Occupying the nexus of mutable perspectives, concepts and approaches to girls' education: Reflections from the Girls' Education Challenge

• In Event: Problematising ‘Girls' Education' and what is needed to progress the debate

Proposal

The Girls' Education Challenge (GEC) is a 13-year, £855m FCDO-funded programme that aims to improve the educational opportunities of the world's most marginalised girls. It is the largest and longest-standing global fund for girls' education. It has interfaced with several actors with distinctive political and economic histories, priorities, and identities at the national and international levels. This includes policymakers, funders, researchers, practitioner implementers, activists, system actors and, of course, girls themselves.

Through these relationships, the GEC offers reflections on how the girls' education discourse has been defined and shaped by these actors' motivations, approaches and biases, as well as the relationalities and oppositions between them. As one of the largest global funds in girls' education, we interface with many girls' education actors. This privileged position means that the GEC observes and understands stakeholder approaches, interpretations and biases. This presentation will also reflect on the tensions experienced by the GEC given its embeddedness within this nexus of perspectives, our role as a 'broker' or 'translator' at times, and what is often unseen under-theorised and why. In this middle position, the GEC can see complexity while balancing the need for simplicity in measurement and aggregation. We appreciate theorisation but need to translate this to a different audience. In addition, while appreciating theorisation, we also bring the knowledge of what is implementable.

In holding up a mirror to the girls' education space, we aim to heighten actors' reflexivity and self-awareness of where and why their (and others') ideas, thinking and messages may get lost. With greater consciousness surrounding connections and disconnections, it is hoped that greater alignment can be made and that difference amongst actors can be used as a lever, as opposed to a barrier, for change.

While it is recognised that a particular audience will attend this presentation, there is an opportunity cost for not raising these issues (inappropriate design, funding policies, lack of effectiveness/efficiency and redressing the imbalance of power). If we want better educational opportunities for girls, then we want everyone acting in this space to be more in alignment with each other, thoughtful and aware of the different pathways and positions from which all stakeholders come. Greater alignment can be made, and differences amongst actors can be used as a lever, as opposed to a barrier, for change.

Author

• Sharon Tao, Girls' Education Challenge