Bringing more girls into the classroom

"Bottlenecks in providing quality education to girls have to be removed."

How do we achieve gender equality in education? What approaches are replicable, and how can we develop best practices? These were some of the questions addressed by senior government officials, researchers and civil society leaders at a Commonwealth workshop in Chandigarh, India. Commonwealth Secretariat and UNICEF-India officials were among the 45 delegates. 

Held at the Commonwealth Youth Programme Asia Centre from 20 to 23 September 2004, the workshop addressed the theme 'Promising Practices and Implications for Girls' Education'. Delegates examined good practices in Commonwealth South Asian countries, namely, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.  

Educating girls is seen by both the Commonwealth and UNICEF as the key to breaking the cycle of inter-generational poverty. Nancy Spence, Director of the Secretariat's Social Transformation Programmes Division, stated: "We received a mandate from Commonwealth education ministers to collate best practices in girls' education, for wider dissemination to assist our member states in their efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in education. This workshop in Asia follows one in Africa to document the experiences and innovations that could be shared with other countries." 

On the challenges faced in South Asia, Suzanne Allman, Head of Education Unit of UNICEF in India, said: "The most important thing is to build partnerships with government agencies and non-governmental organisations working in the area, informed by research. Bottlenecks in providing quality education to girls have to be removed." 

Among the key lessons learned by participants was that gender equality goes beyond mere access to education, to transforming social relations. Delegates agreed that there was a need for political will at the highest level, backed by budgetary allocations and mobilisation of support by communities. They suggested changes in school structures to accommodate the needs of girls, and described the creation of a solid information base as essential to the process.