0:00:10 > 0:00:13We are challenging teams of women in four cities around the world.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15To tackle everyday problems that blight their lives.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16In the workplace...
0:00:16 > 0:00:18We need a working prototype by tomorrow morning.
0:00:18 > 0:00:19So, argh!
0:00:19 > 0:00:22In education...
0:00:22 > 0:00:24A small malfunction, emojis are not showing up on the overlay.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26On public transport...
0:00:26 > 0:00:28I need, 15 more to do or something.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Seriously?
0:00:30 > 0:00:39And on the sports field...
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Using BBC outlets the teams can appeal to help
0:00:42 > 0:00:43from around the world.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45They just have one week to find a modern solution
0:00:45 > 0:00:47to a long-standing issue.
0:00:47 > 0:00:55Welcome to the BBC 100 Women Challenge 2017.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09It's the second of our 100 Women challenges.
0:01:09 > 0:01:14And this week we are in Delhi, the capital of India.
0:01:14 > 0:01:20Just under 26.5 million people, and counting, called the city home.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24And by 2020, it is on course to become one of the richest
0:01:25 > 0:01:28cities in the world.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31In this programme we are asking, why, despite all this economic
0:01:31 > 0:01:34success, half of women in rural India and a third of women
0:01:34 > 0:01:44nationwide can't read or write.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48We've pulled together a team of women who are ready to face the BBC
0:01:48 > 0:01:50100 Women Challenge.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52They have been tasked to find out what can be done
0:01:52 > 0:01:56to increase female literacy.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Let's meet our experts.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03This is the CEO of the Study Hall Education Foundation which teaches
0:02:03 > 0:02:11children in rural India about gender quality.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13We teach them that they are equal people,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15that they have a right to respect
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and a right to a life of their own choosing.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21A health care entrepreneur working in the US.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23She is passionate about using technology to increase
0:02:23 > 0:02:27access to education.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Social class and cultural disparities are the most prominent
0:02:29 > 0:02:32issues that girls face in India today.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34I think tackling that within one country with the various
0:02:34 > 0:02:40languages that we have here, is a real challenge.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44A writer and journalist who has written extensively about women
0:02:44 > 0:02:53and gender in India.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56It's going to be about women and educating them that is truly
0:02:56 > 0:02:58going to make India into a great nation.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01A teacher of some of Delhi's most disadvantaged children whose
0:03:01 > 0:03:06parents are imprisoned.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14And finally, the founder of an educational technology company.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18She believes educating women makes sound economic sense.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20The men are educated and if they are aware
0:03:20 > 0:03:23of their gender equality and their choices they will do
0:03:23 > 0:03:26the same to their children, and that is the same
0:03:26 > 0:03:27to the entire population.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32It is common sense.
0:03:32 > 0:03:41Our experts' challenge is to come up with an idea that will increase
0:03:41 > 0:03:43female literacy both in India and worldwide, in just five days.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46They have been working on the problem individually for weeks.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51And have come together for the first time to put their ideas into action.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55So what is the global picture for female literacy?
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Almost two thirds of the world's illiterate adults are women.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03That is 479 million women.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07A ratio that has not changed for two decades.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09The problem starts at school, with girls less likely
0:04:09 > 0:04:12than boys to attend.
0:04:12 > 0:04:1715 million primary age girls will never set foot in a classroom.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Why is this?
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Girls miss school for many reasons.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27Including, poverty, early marriage and menstruation.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28However, over the last decade, millions more girls
0:04:28 > 0:04:34have attended school.
0:04:34 > 0:04:40For every 100 boys, 94 girls completed primary school in 2014.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Compared to just 83 in 2002.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47And older women are still far behind.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52Out of every ten women over 65 only seven of them can read.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55And in India that ratio is even more striking.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00According to the most recent census figures,
0:05:00 > 0:05:05only 28% of women over 60 here can read and write.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09And our experts want to make sure that solutions meet the needs
0:05:09 > 0:05:19of these older women.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21To focus their efforts, we have arranged for them
0:05:21 > 0:05:22to meet Mehroonisa.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24She will tell us why she thinks education
0:05:24 > 0:05:28is important and what she wants.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52She was married at 14 and had nine children.
0:05:52 > 0:05:57Which meant her education was cut short.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59One of her sons is now known throughout India.
0:05:59 > 0:06:08He is a Bollywood superstar.
0:06:27 > 0:06:33She can read some Urdu, but struggles to read and write Hindi.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00In the run-up to the challenge, the tech experts have been
0:07:00 > 0:07:03developing an interactive electronic book that they hope could
0:07:03 > 0:07:07help to improve her literacy level.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13And they are keen to see what she thinks of the idea.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41Can you explain, what is the solution that we are talking about?
