East Asia and Pacific Regional UNGEI

Progress summary on UNGEI EAP Regional Work Plan, 2011

(Includes Highlights of Work till April, 2012)

In 2011, the EAP UNGEI engaged in several initiatives. This brief report outlines activities and outputs/outcomes against elements of the workplan, and provides details on Knowledge management, advocacy and partnership efforts in the region. Also included are highlights and progress made until the time of preparation of this report (April, 2012).

Outcome 1: National-level policy frameworks to promote girls’ education and gender equality

Engagement in the Education Sector Review Meeting in Lao, PDR, as a first step in strengthening national partnership for gender work, March, 2012. Discussions included exploration on points of alignment with the Inclusive Education Strategy and Work Plan and have led to a larger focus on Laos engaging with UNGEI through its existing Education Sector Working Group (ESWG) or through its Inclusive Education Network. This particular strategy will require a different way of working: Being an active voice in already ongoing efforts, ensuring strengthened gender analyses of ongoing work in Inclusion.

Presentation in the ASEAN Civil Society/People’s Forum Conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, March, 2012: Panel discussion resulted in joint statement along with participating CSOs and NGOs, submitted to the ASEAN Council during the Summit, attended by High Level Officials.

Newsletters on a specific theme, every 2-3 months, uploaded on the UNGEI website, serve as evidence and reports on “best” practices for support in policymaking:

  • (2011) Why Boys Do Poorly in school
  • (2011) Gender, education and information and communication technologies (ICT)
  • (2011) Adolescence and gender equality in education
  • (2012) Migration and gender equality in education
  • (2012) Sports, play, recreation and gender equality in education

Joint statements were released on:

  • (2011) International Women's Day
  • (2011) Global EFA Action Week – along with lesson plan and drawing contest activity
  • (2011) World Teachers’ Day
  • (2012) International Women’s Day
  • (2012) Global EFA Action Week
  • (2012) World Day against Child Labour (pending)
  • (2012) International Girls’ Day (pending)

UNGEI calendar with advocacy messages, based on a photo contest until last year; changed to a drawing contest with entries from children of the region; featuring advocacy messages from various partners in the UNGEI network.

EAP UNGEI created and displayed a Gender Advocacy Cube at a national advocacy event in Thailand, April-May, 2012.

UNGEI draft advocacy video, based on children’s drawings, prepared and screened at the UNICEF EPO meetings, Chiang Mai, April 2012.

An earlier effort included an Advocacy guide for Evidence based Advocacy for Gender in Education, was developed and uploaded on the website; the partnership continues to use it and has also featured this on their own websites.

Highlights

  • GEMInfo uploaded and accessible online
  • Interim RFP provided report to the EFA TWG (December 15, 2011and April 30,2012)
  • Finalization of draft of the EFA End-of-Decade Progress Note (EDN). Report on Goal 5 prepared, submitted and revised for finalization by the core group of the EFA-TWG; Outlines clear policy recommendations, next steps and urgent priorities before 2015
  • Strengthening of collaborations through email with PNG priority country office: technical support in AGE committee workplan in PNG.

Outcome 2: Best practices in facilitating girls’ education and gender equality are known and institutionalized

Knowledge Management

Conducted a follow up study on the School-to-Work Transition Desk review that was published in 2008. We now have situation analyses going on in 4 countries: Indonesia and Philippines (based on updated desk reviews and some focus group discussion data); and two empirical studies using quantitative and qualitative methodologies (in China and PNG). The EAP UNGEI Secretariat organized and coordinated launch of these initiatives through an orientation workshop in both countries. The studies in China and PNG are also expected to provide thrust and momentum to career counseling and guidance initiatives for adolescent girls and boys in the two countries.

Conducted desk reviews and a regional Synthesis of the desk reviews on "Why Boys Do Poorly" in 4 countries: Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines and Thailand. Country reports and the regional synthesis will be published as an e-report. It is hoped that there will be impetus on programmatic initiatives. The regional synthesis of this report will be finalized by June 2012.

Development of the GEMInfo: Knowledge Management Portal. Data from various country initiatives have been periodically sent and entered into GEMInfo when available. Discussions on how to roll this out have now been linked and integrated with ongoing Sector Working Plan in Lao PDR. Points of alignment with the Inclusive Education Strategy and Work Plan are currently being explored. Discussions on these have led to a larger focus on Laos engaging with UNGEI through its existing Education Sector Working Group (ESWG) or through its Inclusive Education Network.

End Decade Note on Gender for EFA-TWG: This was completed and submitted to the TWG on EFA at the end of 2011.

