Audit of measures taken by Audit of measures taken by SADC governments to SADC governments to

enhance access to quality enhance access to quality education by men and education by men and

womenwomen

Prepared by Gender LinksPrepared by Gender Links

Why is education Why is education important?important?

• ““In study after study, girls’ education In study after study, girls’ education emerges as the single best investment emerges as the single best investment that any society can make. Educated that any society can make. Educated girls become educated women – women girls become educated women – women who participate in the social, economic who participate in the social, economic and political life of their nation.” and political life of their nation.” (said at the launch of the Girls’ Education Movement)(said at the launch of the Girls’ Education Movement)

• Education enables individuals to make Education enables individuals to make genuine choice about the kinds of lives genuine choice about the kinds of lives they wish to lead.they wish to lead.

ProcessProcess• Assessment of the extent to which SADC Assessment of the extent to which SADC

Heads of State have achieved the Heads of State have achieved the commitment – Provision H (v) of:commitment – Provision H (v) of:

Enhancing access to quality education by Enhancing access to quality education by women and men, and removing gender women and men, and removing gender stereotyping in the curriculum , career stereotyping in the curriculum , career choices and professions.choices and professions.

• Assessment of the specific provisions made in Assessment of the specific provisions made in other international and regional other international and regional commitments incl. the African Protocol on the commitments incl. the African Protocol on the Rights of Women and Children; the Beijing Rights of Women and Children; the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA); the Convention Platform for Action (BPFA); the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Strong provisionsStrong provisions• All of the instruments have strong provisions on All of the instruments have strong provisions on equal access to equal access to

education,education, with specific targets on achieving universal access to with specific targets on achieving universal access to primary education by 2015 (MDG’s and BPFA) primary education by 2015 (MDG’s and BPFA)

• Eliminating gender disparitiesEliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels of education no education preferably by 2005, and at all levels of education no later than 2015 (MDG’s). later than 2015 (MDG’s).

• All the instruments (except the MDG’s) have provisions on All the instruments (except the MDG’s) have provisions on removing gender stereotyping in school curriculum, career removing gender stereotyping in school curriculum, career choices and professions which play a key role in assigning women choices and professions which play a key role in assigning women to lower paid jobs in the economy. to lower paid jobs in the economy.

• The need to reduce female illiteracy is addressed in The African The need to reduce female illiteracy is addressed in The African Protocol and BPFA, with the BPFA setting a target of reducing the Protocol and BPFA, with the BPFA setting a target of reducing the female illiteracy rate to at least half its 1990 level (though without female illiteracy rate to at least half its 1990 level (though without a timeframe for doing so). a timeframe for doing so).

• The BPFA also has extensive provisions on recognition of non-The BPFA also has extensive provisions on recognition of non-formal education and creating learning opportunities for formal education and creating learning opportunities for unemployed women, women re-entering the labour market, unemployed women, women re-entering the labour market, indigenous and rural women.indigenous and rural women.

• The BPFA and CEDAW address the need for pregnant adolescents The BPFA and CEDAW address the need for pregnant adolescents and young mothers to be able to complete their schooling.and young mothers to be able to complete their schooling.

Weak provisionsWeak provisions• Gender violenceGender violence: The African Protocol is the only : The African Protocol is the only

instrument that addresses gender violence in schools, instrument that addresses gender violence in schools, a problem that is prevalent in schools in the SADC a problem that is prevalent in schools in the SADC region. region.

• Sex education:Sex education: None of the instruments address the None of the instruments address the importance of sex education and youth friendly sexual importance of sex education and youth friendly sexual and reproductive health facilities and the and reproductive health facilities and the responsibilities of adolescent and young fathers and responsibilities of adolescent and young fathers and what school policy should be towards them. what school policy should be towards them.

• Barriers to performance:Barriers to performance: All the instruments fail to All the instruments fail to address the obstacles to good performance by girls, address the obstacles to good performance by girls, including their dual role as learners and care givers at including their dual role as learners and care givers at home, especially in the era of HIV/AIDS. home, especially in the era of HIV/AIDS.

• State support for pre school: State support for pre school: which research which research shows is critical for women’s effective participation in shows is critical for women’s effective participation in the labour force as well as for early child development the labour force as well as for early child development is also not mentioned in any of the instruments.is also not mentioned in any of the instruments.

AchievementsAchievements Primary school:Primary school: In most SADC countries, there are now roughly equal In most SADC countries, there are now roughly equal

numbers of boys and girls at primary schools. In some countries, such as numbers of boys and girls at primary schools. In some countries, such as Lesotho and Botswana, there are more girls than boys in primary schools as a Lesotho and Botswana, there are more girls than boys in primary schools as a result of boys being kept back at home to herd cattle. result of boys being kept back at home to herd cattle.

