Education International Research
6. Equity Target 4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations Target 4.5 is at the heart of SDG 4, as it seeks to ensure that countries operationalise a core principle of the SDGs — leaving no one behind. Education currently remains highly inaccessible to the most marginalised populations; many students find themselves pushed out of systems that are neither equitable nor inclusive. The students most vulnerable to exclusion are those who face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Monitoring and implementation efforts on Target 4.5 over the last four years have mostly focused on gender equality, but other forms of discrimination also violate the right to education, which must be guaranteed to the most vulnerable in society. Globally, gender parity has been achieved at all education levels except tertiary education. However, this is not the case for some regions, countries or country income groups. Five million more girls than boys are out of school,111 and only 66% of countries have achieved gender parity in primary education, 45% in lower secondary and 25% in upper secondary.112 Although Target 4.5 references “gender parity”, it is crucial that governments look beyond parity and ensure gender equality in and through education, including gender-equitable access, participation, resources and learning environments, teaching and learning processes, and completion rates. Governments signing the Incheon Declaration have committed to support “gendersensitive policies, planning and learning environments; mainstreaming gender issues in teacher training and curricula; and eliminating gender-based discrimination and violence in schools”. It is crucial that governments take action to realise this commitment, as the issue of equitable education opportunities impacts the full SDG agenda.
Some governments have taken action to enhance gender equality in education since the adoption of the SDGs
GRO.EI-IE
The graph below shows that 18% of unions responding to the question reported that enhancing gender equality is a priority in their national education systems, with 51% reporting that their governments have taken “some action” to enhance gender equality. Thirty per cent (30%) of unions responded that “little action” has been taken, but no unions suggested that their government has taken no action.
0302 NOITA CUDE
It is a positive sign that some governments are recognising the importance of achieving Target 4.5. For example, in Cameroon, unions report that the government is increasing outreach to parents and traditional leaders to help end child marriage. In Zambia, ZNUT have commended the government for developing a framework for Comprehensive Sexuality Education, introducing Comprehensive Sexuality Education into teacher training colleges and producing textbooks for years 5–12 on the topic. In 2017, Uganda reduced the tax on sanitary pads, boosting girls’ school attendance. In Ghana, unions report that the government has consistently provided a budget for implementation of the national gender policy. There is a “Girl-Child Coordinator” position in the Ghana Education Service Directorate, and recent efforts have included a programme to reintroduce girls and young women into schools after dropping out as a result of teenage pregnancy. 111 112
47
UNESCO. 2018. Did you know there are just as many boys out of school than girls? World Education Blog. Retrieved from: https://gemreportunesco. wordpress.com/2018/06/15/did-you-know-there-are-just-as-many-boys-out-of-school-as-girls/ UNESCO. 2018. Meeting our commitments to gender equality in education. Global Education Monitoring Report Gender Review. Retrieved from: http://www. ungei.org/resources/files/GEM_Report_Gender_Review_2018(1).pdf