Gender And Education Research Articles

Developing a contextual understanding of empowerment through education: narratives from highly educated women in Pakistan

ABSTRACT Current international discourse foregrounds gender parity in education as a means of empowering women in societies with strong adherence to traditional gender norms, such as Pakistan. This discourse contends that women’s access to higher education and subsequent employment enables them to identify and reject traditional cultural values and norms. However, some scholars criticise the gender parity approach as portraying a simplistic narrative that fails to recognise the social, cultural, and family contexts within which women are embedded. Drawing on an ecological approach, this article examines how education and empowerment are experienced by highly educated women in Pakistan with a particular focus on these contexts. Our findings demonstrate that education and employment are often experienced as disempowering due to their reinforcement of traditional gender roles and values. However, we also found that women move iteratively between acquiescing to traditional gender norms and pushing the boundaries of acceptable practice through this acquiescence. Our findings demonstrate that for the women in our study, empowerment was experienced through their ability to strike a delicate balance between compliance with traditional customs and the pursuit of opportunities that opened because of this compliance.

Persepsi Mahasiswa Terhadap Isu Kesetaraan Gender di Lingkungan Kampus UIN Suska Riau

Gender equality is a condition where men and women are equal in fulfilling rights and policies. Gender equality is related to equal pay in work, zero tolerance for sexual harassment, equal opportunities in education, both men and women get the same position in work. Gender equality is also related to socialist feminist theory, where the thinking is related to the sharpening of oppression in the capitalist and patriarchal systems which cause social oppression. The aim of this research is to determine the perceptions of students at the Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau Islamic University regarding the issue of gender equality in education. The method used is a qualitative. The data collection techniques used were questionnaires, interviews, literature. The results of this research indicate that students at the Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau Islamic University are in the circle of gender equality in education.

The Evolving Landscape of Gender and Happiness: A Commentary “Does Reversal of the Educational Gender Gap Affect Men’s Happiness: Evidence from China”

The Evolving Landscape of Gender and Happiness: A Commentary “Does Reversal of the Educational Gender Gap Affect Men’s Happiness: Evidence from China”

Effects of Gender Stereotypes on Career Aspirations in Adolescents in Kenya

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the effects of gender stereotypes on career aspirations in adolescents in Kenya. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: A study in Kenya found that gender stereotypes strongly shape adolescents' career aspirations. Boys lean towards traditionally masculine careers like engineering, while girls are inclined towards feminine roles like nursing. Societal and familial pressures also limit career choices based on gender norms. This highlights the importance of interventions to challenge stereotypes and promote gender equality in education and career opportunities. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social cognitive career theory (SCCT), social role theory & intersectionality theory may be used to anchor future studies on effects of gender stereotypes on career aspirations in adolescents in Kenya. Schools and educational institutions should implement gender-sensitive career counseling programs that challenge traditional gender stereotypes and promote diverse career options for both boys and girls. Policymakers should develop and implement inclusive education policies that promote gender equality and challenge gender stereotypes within the educational system.

Gender equality in education: an analysis of entrepreneurial behavior in technological colleges in a developing country

ABSTRACT The article analysed the differences in the influence of entrepreneurial characteristics on entrepreneurial intention according to gender in technological higher education education in a developing country. The methodology used was quantitative, with multivariate data analysis through structural equation modelling. The sample consisted of 604 students of technological higher education from the São Paulo State Technological Colleges. The results proved that the female gender had a more intense influence on self-efficacy and persistence influence on entrepreneurial intention. The male gender had a more significant influence on the relationship between sociability and entrepreneurial intention. For technological higher education institutions to implement an effective entrepreneurial education, it is fundamental to encourage entrepreneurial characteristics differently between genders. Developing and fostering entrepreneurship among women in higher technological education requires a deeper understanding of the female entrepreneurial profile.

