Mend the Gap addresses the social and labour market inclusion of women who face difficulties in being financially independent and in integrating the labour market, because of the particular conditions in which they live (disability, migration, living in remote areas, gender discrimination in their community, ect.). Thanks to a set of innovative and digital resources this project will provide, our aim is to support vocational trainers to provide courses to economically empower these women by helping them to start their own eco-entreprises. The training path particularly focuses on financial education and funding, essential to launch a sustainable business. By acquiring new skills and tools, these educators will support female learners in their centres and networks to increase their financial independence, which will empower these women economically and will contribute to closing the gender gap in terms of economic freedom and earning power across the European labour market. Addressing this gender pay gap is one of the Sustainable Development Goals which is a central focus of this project. 

As such, the project stems from the need to reduce the gender pay and employment gap at work that exists, to varying degrees, in Europe, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We will achieve this through the development of innovative and sustainable learning tools. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the impact of the pandemic has deepened long-standing gender gaps in the economy: with women more likely to drop out of the labour force. Women in EU countries have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic because they make up the vast majority of workers in health and other front-line jobs. The pandemic has also brought a rise in domestic violence against women, the EU’s annual report on gender equality said. According to latest studies by the European Commission, the gender pay gap in the EU stands at 14.1% and has only changed minimally over the last decade. It means that women earn 14.1% on average less per hour than men. Mend the Gap partners will work together over the duration of this project to try to ‘mend’ this gap in pay scales between men and women.