people and planet

3
socio-economic status, and better risk management.
But despite anecdotal evidence on multiple benefits, few
analyses exist (Duvendack et al., 2011). What evidence
does exist is mixed. For instance, providing savings to
AIDS-orphaned young people in Uganda helped increase
their aspirations for secondary schooling and primary
examination results (Curley et al., 2010). But data from
Malawi showed that microcredit decreased primary
school attendance among borrowers’ female children
(Shimamura and Lastarria-Cornhiel, 2010).
A key challenge in assessing the impact of social
protection programmes is to look at the collective impact
of integrated efforts, not isolating the impact of separate
outcomes (see Chapter 6: Partnerships). For example,
evidence suggests that cash transfer programmes in low
and middle income countries, especially in Latin America,
have had an impact on education access, especially for
primary schooling, but more understanding is needed
of their impact on education persistence and learning
outcomes (UNESCO, 2015).
Gender bias can be addressed by working together
As gender equality in education cannot work in
isolation, and achieving gender parity in education
will not necessarily have direct consequences for
women’s empowerment and economic freedom, more
holistic engagement is needed at the community level,
recognizing institutionalized and cultural biases and
ensuring that men are included in the process.
Reducing gender bias by using behavioural insights in policymaking.
Since behaviour is often deeply embedded,
recognizing subconscious, automatic biases can help in
designing more effective strategies at the institutional
level to help reduce the
negative consequences of
The presence of gender bias (see Chapter
1: Planet) (Bohnet, 2016).
female leaders in
The introduction of cable
India was found television in rural India, which
to narrow the led to increased information
on alternative ways of living,
gender gap in girls’
led to improvement in gender
aspirations and attitudes and behaviour
advancement in between 2001 and 2003
(Jensen and Oster, 2009).
education
Analysis of the US Scholastic
Aptitude Test found that
women were less likely to take risks and guess in these
tests (Baldiga, 2014); and led to the test being redesigned
to remove the penalty for wrong answers in order to
reduce gender bias (Bohnet, 2016).
Studies confirm the importance of female role models.
The presence of female leaders in India was found
to narrow the gender gap in girls’ aspirations and
advancement in education (Beaman et al., 2012). Female
students were found to perform better in introductory
math and science courses if taught by female faculty,
and more likely to pursue careers in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM) (Carrell et al.,
2009). Observing and interacting with female experts in
STEM fields improved female students’ attitudes about
the fields (Stout et al., 2011).
Men and women working together. Focusing on women’s
initiatives is not enough. Men and women have to work
together to achieve gender-balanced lives. Analysis of
results of the International Men and Gender Equality
Survey from 10,490 men aged 18 to 59 in 8 countries
(Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, Croatia, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Mexico and
Rwanda) found that men’s education and income,
and equitable practices in men’s childhood homes,
were associated with their attitudes to equity. Men’s
equitable attitudes were reflected in practices such as
more participation in the home, reduced use of violence
and higher relationship and sexual satisfaction; men’s
education and their mother’s education were found to
be positively associated with progress towards gender
equality, except in India. An argument can be made
for the importance of intergenerational learning in the
childhood home, where fathers who participate more
equally can help encourage less stereotypical role models
(Levtov et al., 2014).
Using survey-based research on gender-equitable
attitudes, Instituto Promundo developed Program H/M
in Brazil. Program H included group education sessions,
youth-led campaigns and activism to transform gender
stereotypes among young men. Program M aided
young women to challenge deeply held stereotypes.
Now adopted in over 20 countries, it has been lauded as
best practice in promoting gender equality. Evaluations
of Instituto Promundo educational workshops with
young men to prevent gender-based violence and
promote gender equality in Brazil, Chile, India and
Rwanda found they led to significant changes in genderequitable
attitudes, and significant decreases in selfreported
violence against female partners (Instituto
Promundo, 2012). Promundo’s MenCare campaign in
2016 • GLOBAL EDUCATION MONITORING REPORT 91