EFA Goal 1: Early childhood care and education; Asia ... - Unicef

socialization of girls and boys, such as censure by teachers of what is considered atypical play (such
as boys playing with dolls) and whether girls and boys have equal access to toys and instructional
materials.
Box 2: Missing girls in India: Gender inequities begin even before birth
A recent report from India describes the shocking rate of increase in female feticide and sex-selective
abortions. “Between the 2001 and 2011 censuses, more than twice the number of Indian districts
(local administrative areas) showed declines in the child sex ratio as districts with no change or
increases. … Selective abortions of girls totaled about 4.2–12.1 million from 1980 to 2010, with a
greater rate of increase in the 1990s than in the 2000s. … Selective abortion of girls, especially for
pregnancies after a firstborn girl, has increased substantially in India. Most of India’s population
now lives in states where selective abortion of girls is common.” The study also highlighted such
practices even among the upper-income and educated segments of the population.
Source: Jha et al., 2011: 1921.
Issues pertaining to teachers do not always feature in discussions about gender and ECCE. A recent
article noted that there is a major paucity of data and information regarding the qualifications of
ECCE staff (Kim and Umayahara, 2010). It follows from this argument that it is critical to also inquire
into the availability of training opportunities for teachers of both sexes in ECCE. In many countries in
South Asia (see the Statistical Annex, UIS), female teachers outnumber male teachers.
For example, in Pakistan, trained female teachers outnumber trained male teachers in ECCE in all
provinces; in some provinces (figure 7), the disparities are huge. Although it may be good to invest
in the training of female teachers, there is the potential impact on communities and children from
the lack of male role models and imbalances in professional representation as well as in attitudes
towards ECCE as a profession. There are gender stereotypes associated with the profession, and
ECCE may be perceived as a predominantly ‘feminine’ occupation because it involves nurturing
and caregiving – a very discriminating perspective that presumes males are incapable of such skills.
Alternatively, pay differentials also may propel men to look for occupations in other sectors. For a
more robust analysis of gender issues in education as a whole, see the EDN on gender.
Figure 7: Percentage of trained teachers in ECCE in Pakistan, 2005–2006
100%
Male
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Punjab Sindh NWFP Pakistan FANA AJK Balochistan ICT FATA
Source: Ministry of Education, Pakistan, 2006.
Female
EFA Goal 1: Early Childhood Care and Education
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