Definition

What are Life Skills

Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.

Types of Life Skills

Three Main Categories of Life Skills

Personal Skills - Knowing and Living with Oneself

Personal skills are the abilities that help individuals understand and manage themselves — including their emotions, thoughts, goals, and behaviours.
They include self-awareness, self-esteem, emotional regulation, stress management, and goal setting.

Interpersonal Skills - Knowing and Living with Others

Interpersonal skills are the abilities that help individuals interact effectively and respectfully with others.
They include communication, empathy, teamwork, conflict resolution, negotiation, and assertiveness.

Thinking Skills - Making Effective Decisions

Thinking skills are the abilities that help individuals make sound decisions, solve problems, and think critically and creatively.
They include decision-making, problem-solving, information gathering, evaluating consequences, and values clarification

WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO

The WHO, UNICEF, and UNESCO define life skills as a set of psychosocial and interpersonal abilities that help you:

Make informed decisions
Solve problems
Think critically and creatively
Communicate effectively
Build healthy relationships
Show empathy
Cope with the demands and challenges of everyday life in a healthy and productive way.

How Life Skills are Changing Lives

Empowering Girls with Life Skills

Life skills programmes have been implemented globally to address many challenges and reports from UNICEF, UNFPA, PEAS, and others show strong evidence of their impact.

Preventing Early Pregnancy and Premature Sex

UNFPA–UNICEF life skills programmes in Zambia, Uganda, and Ethiopia have helped girls delay marriage, understand consent, and build the confidence to say NO.

Preventing Drug and Substance Abuse

Life skills education in Nigeria and Kenya has reduced drug use among girls by strengthening decision-making, stress management, and peer resistance.

Improving Employability and Economic Inclusion

In Uganda and Rwanda, life skills training has boosted girls’ confidence, teamwork, and communication — helping them access education, jobs, and entrepreneurship.

Reducing HIV/AIDS Risks

Life skills have been used in Southern Africa to help girls avoid risky behaviour, understand their rights, and access health services — reducing HIV vulnerability.

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Committed to Empowering

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Help us equip girls with the skills to thrive

Life skills education gives girls the tools to think critically, navigate complex choices, build meaningful relationships, and shape their own futures with clarity and strength. Your support brings this power to the girls who need it most.