1. South Asia EFA Mid-Term Policy Review Conference (16-19 June 2008, Kathmandu Nepal)
Gender equality
(Critical Issue 1: Issues related to participation and learning among the under-represented gender, castes, classes and ethno-linguistic minorities)
The second group of key critical issues to be addressed are those “…related to the participation and learning among the under-represented gender, castes, classes and ethno-linguistic minorities”.
Note that the title is deliberately given as “Gender Equality” and not “gender” issues for two reasons: first, to remind that “gender” is not a particular ‘group’ of people or grouping/categorization, but is a social construct, state of mind, behaviour and attitudes, often describing a power relationship in the society concerned and cuts across all other social-cultural and economic population group. Second, gender equality is the ultimate goal of EFA and not ‘gender parity’ which tends to be misunderstood or interchangeably used with gender equality.
Maki Hayashikawa
UNESCO Bangkok

2. Gender is cross-cutting goal & EFA Strategy #6
EFA Goal 5 – the most holistic of EFA goals – the backbone for the other goals.
Gender mainstreaming is a mandated strategy to achieve EFA as a whole.
The purpose of this presentation is to refresh our minds, polish our gender lenses, and highlight a number of key issues together with what we might call the “deeper data” (which are more qualitative in nature and difficult to quantify) related to gender equality that are of significant policy importance.
Two quick important points before moving on – we need to remind ourselves that EFA Goal 5 is the most holistic of all EFA goals, forming the backbone for the other goals. It is a truly cross-cutting issue. Gender mainstreaming is a mandated strategy, - the 6th Strategy of the 12 EFA Strategies - and must be the basis for policy formulation and programme development. Gender equality is certainly not just limited to EFA Goal 5.
In the next few slides, 4 key policy considerations stemming from the MDA results and regional analysis, and a set of guiding statements for consideration when framing policy recommendations in the groups will be given.

3. 1. “It is time for South Asia to move beyond access”
Significant progress made in gender parity in core EFA indicators, esp. in primary and secondary enrollment
Challenge remains in gender gaps in transitions, learning outcomes, female teachers, adult female literacy - Gender parity is not the end of the story!
Gender-based discrimination remains major constraint to realizing the right to education and achieving EFA goals by 2015.
Key policy consideration 1: Time for South Asia to move beyond access.
Significant progress has been made in all the countries of South Asia towards gender parity in the core EFA indicators, especially in primary and second enrollment.
However, the progress is patchy, implying that gender is still not given the deserved high priority within EFA. Reporting and analysis has been weak in areas that are less quantifiable - such as learning outcomes, quality of teachers, esp of female teachers, curriculum content and learning materials and resources, acquisition of essential life skills, school to work transition, etc -, despite the fact that these are all essential in measuring the overall improvements in quality of education and for policy formulation and its strategic implementation.
Achieving gender parity in enrolment is only one measure of achievement and by no means the end of the story.
Further efforts are needed to explore the wider issues of gender inequality in the regional countries, and quality issues related to education, especially as reports do reveal that gender-based discrimination remains as one of the major constraints to realizing the right to education and achieving EFA goals by 2015.

4. 2. Gender equality & Education quality: “Can’t have one without the other”
Far more children drop-out than those who never enroll - majority girls.
Learning outcomes - major proxy for quality of education, but gender disparities persist in learning achievements and outcomes beyond education.
Quality teachers, esp. female teachers, are essential elements in ensuring quality teaching for girls & boys.
Comprehensive gender analysis of curriculum, textbooks, and learning environment, etc are not rigorously carried out or institutionalized process.
Key policy consideration #2: is that we cannot achieve gender equality without education quality and vice versa.
First of all, the number of children who drop out of school much exceeds the number of children who never enroll in school – not surprisingly, majority of these drop-out children are girls. What’s more, South Asia has the largest number of out-of-school girls in the world. This means there is obviously something wrong with quality of education
Quality is difficult to give a universally acceptable definition. But there is a growing common understanding today on a number of key elements that characterizes a quality education.
As learning outcomes is one of the major proxy for quality, the teaching-learning process taking place cannot be of quality if there persists a consistent pattern of gender disparities in the learning outcomes, not only in terms of girls and boys achievements in education, but also outcomes beyond education, such as job opportunities or social status.
Quality of teachers is another key proxy of education quality. However, the shortage of trained and qualified teachers, particularly female teachers in South Asia, is repeatedly identified as a major challenge and obstacle to improving not only the quality of education in general, but girls’ access to education, their retention, learning achievement, completion and transitions in the education system. Policies to improve female teachers status, treatments, introducing gender training in pre-service and in-service training, ensuring professional development as well as promotion policies to management positions at all levels of education, are only a few policy issues among many that need to be considered.
Quality of curriculum and textbooks are also essential elements for quality education. However, gender stereotypes or insensitivity are apparent in curriculum, textbooks, and other learning materials. Gender sensitivity in curriculum and textbooks and also of learning environment are hardly assessed by countries to begin with. A few countries in South Asia have started to undertake gender analysis of their curriculum and textbooks to ensure that they are free of gender stereotypes and make them more gender sensitive/responsive. Gender-based discrimination and stereotypes reproduced in curriculum and textbooks only add to further adversly affecting their learning motivation and achievement – not only for girls but also for boys, if there are not enough role models for boys and opportunities presented to them. Gender analysis of these critical factors that affects the quality of the whole learning-teaching process needs to be an exercise that is regularly or rigorously carried out, and eventually institutionalized under strong policy decisions.

