Beginnings Issue 8.pub - Planning Institute of Jamaica

P a g e 7 B eginnings I s s u e 8
MDG 3:
Measuring Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (Part 2)
In our last issue we began to explore the target and
indicators under MDG number 3 and Jamaica’s progress
towards meeting the goal. In Part two the author seeks to
analyze the targets and indicators
Analyzing the targets and the indicators
Goal Number 3 of the MDGs seeks to promote gender
equality and to empower women. In this regard the target
identified the elimination of ‘gender disparity in primary,
secondary education preferably by 2005, and in all levels of
education no later than 2015’.
In analyzing the target and indicators one has to examine the
extent to which the MDG targets for Goal No. 3 facilitate
equality and empowerment. An overview of gender and
education trends, allows us to look at the ways in which
gender inequality is perpetuated and empowerment is
impeded. The target statement, which speaks primarily to
capabilities through educational attainment, gives an
underlying assumption that education can be used as a vehicle
for gender equality and women’s empowerment. At the same
time, this is not necessarily a good indication of Caribbean
reality. On this note, Barbara Bailey ( )makes the point that:
education has not proven to be the vehicle for Caribbean
women’s economic, political or personal empowerment. In
By Taitu Heron
spite of their overall higher levels of participation and performance
at the secondary and tertiary levels of Caribbean education systems,
the majority of the women in the region continue to be positioned
in the lowest sectors of the capital market, earn lower wages than
men, suffer higher rates of unemployment, experience greater levels
of poverty, are under-represented in decision-making positions at the
meso and macro levels of social and political institutions and lack
real personal autonomy. (p.136)
Grown et al (2003) argue that the ratio of boys to girls in
school only reflects the input side of education and not the
output side, which is more relevant – completion and learning
outcomes. Bailey (2003) contends that the focus on the
quantitative gains that Jamaican women have made in
education masks and undermines the qualitative dimensions,
...the focus on the quantitative gains that
Jamaican women have made in education
masks and undermines the qualitative
dimensions, that beyond school, females have
less of a competitive advantage than their male
counterparts.
that beyond school, females have less of a competitive
advantage than their male counterparts. Higher rates of
performance and attainment by females do not necessarily
translate into increased labour participation, or increased
involvement in decision-making processes.
A study done by Odette Parry (2001) on students in Kingston
high schools provides evidence that traditional socialisation
patterns such as suggesting subjects such as English Language,
Literature and History are ‘girl subjects’ and subjects such as
mathematics, physics, chemistry etc, are ‘boy subjects’ adds to
the handicapping conditions that contribute to higher male
dropout rates, particularly when the subject of English, the
basis of participating in all OTHER subjects, is increasingly
perceived as "female". In 2002/2003 the English language pass
rate for secondary high schools stood at 71% for females and
55% for males. The national average was 51% for females and
(Continued on page 8)