UNGEI and FTI: Advancing the Gender Equity Cause Cheryl Gregory Faye Head of UNGEI Secretariat CIES 52nd Annual Conference – 20 March 2008

2 What is the UN Girls’ Education Initiative?

3 UNGEI Partnership A more cohesive/efficient approach Building on comparative advantages Collaborative/joint Interventions Negotiate/Advocate with one voice Synergy = more than sum of its parts Pooling resources and expertise

4 Gender Gap Diminishing Globally with Increased Enrolment

5 UNGEI LEVELSUNGEI Developments & Prospects Global Level Global Advisory Committee established, includes IOs, donors and NGOs. Secretariat in UNICEF. Regional Level Regional focal points set up in four regions to facilitate/support UNGEI work at country level. Country Level UNGEI networks now set up in over 30 countries, mainly in Africa and Asia- Pacific. Where UNGEI Works

6 Global Advisory Committee members AED ASPBAE CAMFED CIDA Commonwealth Secretariat DANIDA DFID FAWE GCE ILO Norad Sida UNESCO UNFPA UNICEF USAID WFP World Bank World Vision International

7 UNGEI Partner Organizations Aga Khan Foundation American Institute for Research Beyond Access CARE Education Development Center EFA Fast Track Initiative Global Campaign for Women & AIDS IRC OXFAM International Plan International Save the Children Alliance UNAIDS World Education World Learning

8 Regional distribution of children out of school (million), 2006

9 Children out of school by region, 2006

10 Gender distribution of children out of school by region, 2006

11 Gender parity index (GPI) in primary education (2000–2006)

12 Gender parity index (GPI) in secondary education (2000–2006)

13 UNGEI at Country Level

14 UNGEI Collaboration with EFA Fast Track Initiative

Study Finding on Gender in FTI Processes & Nat’l Education Plans 1.Wide variation on how gender was addressed in plans 2.Development partners’ approaches to gender also varied greatly 3.Shortcomings on gender in FTI Framework and Guidelines for Assessment and Endorsement

16 Enhancing Gender in FTI & ESPs 2006 revision of FTI Appraisal and Endorsement Guidelines May 07 FTI quality assurance review: no increase in share of ESPs addressing gender but quality advances

17 Gender in FTI & ESPs (2) 2007 UNGEI review of gender component in 3 endorsed plans –One strong gender component –One weak on gender –One disregarded gender Nov. 07: UNGEI organized working session with UNAIDS IATT on Education, GFT on Child Labour & EFA, disabilities flagship and FTI Secretariat

18 Development of Inclusion Tool GuidancePriority Setting Situation Analysis Enabling Environment Access, Quality, Outcomes Financing Monitoring & Reviewing

19 Questions How to strike a balance between gender and other inequities? How to make the tool simple enough to be useful? What is incentive for countries with FTI- endorsed sector plans to revise them? Or for those outside FTI? Where/how to pilot the tool?

20 For more information: or