Towards gender equality: An integrated approach to keeping girls in school and learning

Tizie Maphalala, Mandi Chikombero, Florence Munyiri & Jonna Karlsson– UNICEF ESARO

Outline

2

Status Supply side challenges

Demand side challenges

Integrated approaches

A socio-ecological perspective Recommendations

Background• Dakar Framework 2000 and MDGs – elimination of gender disparity

in education• World Bank – girls education is single development intervention with

greatest individual and social returns• Lancet – ECD & early learning – solid foundation for learning• AU Agenda 2063 – inclusive growth, sustainable people driven

development• SDG 4 – inclusive equitable, quality education and lifelong learning• CESA 2016-2025 education as a driver of socio-economic

development

Girls’ Education in ESA

• 13 countries report gender parity for primary enrollment

• 41% of countries have more girls out of school than boys at primary level

• 67% have more girls out of school than boys at lower secondary

• 75% have more girls out of school than boys at upper secondary

• Majority of girls not remaining long enough in school to complete 10 years of education

• 20-50% children have not gained basics of literacy and numeracy by end of 6th Grade

Reasons for limited access and high dropout• Poverty• Fragile communities• Violence• Child marriage

• 3 of the 10 countries with highest rates of child marriage are in ESA• Girls married by 18 – Ethiopia = 41%; Malawi = 46%; Kenya = 23%

• Cultural obstacles, gender norms• Pregnancy

• In 23 SSA countries accounts for more than 18% of dropouts• 3 of the 10 countries with highest rates • Rate of birth for girls under 18: Mozambique = 40%; Madagascar = 35%;

Zambia = 33%; Malawi = 24%• Limited access to SRH services and information

• Reasons are NOT restricted to education sector• WASH, Nutrition, Health, Child Protection, Social Protection

ChallengesSupply-side

• Early learning opportunities• School facilities – WASH, accessible• Low education budgets• Ineffective curriculum• Teachers – insufficiently trained,

lack of female teachers, time on task• Insufficient school supplies, learning

materials• Inadequate implementation of

policies i.e. gaps between policy and practice

Demand-sideBehavioral and social factors• Attitudes towards education• Perceptions of relevance or

value of education• Esteem issues• Community support for

education• Violence and abuse in and

around schools

These challenges/factors often exist in combination!!

Nutrition:School meals andtake-home rations

Healthcare:Health screening, vaccinations and inoculations

Healthy Practices:Advocacy encouraging handwashing andmalaria prevention

Water, Sanitation andHygiene: Clean latrines, hand-washing facilities, potable water

Child Welfare:Social protection and welfare services

Child Development:Physical, intellectual,emotional and social development

Learners

Effective education requires multi-sectoral collaboration

Integrated approaches: Uganda• Strategy for Girls Education emphasizes education for girls as a basic

human right to be upheld by all stakeholders and duty bearers• Strategy is a tool utilized in different sectors within their different

mandates as they relate to girls education• Strategy requires inter-ministerial approach

• Education• Gender Labour and Social Development• Health• Finance Planning and Economic Development• Water and Environment

• Emphasizes partnerships between public and private sectors

A Socio-ecological perspective: Key Ideas

• Factors at multiple levels affect human behavior

• Essential to understand and address barriers/constraints and drivers to change at multiple levels

• Unrealistic to expect individuals to change their behavior if barriers at higher levels are not removed

• Interventions should address relevant levels of the SEM as possible

• Communication can help to overcome barriers at each level

Policy/Enabling Environment

(national, state, local laws)

Individual (knowledge, attitudes,

behaviors)

In short …..

While the girl child is supposed to be in school and learning, her ability to do so is determined to a large extent by the parent, social environment, policies and regulations that create either barriers or enablers to her access and learning

4. ADVOCACY(Policies , Legislation,

Resource Mobilisation)

Policy Makers & Planners

3. SOCIAL MOBILISATION

Partners - partnership building

1. BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION 2. SOCIAL CHANGE COMMUNICATION

The community: Children, women, households,

familiesSchools

CBOs/

NGOs/

Child protection

WASH actors

Health facilities

National Political Leaders

Donors, Private Sector

Communication: 4 Strategic Approaches

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Religious Communities

Malawi: Integrated Framework for Girls Education

SEM-Informed Integrated Programme for Girls Education• Objective – To increase access to and retention of girls in school• 84 schools in 4 districts

SEM-Level Supply-side Demand-side

Individual/interpersonal Life skills education Girls clubs, mother groups, boys groups

Community Community referral pathways for violence, community social accountability mechanisms

Village committees, community outreach, traditional leaders

Organizational Improving teacher skills; positive discipline, violence in schools; School governance; school feeding ; youth friendly SRH services

Policy Implementation of re-entry policy

Results

• Dropout rates declined in all districts

• Girls’ pass rates increased in first year from 58% to 69%

RecommendationsSupply• Galvanise support for policy

implementation and M&E for girls education across sectors… WASH, Nutrition, Health

• Need for multilevel interventions for inclusion and equality in education

• Improve quality of education – start with access to Early Learning

Demand• Strengthen implementation of

policies at school & community levels

• Strengthen accountability for improved education through collective responsibility as well as local ownership

Thank you!!