UNESCO calls for increased efforts on quality and completion to ensure equal opportunities for girls and boys

In spite of significant progress in parity in access to schools between boys and girls on average globally over the last 20 years, the number of illiterate adult women in low income countries has grown by 20 million since 2000, according to the latest Gender Report produced by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report team.

The report “Building bridges for gender equality,” is published on the occasion of the G7 Development and Education Ministerial Meeting and the G7-UNESCO International conference taking place at the Organization’s Headquarters.

It presents the first ever breakdown of G7 aid to education. It shows that 55% of that aid goes to achieving gender equality, with Canada leading the pack in terms of prioritizing gender equality in its education aid at 92%, followed by France and the UK that tie at 76% of their respective education development aid.

The new report also highlights important disparities and unequal progress in different regions. One-third of countries have not achieved gender parity in primary education. Half the world’s nations fail to provide lower secondary education to as many girls as boys, according to the report, which also points out that only one in four countries have equality in upper secondary education. Sub-Saharan Africa is far behind in all education levels and the Arab States for the first time lag furthest in achieving gender parity in primary education, possibly because of conflict. Central and Southern Asia have made great progress, led by rapid change in India.

“Tackling inequalities head-on is the only way we are going to achieve quality education for all,” said the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay. “We welcome the G7 decision to focus on girls’ education, a core priority of UNESCO for the next six years. This is a positive development not only for the realization of a fundamental human right for girls and women but for all who work to achieve sustainable development and peace.”

The report analyzed the 20 countries with the largest gender gaps in education and identified their policies for gender equality.

Gender inequality continues hampering the development of girls and women to the detriment of societies as a whole. UNESCO calls for greater political commitment to gender equality in the form of laws and policies.

Read and download the report: “Building bridges for gender equality.”

Original source: UNESCO
Published on 04 July 2019