Children's agencies navigating sexism and LGBTI+ phobia in Santiago de Chile's primary school

AbstractThrough their talk, actions and interactions, children actively shape and develop notions of gender and sexuality. This research delves into the realm of children's agency to explore the ways children act and react to instances of sexism and LGBTI+ phobia. Within the context of a Gender Equity Education Program in a Chilean primary school, this study employs participatory‐action research, integrating participatory methods and participant observation, acknowledging the significance of children's agencies in knowledge construction. Analytically, a feminist post‐structuralist lens is applied to examine children's experiences, unveiling distinct categories of agencies, namely ‘reproducers’ and ‘challengers’ of the dominant discourse.

Exploring Factors That Obstacle the Gender Equality Education of Asian Society

Within the past decades, research has been increasingly drawn toward understanding the factors that obstacle the gender equality education of Asian society. However, to examine the hindering factors requires research of its breath and underlying mechanisms from an interdisciplinary approach. This paper begins by reviewing the gender education in relation to its concept and significances. The main influencing factors are then explored from a macro-environmental perspective, including supportive policies, economic conditions, and relevant talents. Research shows that the significant considerations should be given to lack of top-level policy support, high learning stress on learners, insufficient distribution of economic funds, current situation of gender opposition, and stereotypes and the solidification of Feudal ideas. For suggestions related to gender equality education, in addition to improving sex education, from the perspective of women of all ages, Asian fertility policies and corporate maternity leave policies need to be further optimized. The specific implementation of gender equality education courses can refer to examples from other developed regions outside East Asia, while encouraging the development of peoples thinking and creating an open, equal, and free new society.

Educational Inequality in the Context of China's Educational Expansion

Since the conclusion of World War II, the topic of educational growth has garnered global interest, including in China. While the education expansion program has given several benefits and advantages to China, there are still many faults in the strategy. This paper examines the issue of educational inequality within the framework of educational growth in China. The paper examines educational inequity in China within the framework of educational growth, focusing on four key areas: educational inequity stemming from socio-economic factors, urban-rural disparities, insufficient secondary education, and gender disparities. After examining the aforementioned factors, this study asserts that the issue of educational inequality persists and proves to be particularly challenging to eradicate in certain areas, such as socio-economic disparity. Based on this, this paper puts forward the following suggestions. First, the government needs to increase spending on education. Second, attention should be paid to improving the balance of educational distribution. Finally, there is a need to close the gender gap in higher education. These guidelines are the best alternative to achieving equality in education.

Does reversal of the educational gender gap affect Men's happiness: Evidence from China

AbstractIn the context of the reversal of the educational gender gap, this article employs a nationally representative survey to examine the relationship between a wife's educational advantages (i.e., wife attains more education than her husband) and her husband's happiness. By controlling for individual, family, and community factors, we demonstrate that a husband's happiness is positively associated with his wife's educational advantages. Instrumental variable regressions and series of robustness checks corroborate the conclusion. However, certain heterogeneities are observed, with a particularly notable positive association among men with higher education levels, younger age, and those residing in the eastern region, likely influenced by their egalitarian gender ideologies. The study suggests that men are increasingly accepting of marriages in which the wife is more educated than her husband.

FORMATION OF GENDER COMPETENCE IN THE PROCESS OF TRAINING FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS

The article highlights the need to develop gender competence in future social work professionals and the use of an integrated approach in this field. The study aims to theoretically substantiate the peculiarities of gender competence formation in future social workers. The implementing possibilities for the Strategy of Gender Equality in Education until 2030 have been identified. The availability of gender studies in institutions of higher education has been analyzed. It is stated that domestic training programmes have the gender component included in curricula of various specialities. The studies in the field of gender equality and social work demonstrate that although there are specific disciplines that include aspects of preventing discrimination and violence against women, they need updating and adapting to modern challenges. The article analyses training and scientific programmes in the speciality “231 Social Work” in terms of content and specifics of preparing specialists to perform their duties taking into account the requirements of gender equality. It has been found that most of them are based on the requirements of state standards for the formation of competencies in human rights and anti-discrimination. It is emphasized that Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University has established Gender Centre that is a member of the All-Ukrainian Centre for Gender Education in Ukraine. Training future specialists in the specialty “231 Social Work”, forming their ability to carry out professional activities in compliance with human rights and the principle of gender equality, and developing competencies in preventing and combating gender discrimination are among the Centre’s main tasks. The author substantiates the need to form gender competence in future social workers by including a gender approach in the educational process as specialised disciplines revealing applied aspects of gender equality and participation in non-formal education play an important role there.

