Investments in girls' education in developing countries support U.S. foreign policy, demonstrate U.S. compassion and generosity, drive development efforts, and help reduce extreme poverty. The US Agency for International Development's (USAID's) programming takes into account the gender-related constraints that prevent access of both boys and girls…

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) supports close to 70 developing countries to ensure that every child receives a quality education. The featured stories in this report show the progress that developing country partners are making in getting more children, especially girls, in school and learning. The results are not only evidence of…

Since the World Education Forum in Dakar in 2000, efforts and commitments at both national and international levels have brought significant progress in education systems with a view to reducing inequity between girls and boys. Among the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) partner developing countries, the primary Gross Enrollment Rate (GER)…

Studies in education over the past decade highlight the hijacking of educational agendas by neoliberal rationalities and logics. I illustrate these processes in relation to transnational campaigns for girls' education, where the purpose of "education" is reduced to producing wage-based labor and an accumulation of skills that enhance…

UIL has published a second edition of a collection of case studies of promising literacy programmes that seek to empower women. "Narrowing the Gender Gap: Empowering Women through Literacy Programmes" (originally published in 2013 as "Literacy Programmes with a Focus on Women to Reduce Gender Disparities") responds to the…

This paper explores how literacy learning can support women's empowerment and the development of greater equality, benefitting not only individual women, but families, communities and economies too. It describes and reflects upon some of the most promising approaches to developing literacy and learning for women, who form the majority of the…

Literacy is the foundation of lifelong learning and a crucial element in the universally recognised right to education. However, illiteracy continues to exist as a global challenge, and many individuals still lack the basic literacy skills that are needed to engage in further learning opportunities and for the economic and social development of…

This final report on an international conference of nine high population developing countries on education for all (EFA) begins with a declaration of goals by the representatives of each of the nine nations represented. Participating nations were Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, and Pakistan. After a scene…

This booklet examines the efforts of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malawi to increase the enrollment of girls in their schools. Each country has severe problems of access to education for girls; the gender gap in the gross enrollment rate at the primary school level is at least 10 percentage points in each country. What is noteworthy about these three…

This collection of panel proceedings is divided into five sections each of which is devoted to one panel. Panel 1 focused on mobilization, people's participation, and decentralization for "Education For All (EFA)." Panel 2 was devoted to external and internal financial resources for EFA (Government of India). Panel 3 was on girls' and…

The article reviews new approaches to develop and organize adult literacy programs for the rural population. The entire program of teaching covered neo-literates, functional literacy, and vocational training. Curriculum development, teacher training, reading materials, and education of rural women are discussed. (JB)

This paper examines the societal role of Afghan refugee women, and focuses on options for them. The war, and the ensuing migration to Pakistan of nearly 3.5 million refugees, the majority of whom were women and children, have led to the deterioration of religious tolerance and the rise of more conservative Islamic beliefs, which have placed…

Universalization of primary education (UPE) is one of the major priority goals of all countries in the region of Asia and the Pacific. The developing countries are now engaged extensively in the formulation and implementation of policies, plans, and programs aimed at making adequate and suitable opportunities for primary education available to all…

This report presents the results of a meeting of education officials from Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Thailand to discuss the promotion of primary education for girls and other disadvantaged groups in developing Asian countries. Chapter 1 serves as an introduction, discussing the goals and results of the meeting. Chapter…

This report assesses the current situation of girls' participation in elementary education, suggesting approaches that may help increase girls' retention. It reviews research findings and conventional wisdom on constraints affecting girls' schooling and examines initiatives that have attempted to increase girls' retention. Chapter 1,…