Country Experiences West and Central Africa Region GAC Meeting, 12 – 13 November 2007

UNICEFUNGEI UPDATE WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA Nigeria Girls’ Education Partnership Nigeria Girls’ Education Initiative (NGEI) established in 2003 Strategy for Accelerating Girls’ Education in Nigeria (SAGEN) SAGEN Plus is a network for all the partners (Government, Agencies, multi- and bilateral agencies, and NGOs) to help the Government implement the SAGEN Task forces are established at the State level where Girls’ Education Programmes (GEP) is implemented Partners: Government (The Federal MOE), UN Agencies (UNICEF, UNESCO, and the WB), Multilateral Agencies (ADB), Bilateral Agencies (DfID, USAID, and JICA), NGOs (national and state level NGOs)

UNICEFUNGEI UPDATE WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA Nigeria: National Policy on Gender in Basic Education Purpose: Ensure that gender is systematically mainstreamed into all components of the education sector Participatory Process: 1.Baseline study: Research on Gender in sample states (2005) 2.A Gender Policy Framework document presented to the Joint Consultative Committee for Education (JCCE) (2006 I) 3.The JCCE approved the policy and officially recommended it to the National Council on Education (NCE) (2006 II) 4.The Policy was approved by the NCE and finally endorsed by the Council of State in June Guidelines for Implementation JCCE: Federal Ministry of education (FME), State Ministry of Education, SUBEBs, LGEAs, Multi- and bilateral International Agencies, Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, NGOs, CSOs, FBOs, Traditional and Religious leaders e.t..c

UNICEFUNGEI UPDATE WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA Policy Objectives Ensure equal access: Advocacy and sensitization, free and compulsory basic education, Child Friendly Schools Principles, capacity building, gender friendly budgets, female teacher, incentives for girls, gender responsive curriculum. Ensure high level of retention and completion: Enact on Policies and Laws against Early Marriages, Girls’ Scholarship program for JS, Second Chance Education Programs, Girl Child Encouragement Clubs, reproductive health education, establishment of boarding schools.

UNICEFUNGEI UPDATE WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA Policy Objectives Resource mobilization and sustainability: 5 year strategic planning, multi-sources of funding, integrated into national and state education plans, multi-sources of funding, participation of all stakeholders at all levels, wide dissemination of the policy. Ensure an environment favorable to research, planning, implementation, M&E: planning for policy implementation, M&E Framework, gender capacity building of the Inspectorate, annual policy review meetings, impact studies, MTRs and 5 Yearly Evaluations

UNICEFUNGEI UPDATE WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA Next Steps Publication: Gender Policy and Implementation Guidelines Distribution of the documents Largely advocate for the policy through communication campaigns and the media. Advocacy and sensitization addressing the support from traditional and religious leaders Capacity building of the sector

UNICEFUNGEI UPDATE WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA Burkina Faso: Study on GE July 2007 Study: Identification of persistent obstacles to girls’ education, access, retention and achievement. UN in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. Study carried out in the 12 provinces with the largest gender disparities in education The study reiterated the following issues creating an obstacle towards girls’ education: Lack of a sound national policy that addresses free education and better integration of excluded children, particularly girls Traditional belief and practices continued in families (social role of girls, early marriage..) Low capacities on how to address the issue of gender equality in education. E,g. the local management committees and PTAs have a large impact on the school structure and its management and could have played a stronger role to advance the issue of getting girls to school The school itself is not providing an education that is gender responsive and the issue of security is pertinent for parents, particularly in terms of transition to secondary education (Maison communautaires des filles)