Gender gap in school learning: Micro-level evidence from Morocco

The gender gap in education has been a significant concern for Moroccan policymakers and researchers, but the quantitative measurement of this gap has often been overlooked. This study specifically examines the gender gap in academic achievement in reading and mathematics at both the national and residential levels. The objective is to identify the factors that influence gender performance differences and their magnitude. To achieve this, micro-level data from 5427 students extracted from the PIRLS 2016 and TIMSS 2015 surveys were analyzed. The Blinder-Oaxaca (1973) decomposition technique was employed to assess the significance of the differences and to break down the performance gaps by incorporating explanatory variables related to schools, teachers, and students' characteristics. The results reveal a significant gender difference in favor of girls in reading, both nationally and in urban areas. In mathematics, the gender gap is not statistically significant and is approximately 3 points at the national level. Only 29% of the reading gap can be explained by the selected variables, while this percentage is around 20% for the math gap. Pre-school attendance, maternal education, schools, and schools' characteristics are identified as significant factors influencing the reading gap at the national and urban levels. In contrast, at the rural level, home conditions and the characteristics of the school and teacher play a more decisive role.

Gender quota, women in politics, and gender parity in education

AbstractDo women in politics contribute to gender parity in education? This study seeks to provide an empirical answer to this question by examining whether women in politics (women parliamentarians) contribute to closing the gender inequality in education using a global sample of 191 countries from 1990 to 2020. We deployed the two‐stage least square (IV‐TSLS) technique and gender quota as an instrument to isolate the exogenous effect of women in politics on gender parity in primary, secondary and tertiary education. The findings from the IV‐TSLS estimators show that an increase in the number of female parliamentarians is associated with a significant increase in gender parity at all levels of education. These results survived several robustness checks, including using different estimators such as the Lewbel two‐stage least squares and the Kinky least‐squares estimators. Based on the quota type, we documented that women in politics significantly spur gender parity in education in countries with reserved seat quotas and not in countries with candidate quotas. We also found that the results differ across different geographical regions and income groups. The findings call on policy‐makers to address societal, legal and structural barriers limiting women's political participation to achieve gender parity at all levels of education.

An Analysis of the Obstructive Factors that Impact the Empowerment of Women Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka

The sector of small and medium enterprises is considered an encouraging platform for the economic empowerment of women through participating in economic development as entrepreneurs. The lower productivity exhibited by these SMEs in Sri Lanka was identified as a result of the high participation rate of female entrepreneurs in the informal economy. An unfavourable environment has been created obstructing the transition of women entrepreneurs towards the upper echelon of the business world through diverse impediments. Thus, the research focused on exploring the barriers that hinder the business growth of women entrepreneurs in small and medium-scale enterprises. Accordingly, the research was conducted as secondary research: a literature survey. In Sri Lanka, a minor percentage of female participation in small and medium enterprises occurs due to limited access to financial resources, lack of financial literacy, social prejudices, social and cultural restrictions, and limited opportunities for networking and communicating with external resources. Thus, closing the gender gap in education, giving access to capital through a concerted policy action and providing women entrepreneurs with opportunities to improve their financial literacy and educational level were highlighted as the major recommendations in the study to empower women entrepreneurs to climb the value chain. Women entrepreneurs in small and medium-scale enterprises need to be facilitated with greater access to the domestic, regional and international markets in order to enable them to expand their businesses with productivity and innovation. Thus, vital policy measures should be taken to mitigate the barriers involved in formalizing the business mechanisms while focusing on increasing the benefits that women entrepreneurs can gain through that standardizing process.