5. 3. Gender equality is key to reaching the most vulnerable and excluded
“Gender” is the only social divide found in any society and at the root of and combines with, various forms of social exclusion.
Girls and women are esp. disadvantaged in emergencies context & at greater risk of exclusion from education.
Policies and strategies, incl. resource allocation, to achieve gender equality and social equity need to be tailored to overcome the multiple sources/layers of exclusion.
Key policy consideration #3, is that gender equality is key to reaching the most vulnerable and socially excluded.
At the very beginning of the MDA process, all countries were reminded that “gender” was not simply about targeting “girls and women”.
Bringing in the gender perspective in EFA is essential to address the most vulnerable and socially excluded population – often these are found to be girls and women, especially in South Asia but also not to lose sight of the fact that boys and men could be equally or more disadvantaged.
Gender is the only social divide that could be found in any society without exception, and often at the root of exclusion, but also combines with various forms of social exclusion, such as ethnicity, language, remoteness, poverty, caste/class, etc.
Therefore, any policy or strategy to mainstream gender and achieve gender equality in education need to be tailored to overcome the multiple sources and layers of exclusion that often-times faced by girls and women, BUT also by boys and men depending on the characteristics of exclusion.
It is critical to carefully address in any policy and strategy formulation, or budgeting and resource allocation exercise, these many layers and dimensions of gender.

6. 4. Gender equality is a human right
Education is a human right. Gender equality is a prerequisite in realizing human rights.
This means, “gender equality to”, “gender equality within” and “gender equality through” education is a must.
Equality is not just in access, but also in processes and outcomes for education of both girls and boys
Inclusion is not limited to gender equity but girls are the most affected by multiple forms of exclusion, especially in South Asia.
Key policy consideration #4: is that gender equality is a human right.
Education is a right of all. Then, gender equality is a pre-requisite in realizing this human right.
If every child has “a right to”, “right within” and “right through education”, then gender equality must also be realized at all these three dimensions: “gender equality to”, “gender equality within (process)”, and “gender equality through” (outcome) education.
This is to mean that equality must be achieved not just in terms of access, but also in processes and outcomes of education, for both girls and boys. This brings back to the point raised at the very beginning, that gender mainstreaming concerns have to go beyond access and towards ensuring an inclusive and rights-based education.

7. Framing policy recommendations from a gender equality perspective
Education is a human right. Gender equality is a prerequisite in realizing this right.
As such girls’ right to, within, and through education in South Asia is particularly dependent on the realization of gender equality
Quality teachers, esp. female teachers, are essential elements in ensuring quality teaching
Gender sensitive enabling environments must be created to encourage both girls and boys stay in school, learn and perform well.
To end this part of the presentation, a number of guiding statements to help frame your policy recommendations from a gender equality perspective, to be considered during the group work:
Education is a human right. Gender equality is a prerequisite in realizing this right.
As such girls’ right to, within, and through education in South Asia is particularly dependent on the realization of gender equality
Quality teachers, especially female teachers, are essential elements in ensuring quality teaching
Gender sensitive enabling environments must be created to encourage both girls and boys stay in school, learn and perform well.

8. Framing policy recommendations…
ECCE is a key strategy to ensure access and equity and to prevent drop-out and repetition which occurs in the first three years of primary education.
Life-skills and applied learning are crucial for equitable and high quality education for girls
Any alternative forms of education for girls and women must not be of second rate quality.
Resource allocation must be effectively targeted based on careful analysis of the context and on the principle of equity. Gender budgeting should be institutionalized.
ECCE is a key strategy to ensure access and prevent drop-out and repetition which much occurs in the first three years of primary education.
Girls and women are especially disadvantaged in emergencies context and at greater risk of exclusion from education.
Life-skills and applied learning are crucial for equitable and high quality education for girls and women.
Any alternative form of education for girls and women must not be of second rate quality. Education is not cheap and quality cannot be compromised on the pretext of economy.
Resource allocation must be effectively targeted based on careful analysis of the context and on the principle of equity and institutionalizing gender budgeting .

9. Thank You