Gender Equality in Education Media Training on Education for All (EFA) Hanoi, Viet Nam April 2007 Ms. Vibeke Jensen UNESCO Hanoi

Why is education so important?  Human Right  Demographic argument (smaller families)  Economic (raising incomes)  Empowerment and participation  Intergenerational (literate women send their children to school)  HIV/AIDS prevention

From Jomtien to Dakar: Global Effort in 1990s - Adopted the Expanded Vision of Basic Education and made full commitment to EFA ( education not schooling, children’s and adult’s education, partnerships) - Underpinned by: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990: Jomtien World Conference on Education for All

What is the Issue?

49% 46% 49% 50% 46% 49% 48% 47% Data in %

What is the Issue? 49% 42% 52% 49% 45% 52% 50% 48% Data in %

What is the Issue?

 Quality- learning achievement indicators (e.g. Viet Nam: Survey of Grade 5 Learning Outcome conducted in 2000 – Reading comprehension and mathematics; Laos: Literacy Survey, 2003) (e.g. Viet Nam: Survey of Grade 5 Learning Outcome conducted in 2000 – Reading comprehension and mathematics; Laos: Literacy Survey, 2003)  Relevance/ Usefulness of education? External efficiency – does it lead to: raising incomes, to more participation and empowerment, improved gender equality in general? External efficiency – does it lead to: raising incomes, to more participation and empowerment, improved gender equality in general?

EFA 6 Goals: Dakar Framework for Action, 2000 Goal 1 : To expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education Goal 2 : Universal primary education by 2015 Goal 3 : To ensure that the learning needs of all young people are met through equitable access Goal 4: To achieve a 50% improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015 Goal 5 : To eliminate gender disparities in primary / secondary education by 2005 and to achieve gender equality in education by 2015 Goal 6 : To improve all aspects of the quality of education

MDG 2. Achieve universal primary education - Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling MDG 3. Promote gender equality and empower women - Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2015 at all levels of education no later than 2015

Ways forward  Adequate understanding of the situation (root cause and factors influencing access and quality)  Awareness – broadly shared understanding of issues and their importance  Political will to change  Solid strategies & adequate resources adequate resources (human and financial) (human and financial)

The role of the media  Assist with research and identify gaps  Explore attitudes of various stakeholders  Portray role models/ situations  Raise awareness at many different level  Report on implementation of education reforms or strategies– both positively and critically

Thank You For Your Attention!