. As you know fresh graduates find it hard to get jobs. Young females often do not feel safe in the work environment, but this program provided us with a safe working space and gave us confidence to face our future careers. We are grateful to UN- Habitat for providing us with this opportunity” she said.

The PPP is a valuable opportunity for the students to apply their academic knowledge and gain work experience from the field. Students from the faculties of Architecture, Hydraulic Engineering, Civil Engineering and Computer Sciences will have an opportunity to work closely with Afghan national agencies and local authorities in the area of sustainable urban development, a priority for the National Unity Government, as enshrined in the Urban National Priority Programme (U-NPP).