Summary

EDUCATION FOR ALL GLOBAL MONITORING REPORT 2015
GENDER SUMMARY
Box 8: Gender equality and the 2016 sustainable development agenda
Leading up to the UN Summit on Sustainable Development in New York
City in September 2015, statements on gender equality in education have
been included in major international meetings of the education community.
Examples include:
‘We affirm that the post-2015 education agenda should be rights-based
and reflect a perspective based on equity and inclusion, with particular
attention to gender equality and to overcoming all forms of discrimination
in and through education.’ (Muscat Agreement, 2014)
‘We recognize the importance of gender equality in achieving the right
to education for all. We are therefore committed to supporting gendersensitive
policies, planning and learning environments; mainstreaming
gender issues in teacher training and curricula; and eliminating genderbased
discrimination and violence in schools.’ (World Education Forum,
Incheon Declaration, 2015)
‘The private sector, civil society, parents and local communities are
encouraged to establish new partnerships to ensure that girls enrol in
school and complete higher levels of education. We are committed to
eliminate differences in the quality of education given to girls and to boys.
We recognize the need for gender-sensitive education policies, learning
environments and curricula. Furthermore, there are untapped synergies
especially for girls in combined interventions in the health and education
sectors, not least in the field of sexual and reproductive health.’ (Oslo
Summit, Chair’s Statement, 2015)
The movement to eliminate all forms of discrimination and bias towards girls
and women is gathering new momentum in the post-2015 development
agenda. The proposed gender equality goal addresses violence against
women, expanding women’s choices and capabilities, and ensuring that
women have a voice in their households and in public and private decisionmaking
spheres. In the proposed final draft of the Outcome Document, to
be agreed upon at the UN Summit, gender equality is mentioned in the
following ways:
‘We resolve, between now and 2030, to end poverty and hunger
everywhere; to combat inequalities within and among countries; to build
peaceful, just and inclusive societies; to protect human rights and promote
gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls; and to ensure
the lasting protection of the planet and its natural resources. We resolve
also to create conditions for sustainable, inclusive and sustained economic
growth, shared prosperity and decent work for all, taking into account
different levels of national development and capacities. (para. 3)
‘We envisage a world of universal respect for human rights and human
dignity, the rule of law, justice, equality and non-discrimination; of respect
for race, ethnicity and cultural diversity; and of equal opportunity permitting
the full realization of human potential and contributing to shared prosperity.
A world which invests in its children and in which every child grows up free
from violence and exploitation. A world in which every woman and girl
enjoys full gender equality and all legal, social and economic barriers to
their empowerment have been removed. A just, equitable, tolerant, open
and socially inclusive world in which the needs of the most vulnerable are
met. (para. 8)
‘Realizing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will
make a crucial contribution to progress across all the Goals and targets.
The achievement of full human potential and of sustainable development
is not possible if one half of humanity continues to be denied its full human
rights and opportunities. Women and girls must enjoy equal access to
quality education, economic resources and political participation as well
as equal opportunities with men and boys for employment, leadership
and decision-making at all levels. We will work for a significant increase
in investments to close the gender gap and strengthen support for
institutions in relation to gender equality and the empowerment of women
at the global, regional and national levels. All forms of discrimination and
violence against women and girls will be eliminated, including through the
engagement of men and boys. The systematic mainstreaming of a gender
perspective in the implementation of the Agenda is crucial. (para. 20)’
Of critical importance is the fact that gender equality is enshrined as one
of the 17 main SDGs (SDG 5), whose aim is to ‘achieve gender equality and
empower all women and girls.’ This goal contains six targets and three
means of implementation.
In the proposed education goal (SDG 4), gender parity is explicitly
mentioned in several targets as well as the equity target. It is clear that
even in countries where notable reductions in gender disparities in
education have occurred, this has rarely translated more widely into gender
equality. The 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report will aim to identify
which underlying mechanisms influence gender equality in education,
and how these can be addressed most effectively by political leaders and
policy-makers. It will also describe education settings that create genderresponsive
school environments; promote gender-empowering knowledge,
attitudes and transferable skills through appropriate curricula and teaching;
address discrimination and gender-based violence; and contribute to
healthy life choices, including sexual and reproductive health. The 2016
GEM Report seeks to disentangle the complex links among policies,
practices and processes in formal and non-formal education that influence
progress towards gender equality.
References to this report can be found here: bitly.com/genderref
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