Politics of education in the USA: Deconstructing gender dynamics

Gender equity in education remains a political issue in the USA. There is evidence to suggest that disparities persist across multiple dimensions of the educational landscape. This comprehensive research paper examines the complex interplay of historical, cultural, and institutional factors that shape gender dynamics in American education. The paper traces the arduous journey towards gender parity in education, highlighting landmark legal and policy developments while critiquing their uneven implementation. It delves into contemporary data, revealing persistent enrollment and achievement gaps, underrepresentation in specific fields like STEM, and the dearth of women in leadership roles. Interrogating the root causes, the research explores the intricate ways socioeconomic status, cultural stereotypes, institutional biases, and lack of role models converge to disadvantage girls and women. Moreover, the work investigates how gender socialization and stereotypes permeate educational settings, influencing teaching practices, curricula, and interpersonal interactions. It exposes manifestations of gender-based discrimination, harassment, and violence, analysing their prevalence, institutional responses, and long-term consequences on victims' personal and academic development. The paper culminates by proposing a multifaceted approach to promoting gender equity, encompassing institutional reforms, community-based initiatives, and strategies to address systemic inequalities. It calls for inclusive curricula, educator training, mentorship programs, family engagement, and collaborative efforts to dismantle deeply entrenched biases and create empowering educational environments for all genders.

Examining the roles of traditional leaders in promoting quality education in Ghana

PurposeThe government of Ghana since independence has undertaken steps to develop educational infrastructure setup. This notwithstanding, the educational sector is beset with challenges such as low-quality education and low enrolment rates in Senior High Schools (SHS) of children from large households, among others. Given the myriad of challenges bedevilling the education sector, there have been calls for collaboration among public leaders to promote education. The paper, therefore, examines traditional leaders' roles in promoting quality education in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThrough a desk review approach, the study examines the role of traditional leaders in promoting quality education in Ghana. This approach was adopted due to its flexible nature.FindingsThe study found that traditional leaders have provided educational materials and resources to deprived schools. They have established scholarship schemes for needy but brilliant students, promoted gender parity in education, constructed educational facilities and promoted a healthy teaching environment.Practical implicationsThe paper provides stakeholders in Ghana’s educational sector with the opportunity to review educational policies and include traditional leaders to influence educational policies. The recommendations call for support from the GETFUND and Scholarship Secretariat of Ghana to assist community-initiated projects and scholarship schemes established by traditional leaders.Originality/valueThe paper provides evidence to support the importance of traditional leadership, which has come under criticism from a democratisation perspective in contemporary times.

Empowering Women Through Education:- A CASE STUDY OF BIHAR

One of the main pillars of society development is the Empowerment of women via education, yet in Bihar, India, there are still inequalities that prevent women from realizing this basic right. This abstract summarizes a study project that aims to Analyze the complex environment of women's empowerment via education in Bihar and to identify important obstacles, opportunities, and routes to revolutionary change. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys to fully capture the subtleties of women's educational empowerment. to present a comprehensive picture of the current situation, the study evaluates access, quality, retention, and public attitudes regarding women's education. Assessing Enrollment rates across demographic groups, identifying obstacles to education, evaluating educational quality, investigating the socioeconomic effects of educational empowerment, and evaluating the function of how stakeholders may support education that is inclusive of all genders. Anticipated results comprise of implementable suggestions for policy modifications, interventions, and community campaigns targeted at promoting gender parity in education. In the end, this study aims to spark revolutionary change by imagining a time when women in Bihar would be able to realize their full potential via education, opening the door to a society that is more inclusive and egalitarian. Keywords:- Women , Empowerment , Gender , Education

Changing Effects of Birth Order on Education Over Time: Evidence From Cambodia

Despite the vast literature on birth-order effects in developing countries, there has been little research on their long-term changes. This study uses three population censuses of Cambodia to investigate how birth order affects educational attainments and how its effects changed over time. We estimate regressions with family fixed effects and cohort fixed effects, and present four findings. First, later-born children are less likely to enroll in primary school and gain literacy skills, and end up with fewer years of schooling than first-born children. Second, controlling for gender differences in education, we find smaller birth-order effects for girls. Third, there is a strong relationship between the gender composition of siblings and birth-order effects. Finally, not only have these birth-order effects attenuated over time but the relationship between the gender composition of siblings and birth-order effects has also changed. In the 1998 census, if the firstborn child is male, his sisters’ educational outcomes are influenced more by their birth order compared with his brothers. In contrast, in the 2019 census, if the firstborn child is male, his sisters' educational outcomes are less susceptible to birth-order effects compared with his brothers. Our findings indicate gendered economic disparities within households and their long-term changes.