0:07:41 > 0:07:44We are creating an e-book that is image and video enhanced
0:07:44 > 0:07:54to make it more interactive and also more engaging for readers.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56And you can use it without the Internet?
0:07:56 > 0:07:57Yes, we don't need continuous connectivity,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59because it is preloaded and it is already loaded
0:07:59 > 0:08:01onto the smartphone or tablet.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04But not everybody is convinced by the tech-based solution.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07We know there is no Internet penetration in vast
0:08:07 > 0:08:10acres of the country.
0:08:10 > 0:08:11And does everyone have smartphones?
0:08:11 > 0:08:15She has one, but most people don't.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19And if there is one at home the men gets to use it,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23that is the issue as well.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30At the end of the first day there are still lots
0:08:30 > 0:08:38of questions about the e-book.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Tech experts work through the night to try and show the others
0:08:41 > 0:08:42what might be possible.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44We are here to see which capable...
0:08:44 > 0:08:51The tech sector in India is growing fast.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Internet use here has risen by 90% since 2015.
0:08:54 > 0:08:55To open up minds...
0:08:55 > 0:08:59But will that be enough to persuade the others?
0:09:05 > 0:09:08It's day two and the experts have stepped out of the building.
0:09:08 > 0:09:14Don't get any ideas.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17They are still brainstorming, but it is now fuelled
0:09:17 > 0:09:18by a strong cup of Delhi chai.
0:09:18 > 0:09:26Ladies, Delhi chai!
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Having heard more about the e-book, the team think a powerful way
0:09:29 > 0:09:32to use this tech would be to tell her own story.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35But they also need something that could appeal to the next generation.
0:09:35 > 0:09:41And to find out more about the challenges
0:09:41 > 0:09:43facing younger women, we've arranged for them
0:09:43 > 0:09:49to meet Priyanka.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03She moved to Delhi recently from West Bengal where she lived
0:10:03 > 0:10:07with her aunt and father after her parents split up.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12But she is behind in her studies, as when she was younger her family
0:10:12 > 0:10:16could not see the point of sending her to school.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Eventually, Priyanka moved to live with her mum in Delhi.
0:10:57 > 0:11:03And she made sure that Priyanka got an education.
0:11:19 > 0:11:25We have got Priyanka and her friends from school so we can hear more
0:11:25 > 0:11:26about girls' education.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27Right?
0:11:27 > 0:11:30So everybody will tell their stories, when they raise
0:11:30 > 0:11:31their hand, I throw the ball.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Who raises their hand?
0:11:35 > 0:11:38These kids go to the same school in Delhi slums.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41And they really wanted us to know about friends and family
0:11:41 > 0:11:45who lost out on education when they got married.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38The kids' stories are typical.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43But the students also have ideas for how to change things.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57So the experts have plenty of food for thought.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00I really loved your idea as well.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03That we should be using everything that we possibly have,
0:13:03 > 0:13:09and you spoke about a street play, I think that is wonderful.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12The experts were already thinking of using drama as a way of raising
0:13:12 > 0:13:22awareness about female illiteracy.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29And after hearing the childrens' stories, they decided
0:13:29 > 0:13:31to turn their experiences into a play to be performed
0:13:31 > 0:13:32at the end of the week.
0:13:32 > 0:13:40And work continues late into the night.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43While half of the team continue to work on the play,
0:13:43 > 0:13:47the others want to know how comfortable she is with modern
0:13:47 > 0:14:01technology, so they can see how useful and e-book would be for her.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04We have brought her all the way from a village in Uttar Pradesh,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06where she helps older women who have never let technology,
0:14:06 > 0:14:16to use some technology.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20She is known as an Internet sathi, and has trained over 600 women
0:14:20 > 0:14:23in the last six months on how to use the Internet and find their way
0:14:23 > 0:14:27around a smartphone.
0:14:27 > 0:14:35She helps Mehroonisa navigate her way to the shops.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45And soon she feels confident enough to make a video call to her famous
0:14:45 > 0:14:49son for the first time.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18It has been a successful trip.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20But will her new-found confidence help inspire our experts
0:15:20 > 0:15:22with their tech solution?
0:15:22 > 0:15:27Hello, we are back.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Mehroonisa is very curious about the technology,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46she is very interested and I think she had a lot of fun playing
0:15:46 > 0:15:49with it and learning it.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53I am optimistic that the e-book will be a very good solution.
