Education
Gender inequalities in education pose one of the most severe constraints to women’s well-being and freedom, as well as being one of the most profound obstacles to achieving more prosperous societies and economies. The education system is one of the most powerful institutions with regards to (re)producing social, political and economic inequalities. Being excluded from education, especially basic education, often inhibits women’s and girls’ capacity to exercise citizenship, claim rights, fight discrimination, access public services, access and critically engage with information, compete for jobs, make choices on equal terms with men, enter the public sphere, etc. In contrast, women who are educated have more opportunities to secure decent work and participating in decision- and policy-making, and in public and political life. They are also better able to escape extreme material dependency, and leave abusive relationships.
However, experience in many countries shows that even though women are achieving higher levels of education, they are still disadvantaged in the labour market in comparison with men. Reasons for this include societal gender stereotypes and entrenched assumptions that men are more skilled or educated than women, as well as the limitations resulting from women’s unpaid domestic responsibilities. Therefore, adequate education, both in terms of quality and relevance for life, has to be promoted for both boys and girls. At the same time, measures for improving access to education should be embedded in a wider frame of action for the promotion of gender equality.
Links:
UNESCO: Education for Sustainable Development
UNFPA: Fact Sheet Gender Equality and Education
FAWE: Forum for African Women Educationalists
Publications:
