Right to Safe Access to Education for All Girls (Open)

The 31st Conference reaffirms Resolutions 1992/1, 1998/1 and 1998/9:

Education for All and Literacy (1992, No. 1)

that NFAs of GWI work towards the implementation of and urge their respective governments to affirm and implement:

• the right of all people to education as asserted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN -1948) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN -1966);
• the World Declaration on Education for All, and to work to achieve the goals set down in the framework for Action to meet Basic Learning Needs as adopted at Jomtien, Thailand, by the World Conference for Education for All – Meeting Basic Learning Needs 1990; and
• to provide funding for functional literacy programmes.

and: The Right to Education (1998, No. 1)

• to reaffirm the Resolution of the 24th Conference that NFAs work towards the implementation of, and urge their respective governments to affirm and implement the right of all people to education as asserted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UN – 1948) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN – 1966);
• to recommend to NFAs that they continue their efforts to overcome social, economic and political barriers to higher education and facilitate access to education for all people;
• to recommend to NFAs that they campaign to ensure that women are not further disadvantaged by changes to higher education systems which are driven by economic considerations, rather than by values appropriate to education and research.

and: Violence at School (1998, No. 9)

that NFAs urge their respective Ministries of National Education and other concerned Ministries to:

• take effective action to counter all forms of violence at school and ensure the security of all those at risk, with particular concern for the safety of young girls and teenagers; and
• develop awareness of the need to counter all forms of violence, ranging from bullying to sexual aggression and drug addiction, and to include education for peace in the programmes of all concerned Ministries.

and wishes to update them with the following addition:

The 31st GWI Conference resolves that:

1. National Federations and Associations (NFAs) urge their respective governments to take effective action to support girls and women who are seeking, attending and promoting education at all levels amongst all countries where educational access is low, unsafe and/or at risk, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan;

2. GWI uses its standing committees and consultative role with the UN, UNICEF, and other international bodies to assist in the implementation of this resolution.

 

Suggested Action:

1. NFAs continue to take effective action to counter all forms of violence directed at those women and girls and seek to improve the security of all those at risk; and

2. NFAs should identify their government’s position in relation to education of women and girls in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries where participation in or completion of education is low or at risk;

3. NFAs should advocate that their government take or continue to take action to support access of girls and women to education in such countries.

4. NFAs should monitor:

a. the response of their governments to such advocacy, and

b. the extent to which any governments actions are successful;

5. NFAs should consider developing supportive contacts with graduate women in Afghanistan and affected countries and use those links to help support local grassroots activities;

6. GWI should advocate and take action at an international level to influence the UN and other relevant bodies to promote safe and accessible education, particularly in those countries where access and participation in education is low or at risk; and

7. NFAs and GWI take appropriate action to raise awareness on these issues whenever the opportunity presents itself.