BarbMacLellan
Ms.MacLellan
Canada
Mock Trial – women and Girls Empowerment through Responsive Quality Education, March 16, 21
GWI
Education and training of women
SDG4 – Quality Education, SDG5 – Gender Equality, SDG 10 – Reduced Inequality
Building Peace through Women’s Education (2019), Women and STEM (2019)
The session was concerned mainly with the use of technology in education and to what extent the benefits or disadvantages girls and women. CFUW always advocates for equity in education not just for women and girls but for those with barriers to obtaining the highest levels of education they seek. This happens locally, nationally and internationally.
This session was held more in the form of a debate than a trial with 2 teams of 4 people each plus three judges who listened to the arguments and then made comments and rendered individual decisions as to the merits of each side. The speakers were well prepared and so a great deal of information was imparted as well as differing views expressed. This format was unique to this session and was an interesting approach to the topics. The mix of younger debaters and more experienced ones gave opportunities for the younger members to demonstrate their abilities and I would think also to learn from going through the process.
The debate topic was very current and made more so by the pandemic which has thrown the inequalities of different groups and genders with respect to access to educational technology and the means to benefit from it. This is crucial now but will be key even as we move out of the pandemic because the use of technology in education is here to stay and needs to be managed to best effect in future.
NFAs may want to formulate resolutions for within their own countries and also for the international level on this topic. There are plenty of opportunities to share information, experience and knowledge and to find models that work. These can then form part of the advocacy work on equality in education.
