Gender

GENDER EQUALITY IN EDUCATION: Definitions and Measurements

Introduction

This paper was developed as a short concept note for stimulating discussion on the meaning and measurement of gender equality in education. The terms gender parity and gender equality are reflected in one of the six EFA goals elucidated in the Dakar Framework for Action [2000] as follows:

Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls' full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality

Elimination of gender disparity in primary and secondary education is also picked up as a target identified as essential to fulfill Goal 3 of the Millennium Development Goals [Promote Gender Equality and empower women].

Bearing these new international commitments in mind, it is important to work towards clarity on what is meant by gender parity and gender equality with reference to education, explore the linkages between them, and identify the best mechanisms to measure progress towards these goals. This is necessary to ensure that a clear analytical and operational distinction is maintained between concepts of gender parity and equality - without which there is likely to be considerable slippage in the usage of these terms as well as the measurement of progress towards them as desired outcomes.

This paper works on the basis of the argument that measuring gender equality in education is conceptually demanding, and will necessitate focus on a far wider range of indicators than may be suggested by focusing on education alone, or defined in a narrow sense. Furthermore, widening the scope of measuring progress towards gender equality will necessitate some amount of conceptual creativity or openness to explore the range of pathways that may exist in different contexts and explain progress [or the lack of it] towards gender equality in education. Conceptual...