Exploring the link between gender attitudes and learning in Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, and Niger

• In Event: The Equity Initiative: Creating an Environment for Gender Equity

Proposal

SDG5 – achieve gender quality and empowerment for all women and girls – and SDG 4 - ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all –are a global call to action to address the root causes of gender disparities. What does this mean in practice? What are the root causes? While there is no one-size-fits all approach, there is mounting evidence that meaningful and sustainable progress towards gender equality requires a focus on social norms, specifically those that dictate a gender-based division of roles, power and status. It follows that in order to track global progress towards gender equality, we need to measure these norms and their change over time. This presentation presents findings from pilot measures of gender norms among early adolescents and caregivers. Drawing on data from program sites in Cote d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone, we present an analysis of the individual, household and community-level predictors of attitudes towards gender norms related to education and sexuality. Next, we explore the relation between gender norms and literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional competencies. We conclude with a discussion of the strengths and limitations of this approach to measuring gender norms, and a discussion of how these findings are being used to inform program design and implementation.

Author

• Jane Leer, Save the Children - USA