Behind the screen: an inside look at gender inequality in Asia

Gender discrimination has it’s most glaring reflection in the education arena particularly in South Asian countries.  This publication clearly portrays the reality and reasons why nearly 16 million girls are not going to school in Asia. Plan Asia undertook two gender examinations to critically look at it’s education programmes, this document outlines the findings and recommendations following such action. Barriers were found in the family, in school and beyond, which take numerous forms. The underlying concern of the scan’s respondents is focused on making schools more effective in attracting and retaining girl students.

This book highlights the voices of children, parents, teachers, NGO staff and partners and also discusses the realities on the ground. Those interviewed bought up suggestions for change. It is these which are then highlighted by the authors as recommendations for accelerating gender equality. Areas covered by the authors include:

• advocacy and sensitisation in the home, school, and the community is a prerequisite for change
• change in the communities can be neither sustained nor easily scaled up unless it is supported by gender-responsive policies, and legal frameworks are introduced at the national level and enforced
• the challenge is how to make sure that knowledge and an understanding of gender issues motivate people to change their behaviour
• social mobilisation brings people together to raise awareness for achieving a particular objective. It involves identifying the organisations, institutions, groups, networks and other persons who can contribute. It builds the capacity of these groups in the process, so that they are able to garner resources, plan, carry out and monitor activities.