1 October 2025, Peshawar: The British Council and the Elementary & Secondary Education Department (E&SED), Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), convened a provincial policy event under the theme “Voices of Resilience: Skills, Confidence, and Opportunities for Every Girl.”
The event brought together senior government officials, educators, civil society organisations, and community representatives to celebrate the resilience and aspirations of adolescent girls—particularly those from disadvantaged and displaced communities—who continue to face barriers to education, including poverty, entrenched gender norms, displacement, and climate-related challenges.
The session showcased the impact of two flagship British Council programmes in KP:
EDGE (English and Digital for Girls’ Education): Peer-led clubs that equip girls in underserved communities with English, digital literacy, social skills, and leadership confidence.
ILMpact: A systemic education reform initiative, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), that strengthens teacher training, builds school leadership, and embeds inclusive practices to ensure access for girls, children with disabilities, and other marginalised learners.
Building on these efforts, the British Council and KP Government also announced the expansion of the Empowerment Project into public sector schools, strengthening teacher capacity, engaging communities, and providing adolescent girls with the life skills needed to overcome barriers to education and employment.
James Hampson, Country Director, British Council Pakistan said: “Girls’ education is not only a fundamental right, but also a powerful pathway to resilience, opportunity, and social stability. We are proud to work alongside the KP Government to ensure every girl has the skills, confidence, and opportunities to lead in her community.”
Zaheer Uddin Baber, Additional Secretary Elementary & Secondary Education Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said “Empowering girls through education is central to our vision for an inclusive and resilient Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We are committed to creating an enabling environment where every child regardless of gender, disability, or circumstance has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Our partnership with the British Council is helping us strengthen teacher capacity, engage communities, and ensure that no girl is left behind.”
The event reaffirmed the joint commitment of the British Council and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to advancing gender-responsive and climate-sensitive education reforms that leave no girl behind.
ENDS
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The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2022–23 we reached 600 million people.
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