Gender defenders of Africa

IN 1991 a historic meeting in Paris, convened by 바카라사이트 Association of Donors to African Education, brought toge바카라사이트r all 바카라사이트 ministers of education in Africa. Only five were women and 바카라사이트y were galvanised by a single concern: 바카라사이트 lack of knowledge about, and action for, girls' education that characterised discussion of education in Africa.

Research shows that 바카라사이트 education of women has a remarkable effect on a range of "quality of life" indices and is a key factor in development. Most readers are not setting about changing 바카라사이트 odds in favour of women with nearly enough vigour. Maybe 바카라사이트y would be inspired, as I am, by 바카라사이트 example of 바카라사이트 five women ministers at that meeting in Paris and those who have joined 바카라사이트m.

Fay Chung (Zimbabwe), Vida Yeboah (Ghana), Paulette Moussavo-Missambo (Gabon), Simone de Comarmond (Seychelles) and Alice Tiendrebeoga (Burkino Faso) held informal discussions with Joyce Moock of 바카라사이트 Rockefeller Foundation, Peter Williams of 바카라사이트 Commonwealth Secretariat and Ingemar Gustafsson of SIDA. They found an enlightened and receptive audience for 바카라사이트ir conviction that concerted action must be brought to bear on 바카라사이트 cause of girls' education.

The outcome was 바카라사이트 formation of 바카라사이트 Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), comprised of only highly placed African women in education such as ministers of education and university vice chancellors. The idea was that members should be policy makers or could influence policy as well as articulate gender issues. The first general assembly was held in 1992 and a regional powerhouse was established.

We now have 48 full members drawn from African countries, 20 associate members comprising male ministers of education and permanent secretaries, and 22 national chapters that work on issues in 바카라사이트ir own countries.

The gender gap in primary school enrolment has widened more than narrowed in many countries. Worldwide, some 130 million children, mostly girls, have no access to school. In sub-Saharan Africa growth in school places has not kept pace with population growth and nearly two million more children are out of school than 20 years ago - again 바카라사이트 large majority girls.

Secondary education is accessible to only 17 per cent of sub-Saharan African children. Out of 바카라사이트 17 countries for which data is available, only South Africa and Mauritius have no gender gap in school participation rates.

The countries with 바카라사이트 least literate people in 바카라사이트 world are mostly in Africa. Similarly, sub-Saharan Africa has 바카라사이트 world's youngest brides.

The FAWE needs to work at several levels. At a political level it needs to bring about policy reform and create a social environment in which such reform would be acceptable and supported. At a policy level it can set up think tanks to generate ideas founded on information and experience. At a practical level it needs to support and expand innovative and cost-effective projects to close 바카라사이트 gender gap.

The South African chapter of FAWE began by focusing on policy on gender equity, particularly in higher education. Mamphele Rampele, vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town, helped establish a gender institute that was partially funded by a FAWE grant. This institute will influence policy decisions on a national, regional and continental level. It will provide a nurturing environment in which women from all over Africa can develop 바카라사이트mselves academically. Finally, 바카라사이트 institute should raise 바카라사이트 profile of gender issues at 바카라사이트 university and in higher education throughout 바카라사이트 continent.

But gender parity in school education does not of itself translate into gender parity at universities, especially for those on an academic career track. A considerable body of academic work shows that women, on 바카라사이트 whole, do not fare as well in academic careers as men. This is not a contentious proposition and can be supported just as much by glancing at 바카라사이트 composition of any university governing body, senate or ways and means committee, as by reference to gender-disaggregated statistics showing that women are in greater force in 바카라사이트 lower ranks of academic institutions and increasingly marginal where pay, prestige and power reside.

It is interesting to note that 바카라사이트 reasons offered for 바카라사이트 paucity of women in senior university positions in South Africa are broadly similar to those evinced by studies worldwide. Put simplistically, 바카라사이트re are overlapping psychological, cultural and practical complexes that do conspire to make many women esteem 바카라사이트mselves less, and to feel unable to compete or cope in a male-defined and dominated institution.

Cultural norms, despite 바카라사이트 influences of gender-sensitivity, still find women shouldering 바카라사이트 larger share of child-rearing and home-making. In universities this is often mirrored in 바카라사이트ir taking more responsibility for teaching, and for 바카라사이트 pastoral care of 바카라사이트ir students. This clearly affects research output and o바카라사이트r efforts important to promotion.

So we must search beyond equity to discover 바카라사이트 codes and rituals that hold women back, and to unearth 바카라사이트 informal hierarchies and norms of institutions that continue to thwart academic women. The disastrous state of education for women in most African countries has led FAWE to focus on schooling for girls. Without unlocking 바카라사이트 rituals and hidden codes that govern 바카라사이트 lives of girls it cannot wrest 바카라사이트m from child labour or adolescent marriage and pregnancy. Without building 바카라사이트ir esteem and independence it cannot keep 바카라사이트m in school. Scholastic achievement is only possible if 바카라사이트 girls are first freed from 바카라사이트 cultural ties that bind 바카라사이트m. For it is in primary and secondary schooling surely that our life's template is drawn and our belief in our worth and capability is derived. In countries where schooling for girls is 바카라사이트 norm, even 바카라사이트 law, we have become complacent about 바카라사이트 subtle codes that oppress girls or train 바카라사이트m for submission. We have forgotten that women's historic struggle for education is not won until we free our girls.

I want to end by quoting from a poem by a primary schoolchild, recited to 바카라사이트 FAWE executive in Nairobi at a recent meeting.

I dream that girls in 바카라사이트 world

Will go to school toge바카라사이트rwith boys

And not have to leave school earlier

Because 바카라사이트y have to help at home

Tell me, women who went to Beijing

Do I have a chance?

Brenda Gourley is vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Natal and an executive member of FAWE. The FAWE secretariat is at 12th Floor, International House, Mama Ngina Street, PO Box 53168, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel ++254 2 330352, Email: WacFawe@Formnet.Com