0:15:53 > 0:16:15So if you see happy for example, and you don't understand happy
0:16:15 > 0:16:18you can see a happy emoji and that will help
0:16:18 > 0:16:21you understnad and correlate
0:16:21 > 0:16:24other videos and links that help you to illustrate your point clearer.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Inspired by Mehroonisa's shopping trip, they decide to build chapters
0:16:27 > 0:16:29into the e-book about how to navigate daily life using emojis
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and pictures to help explain everyday situations
0:16:31 > 0:16:33like using an ATM and increase Mehroonisa's vocabulary.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35These sections will be part of the broader story
0:16:35 > 0:16:36about Mehroonisa's life.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Where she was born, how it is really her right
0:16:39 > 0:16:40to get an education.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41We're trying to put that message across.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44That it is every woman's right, no matter what age, to have education,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47and it is never too late to do that.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50And the experts are also working on the play.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Girls don't have any control over their lives.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Tomorrow they need to show the kids what they have done for the play's
0:17:02 > 0:17:09first rehearsal and the prestigious National School of Drama.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14It is a nerve-racking time for Priyanka and her school friends
0:17:14 > 0:17:19as they get ready to rehearse.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14After the rehearsal, Veena tells me why theatre could be
0:19:14 > 0:19:18a great way of getting the team's message across.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46But while the play is taking shape, there is bad news for the rest
0:19:46 > 0:19:48of the team working on the e-book.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53Back at base.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55It is a small malfunction on a emojis not showing
0:19:55 > 0:20:03up on the overlay.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05They were working earlier, it is a little worried
0:20:05 > 0:20:08because it would be nice to have it done right now.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10We have news, you may not like it.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13But it is what it is, OK?
0:20:13 > 0:20:16So, you know this morning, all the emojis were working great.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19But then we wanted to change the background to white,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21so that it is kind of like you know...
0:20:21 > 0:20:23It is not happening?
0:20:23 > 0:20:26There is a bug, because...
0:20:26 > 0:20:27When will it be fixed?
0:20:27 > 0:20:35Later tonight.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39And the pressure is mounting as they need to reveal the e-book
0:20:39 > 0:20:41and the play to Mehroonisa, Priyanka and her classmates
0:20:41 > 0:20:51in just a few hours' time.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00It is the last day of our challenge, and despite yesterday's setbacks,
0:21:00 > 0:21:07everyone is excited to see what the team have come up with.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11And I'm revealing our expert solution to the world on BBC News.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14We're at the end of the week that was exploring the second
0:21:14 > 0:21:17of the 100 Women Challenges about female literacy,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20and it has been such a week.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23We spent such a good time with experts.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26But more importantly, it is time for the kids
0:21:26 > 0:21:35at Priyanka's school to see what they think.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Across India, 93 girls attend primary school for every 100 boys.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39And that number falls as the girls get older.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42So the play could have an important message for the girls here.
0:21:47 > 0:21:56I will speak to the children and they said we will take it
0:21:56 > 0:21:57into the homes, to the street corner,
0:21:58 > 0:21:59which is the purpose of it.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01There is no Internet required, no technology required,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04it is an oral tradition and that is what has been working
0:22:04 > 0:22:14here for centuries past.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17That is what storytelling has been done.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28But the experts can't take all the credit.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32The play would not have been possible without
0:22:32 > 0:22:35the children's ideas.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Thank you very much.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32And our experts are hoping that Mehroonisa liked the e-book as much
0:23:32 > 0:23:36as the kids enjoyed the play.
0:24:06 > 0:24:16There was a specific point when I had a conversation with her
0:24:21 > 0:24:22and words hold her back.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25She talked about her lack of confidence in the small things
0:24:25 > 0:24:28that she doesn't like, and I was like, that can be fixed.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30The use of emojis to be able to communicate education
0:24:30 > 0:24:31content is revolutionary.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34I'm excited to see where we can take this forward in India.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37And the e-book also allows Mehroonisa to share her story
0:24:37 > 0:24:39with the next generation.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48When the students read it, they were like,
0:24:48 > 0:24:5814 you were married?!
0:25:00 > 0:25:03And there were questions about the children, about her nine
0:25:03 > 0:25:06children and how she had no time for that because her life was work.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09I think it is important for women to tell a story and other women
0:25:09 > 0:25:11to read them and ask important questions about them.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15The best solutions are the most simple.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19And if we can just bring those to life, they can change the world.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51That is it from Delhi.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Next week, we are in London where we are looking for solutions
0:25:55 > 0:25:57to sexual harassment on public transport for the next
0:25:57 > 0:26:02100 Women Challenge.