Eg. When Malawi made primary education free in 1994 net enrolment surged Eg. When Malawi made primary education free in 1994 net enrolment surged from less than 50% to just over 80%.from less than 50% to just over 80%.

Net primary school enrolment

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Ang

ola

Bot

swan

a

DRC

Leso

tho

Mal

awi

Mau

ritius

Moz

ambi

que

Nam

ibia

Sout

h Afr

ica

Swaz

iland

Tanz

ania

Zam

bia

Zim

babw

e

FemaleMale

AchievementsAchievements

• Secondary school:Secondary school: SADC countries differ from their SADC countries differ from their counterparts in the rest of Africa in that the gender gap at counterparts in the rest of Africa in that the gender gap at secondary school level is rapidly narrowing.secondary school level is rapidly narrowing.

Net secondary school enrolment

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

Ang

ola

Bot

swan

a

DRC

Leso

tho

Mal

awi

Mau

ritius

Moz

ambi

que

Nam

ibia

Sout

h Afr

ica

Swaz

iland

Tanz

ania

Zam

bia

Zim

babw

e

FemaleMale

AchievementsAchievements• Higher educationHigher education: In some SADC countries, such as South Africa, : In some SADC countries, such as South Africa,

Lesotho and Mauritius, the gender gap in higher education is also rapidly Lesotho and Mauritius, the gender gap in higher education is also rapidly

narrowingnarrowing. .

Gross tertiary education enrolment

0%2%4%6%8%

10%12%14%16%18%

Ang

ola

Bot

swan

a

DRC

Leso

tho

Mal

awi

Mau

ritius

Moz

ambi

que

Nam

ibia

Sout

h Afr

ica

Swaz

iland

Tanz

ania

Zam

bia

Zim

babw

e

FemaleMale

ChallengesChallenges

• Whilst good strides have been made Whilst good strides have been made to narrow the gender gap in to narrow the gender gap in education it is not only about the education it is not only about the numbers.numbers.

• Gender parity is relatively easy to Gender parity is relatively easy to define and assess with statistical define and assess with statistical data, but gender equality is a much data, but gender equality is a much more complex concept which cannot more complex concept which cannot be measure numericallybe measure numerically

ChallengesChallenges

• User feesUser fees• School drop out ratesSchool drop out rates• Sex education in schoolsSex education in schools• Reproductive health facilities for boys and girlsReproductive health facilities for boys and girls• Blaming girlsBlaming girls• Girls who fall pregnant while still at school Girls who fall pregnant while still at school

esuming with their studiesesuming with their studies• Vocational and higher educationVocational and higher education• Pre-primary educationPre-primary education

ChallengesChallenges• Adult literacy:Adult literacy: With the exception of a few countries in the region, With the exception of a few countries in the region,

for example Botswana and Lesotho, women in Southern Africa have for example Botswana and Lesotho, women in Southern Africa have lower literacy levels than men. This calls for targeted approaches to adult lower literacy levels than men. This calls for targeted approaches to adult basic education in order to bridge the gender gap in literacy. Literacy basic education in order to bridge the gender gap in literacy. Literacy classes should also take account of the responsibilities that women often classes should also take account of the responsibilities that women often continue to shoulder in the home with regard to the scheduling of classes continue to shoulder in the home with regard to the scheduling of classes and relevance of teaching material.and relevance of teaching material.Adult Literacyin SADC

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

Ang

ola

Bot

swan

a

DRC

Leso

tho

Mal

awi

Mau

ritius

Moz

ambi

que

Nam

ibia

Sout

h Afr

ica

Swaz

iland

Tanz

ania

Zam

bia

Zim

babw

e

FemaleMale

ChallengesChallenges

• Poor performance by girls especially at Poor performance by girls especially at secondary school levelsecondary school level

• Sexual violence in schoolsSexual violence in schools• HIV/AIDSHIV/AIDS• Virginity testingVirginity testing• Inadequate sanitation facilitiesInadequate sanitation facilities• Teacher prejudicesTeacher prejudices• Gender biases in activities assigned to boys and Gender biases in activities assigned to boys and

girls at schoolgirls at school• Gender biases in curriculaGender biases in curricula

RecommendationsRecommendations• Eliminate gender disparity in primary and Eliminate gender disparity in primary and

secondary education, preferably by 2005 and at secondary education, preferably by 2005 and at all levels of education by no later than 2015.all levels of education by no later than 2015.

• Eradicate illiteracy by 2020.Eradicate illiteracy by 2020.• Introduce state supported child development in Introduce state supported child development in

all members by 2020.all members by 2020.• Eliminate stereotypes in educational curricula Eliminate stereotypes in educational curricula

and school activities.and school activities.• Set targets for eliminating gender bias in Set targets for eliminating gender bias in

subjects appropriate to the national situation.subjects appropriate to the national situation.• Start campaign on, and end gender violence in Start campaign on, and end gender violence in

schools by 2020.schools by 2020.