Gender in primary and secondary education: a handbook for policy-makers and other stakeholders
Abstract
by Ramya Subrahmanian, London, Commonwealth Secretariat, 2007, 168 pp., 15.00, ISBN 978-0-85092-864-8 This handbook is intended for policy-makers and other stakeholders with the objective of ensuring that the rising global enrolments of girls are sustained and accompanied by sector and societal changes that can transform gender parity in enrolments to gender equity in experiences and outcomes. It takes a global approach, drawing on evidence from all regions of both the developing and developed world as it underscores one of its central themes - that equity in female education is so multidimensional that no educational system, even one with higher female enrolments and higher female performance has yet addressed all areas of bias against girls and women. Opening with a discussion of the theoretical frameworks (women in development and gender in development) and research evidence that have contributed to the development of policy in female education, including rights-based frameworks (Chapters 1 and 2), the handbook moves to a review of the 'gendered ideologies' that underpin both supply of and demand for universal schooling (Chapters 3 and 4). Chapter 5 summarises innovative policies and programmes that have shown promise and the final chapter first looks at the key issues in