Baha'i News: Rethinking education for girls and women explored at UN

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Rethinking education for girls and women explored at UN

UNITED NATIONS, 7 March 2011 (BWNS) – The education of women and girls, which 
is critical to the advancement of society, should include elements that 
acknowledge the importance of spiritual and moral development.

That was among the main points of a statement and program of events offered by 
the Baha'i International Community (BIC) at the annual UN Commission on the 
Status of Women.  

Participants from Belize, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the 
United States, and Vietnam, made up the BIC delegation to the Commission, held 
from 22 February until 4 March. 

The theme of this year's event was "access and participation of women and girls 
to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of 
women's equal access to full employment and decent work." Government delegates 
and non-governmental organizations from around the world reflected the theme in 
speeches, panel discussions and workshops.


"Education and Training for the Betterment of Society"

In its statement to the Commission, the Baha'i International Community observed 
how, in the realm of education, "spiritual and moral development has often been 
divorced from intellectual and vocational training." 

"Imparting the ability to reflect on and apply spiritual, moral, and ethical 
principles will therefore be indispensable to the task of building a prospering 
world civilization," said the statement.

This also requires a re-thinking of educational processes. 

"Every educational program rests on fundamental assumptions about human 
nature...A child – far from an empty vessel waiting to be filled – must be seen 
as "a mine rich in gems of inestimable value," their treasures being revealed 
and developed for the benefit of mankind only through the agency of education," 
said the statement.


Curriculum reform

A panel discussion, titled "Rethinking Education for Girls and Women:  Beyond 
the Basic Curricula," was held at the BIC's New York offices on Wednesday 23 
February.

Among the panellists, Dr. Changu Mannathoko – Senior Policy Advisor on 
Education for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) – said that in many 
countries, the current curriculum for girls is too often focused on the 
expectation that they will do particular jobs.

"The present curriculum is not transformative enough for it to change the lives 
of girls and women," said Dr. Mannathoko.

What needs to happen instead, she said, is to ensure that opportunities for 
boys are also available to girls. "It can't be designed just for boys, it must 
be for both," she said.  

Dr. Mannathoko also spoke about the problem of HIV/AIDS in southern Africa and 
the need to look at gender behavior in terms of preventing rape and violence 
against women.  


Boys speak out

The Baha'i International Community also hosted a series of events sponsored by 
a coalition of non-governmental organizations, including the National Alliance 
of Women's Organizations (NAWO) from the United Kingdom.

An unusual aspect of the program was the participation – sponsored by Widows 
Rights International – of six young men and boys, who contributed their own 
fresh insights into what can be done to support equality.

At a workshop titled "Boys Speak Out," Charlie Clayton, 17, from the UK, 
reported on a school project in Sweden where gender equality was stressed from 
a young age. When both sexes were expected to work together equally, he said, 
the "boys were calmer and the girls were more confident."

Mibaku Mollel, 23, from Tanzania shared his experiences of engaging other young 
African men in assisting more than 130 widows in villages to apply for 
microloans to start businesses.  

"If more men and boys helped women, more women would have education. They would 
become teachers and the community would grow," said Mr. Mollel.


Creation of UN Women

One of the most discussed topics at this year's Commission was the creation of 
a new agency, UN Women.

Established by the United Nations General Assembly in July last year, UN Women 
consolidates the work on women's issues that was previously handled by four 
separate agencies. 

UN Women's leader, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, introduced 
herself to the Commission on 22 February, explaining the agency's aims.

"This is a vision of a world where women and men have equal rights and 
opportunities, and the principles of gender equality and women's empowerment 
are firmly integrated in the development, human rights, and peace and security 
agendas," said President Bachelet.

Over the past four years, a number of NGOs – including the Baha'i International 
Community – were deeply involved in supporting the creation of UN Women. 
Eventually, a coalition of more than 27 organizations in 50 countries joined 
the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) campaign, an effort that many 
say was critical in the effort to get UN Women approved by the General Assembly.

"We are very pleased about the creation of this new agency," said Bani Dugal, 
the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the 
United Nations. 

"It is an important step, and it will hopefully give greater impetus and 
coherence to the work of the United Nations in its work for gender equality and 
the advancement of women.

"Our hope now is that governments will fully fund UN Women, so that it can 
deliver on its promises. We also want UN Women to engage with civil society in 
a substantive manner at all levels, global, regional and national," said Ms. 
Dugal.



To read the article and full Baha'i International Community statement online, 
and view photographs, go to:
http://news.bahai.org/story/809



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