“Launch of Report on Gender Equality in Education”

Asia South Pacific Association for Basic Adult Education (ASPBAE) in collaboration with National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and BUNYAD Foundation organized a launching ceremony of a ‘Report on Gender Equality in Education’ on 26^th January 2011. Chairperson NCHD and Co-Chair United Nations Girls Education Initiative (UNGEI) in Pakistan Dr. Nafisa Shah MNA was the Chief Guest at the occasion.

The report looks through a gender lens and analyses the steps governments have taken, to make education for all a reality. According to the report, 40% of girls in Pakistan are not enrolled in schools and there is an urgent need to restore dilapidated school buildings and get qualified teachers. The Report calls for action for national governments to ensure that every woman & girl receives her right to a meaningful education.

Talking at the occasion, Chairperson NCHD Dr. Nafisa Shah said that educating girls should be a national obsession in Pakistan as “Investing in girls’ education is the most effective way to pursue a broad range of critical development objectives. “Education is one of the major enterprises of the 21^st century to cater the needs of individuals in global economy and knowledge society; and our Government is bent upon bringing an end to gender disparity in education in accordance with the Dakar Framework for Action”, she added.

She said that NCHD focuses on “Education For All (EFA)” targets that is a global commitment of the international community to advance the right to education for all and meet the needs of all the children, youth and adults by 2015. The EFA contributes to the MDG of universal primary education and gender equality in education.

Previously, Director General NCHD made a presentation regarding rural women and education. The event was attended by various stakeholders, educationists, and policy makers both from public and private sectors