WASH infrastructure improvements in schools Contract related to: WASH infrastructure improvements in schools - The Gender for Development Uganda (G4DU) Action is a first EU contribution to the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) on demography and social inclusion and will directly contribute to 4 pillars of the TEI. The objectives of the Action are: (i) improved inclusive access and participation in schools for adolescent girls, including their transition to secondary level or other learning pathways; (ii) improved opportunities for adolescent girls to learn, in safe and well-managed schools and (iii) increased access to SRHR and reduced incidences of SGBV in schools and communities. In a Team Europe approach, significant funding from both the German and Belgian Federal Governments will complement the EU contribution to increase the scope and impact of the Action. The Action is composed of 2 components: (i) adolescent girls¿ education (indicative EU budget: EUR 40 million) and (ii) reducing SGBV and promoting SRHR building on the successful EU-UN Spotlight initiative in Uganda (indicative EU budget: EUR 20 million). The first component will address some of the key determinants to adolescent girls¿ education (e.g. financial barriers, WASH facilities in schools, social norms, effective and gender responsive teaching, improved learning environment, improved school management) and for the transition of adolescent girls from primary to secondary school and the re-entry into school of girls who have dropped out, including during pregnancy and after childbirth. The Action will consider the specific challenges to girls given the transgenerational impact of girls¿ education while contributing to improving the education system more broadly benefiting both boys and girls. The Action will work across primary and secondary school levels but with a focus on the transition from upper primary to lower secondary. Given the expected increase in drop out (especially adolescent girls) as a result of the prolonged school closure during the COVID-19 lockdown, in addition to support their re-enrolment into formal education, opportunities for non-formal education and catch-up learning will be considered, especially among overaged girls, with a view to get girls back into formal schooling wherever possible. The second component of the Action, building on the ongoing EU-UN Spotlight initiative, will aim at reducing SGBV and promoting SRHR at national and sub-national level, including in and out of schools, through enhanced coordination and support to institutional strengthening for the implementation of laws and policies, engagement of civil society and institutions for &nbsp;equitable social norms, behaviours and attitudes,&nbsp;&nbsp;and enhanced capacities for the delivery of integrated and multi-sectoral prevention and response services. Interlinkages between the 2 components will be fostered, including through age and culturally-appropriate sexuality education in and out schools, the reduction of SGBV in and around schools and SGBV prevention through education. The Action will focus on specific zones taking into account enrolment rates in secondary, poverty and presence of implementing and other development partners and will build on existing Spotlight districts, including in refugee-based areas with a view of promoting a nexus approach with DG ECHO and Education Cannot Wait (ECW)-funded actions. While the Action will be targeted at specific regions, the EU will use this entry point to support national level policy dialogue, including around the Global Partnership on Education (GPE) which is funded by more than 50% by the EU and its Member States, and evidence-based advocacy aiming to contribute to structural changes to remove barriers for adolescent girls to stay in school and learn, as well as address the key issues of SGBV and SRHR.