The Educational Potential of Cyberfeminisms: An Intersectional Analysis of @coletivoandorinha, @feministasemmovimento and @feministas.pt profiles

Focusing on the dialogue between cyberfeminisms and education, through an intersectional perspective, this study combines the work of feminist authors such as Haraway (1991), DeLaurentis (2004), hooks (2013), Crenshaw (1991), and Butler (2011) with others recent works to address the following question: How do cyberfeminist Instagram profiles contribute to intersectional education for gender equality? To answer that, we analysed the profiles @coletivoandorinha, @feministasemmovimento and @feministas.pt between 2021 and 2023, using a qualitative method (Minayo, 2015), with semi-structured interviews to: 1. understand the strategies of the cyberfeminist profiles; 2. identify gender and race differences in the construction of cyberfeminist discourses; 3. identify the main challenges in translating cyberfeminist content into school vocabulary. Results show may enable understanding of how intersectionality is verifiable in cyberfeminist discourses, and how contents may prove adequate for educational purposes.

Equal Educational Opportunities: A Catalyst for Sustainable Economic Development

The study holds significance in revealing how ensuring fair access to education can fuel economic growth, promote social cohesion, and guide policymaking for sustainable development. The objective of current research is to empirically examine the relationship between gender disparity in educational attainment within social, and ecological systems. The data is collected for the period 1990-2022. In the presence of cross-sectional dependence 2nd generation unit root test is applied. CS-ARDL technique is considered to examine the short-run as well as the long-run relationship between Gender disparity in education and the socio-ecological system. Achieving environmental sustainability and minimizing our ecological footprints depend critically on gender parity in education. Equal access to high-quality education gives women the knowledge, analytical abilities, and self-assurance to stand up for their communities and themselves. Findings describe that in the long run, there is a statistically significant negative correlation between the GINI-Coefficient and school enrollment tertiary and School enrollment primary. This indicates that, over time, a decrease in income disparity is linked to an increase in enrolment in primary and postsecondary education. In the long run, the GINI-Coefficient and Secondary school enrollment has a positive and statistically significant relationship. The data in Model 2 appear to indicate that the relationship between education and environmental sustainability is more intricate than the EKC hypothesis predicts. Higher education can raise one's knowledge and understanding of environmental issues, but it can also increase consumption and have an adverse effect on the environment. The findings of the study suggest that implementing policies with the goal of removing obstacles to education based on gender. This could entail giving families financial incentives to send their daughters to school and making sure that all genders have access to high-quality education.

Digital literacy: a pathway toward empowering rural women

Purpose This study aims to investigate the connection between digital literacy and women’s empowerment in the rural Himachal Pradesh. It explores how improved digital skills contribute to increased empowerment among women with a specific focus on the role of education in enhancing digital literacy. Design/methodology/approach This study included 250 rural participants who completed structured questionnaires. Analytical tools, including independent-sample t-tests and partial least squares structural equation modeling, were applied to the data to gain insights into the relationship between digital literacy and women’s empowerment. Findings This study revealed a significant positive link between digital literacy and women’s empowerment in the rural Himachal Pradesh context. Education has emerged as a key factor that influences women’s digital skills and empowerment levels. Originality/value This research adds novelty by examining the digital literacy–women’s empowerment nexus in rural Himachal Pradesh and emphasizing the impact of education. The combination of statistical methods offers a robust approach to understanding this relationship and underscores the importance of digital inclusion and education for gender equality and women’s progress.