Highlights

  • The 2008 desk review on School-to-Work Transition from a gender perspective wasrevised and finalized. Will be uploaded soon on EAP UNGEI website.
  • Updated desk reviews finalized and submitted by Philippines and Indonesia (led in the Philippines by PLAN and ILO, and by the ILO in Indonesia). EAP UNGEI provided technical inputs and comments in the process.
  • Four country desk studies conducted on the issue of “Why do boys do poorly” (Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand). Country reports have been submitted. Near-final report of the regional synthesis now available, and will be uploaded soon in its final form.
  • Drawing Contest for the 2012 gender calendar on the theme “How does education for girls and boys benefit us all?” completed, calendar published, very well received in the region and images have been used in other advocacy initiatives (e.g. IdeaCube and advocacy video).

Outcome 3: UNGEI facilitates an effective partnership for girls’ education

Highlights

  • Regional evaluation report received and shared with key partners.
  • EAP UNGEI Management response to the evaluation submitted.
  • 5 bi-monthly meetings organized in 2011, well attended by regional partners:
  • February, hosted by UNESCO Bangkok
  • April, hosted by CISCO
  • July, hosted by CISCO
  • September, hosted by Plan Thailand
  • December, hosted by UNESCO Bangkok
  • 2 bi-monthly meetings organized in 2012:
  • February, hosted by UNESCO Bangkok
  • April, hosted by Plan Thailand
  • New partners joined the regional membership:
  • VSO
  • UNWomen
  • World Education
  • The Girl Guides (Girl Scouts) Association of Thailand
  • ZOA Refugee Care
  • Active participation in the International Women’s Day Planning with the TWG-GEEW; EAP UNGEI and in the working group on Gender Statistics
  • Preliminary planning with Laos for strengthening of national partnership and collaboration
  • UNGEI IdeaCubeparticipation and launch for Advocacy relating to Gender in Education in Bangkok

Constraints/enablers

  • Constraints
  • Mobilization of financial resources for initiating joint activities among partners.
  • Mobilizations of country level partnerships for gender equality in education.
  • Lack of resources and time insome EAP Country Offices in UNGEI or gender issues in education.
  • Perceived lack of shared understandings on what a country partnership means and entails.
  • Enablers
  • Active engagement of some core EAP UNGEI members in taking initiatives.
  • Close coordination and cooperation with the RTWG on EFA.

Ongoing meetings and initiatives to strengthen partnership

  • Virtual conferencing facilities to involve traveling partners, and other sub-regional and national representatives to participate in meetings
  • Joint Seminars and Workshops
  • Malacca, Malaysia / October 2010: SEAMEO Regional Seminar on Girls’ Education
  • Bangkok, Thailand / March 2011: ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW) and Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women,
  • Bangkok, Thailand / August 2011: Plan International’s Regional Gender Meeting
  • Bangkok, Thailand / August 2011: Synthesis workshop: School-to-Work Transition Information Bases in Asia and the Pacific and the Role of the UNEVOC Network
  • Chiang Mai, Thailand / October 2011: Regional Conference on Women’s Literacy; Orientation on EFAInfo and GEMInfo; Hands on session on EFAInfo and Gender Info Systems
  • Bangkok, Thailand / February 2012: UNGEI Room-to-Read Networking event, UNESCO Bangkok
  • Bangkok, Thailand / March 2012: UNGEI participation in International Women’s Day, Chulalongkorn University
  • Bangkok, Thailand / March 2012: UNGEI representation at TWG-GEEW, UNESCAP
  • Vientiane, Lao PDR / March 2012: Exploratory foray for potential National Gender Partnership, Education Sector Review Meeting
  • Phnom Penh, Cambodia / April 2012: UNGEI representation as part of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference (ACSC)/ASEAN People’s Forum (APF)
  • Chiang Mai, Thailand / April 2012: UNICEF EAPR Education Chief’s Meeting: Presentation on UNGEI
  • UNGEI Advocacy IdeaCube on Display at Siam Discover Center, 6th Floor. Based on drawings from children in the region. A novel initiative to obtain SMS responses from viewers of this exhibit on what they consider a high quality education for boys and girls, also accompanies this exhibit, in an attempt to monitor the effectiveness of the advocacy

Planned activities for 2012

  • Under discussion for activities under the UNGEI Banner
  • Collaboration on hosting a high level policy advocacy event on the new International Day of the Girl Child and co-hosting of the BIAAG launch with PLAN International
  • UNICEF, UNESCO, ILO and PLAN: Continued collaborations on STW.
  • UNICEF, UNESCO, SEAMEO, ASPBAE: Joint activity (possibly the STW).
  • Representation of UNGEI and UNICEF in the TWG-GEEW; Collaboration will continue for International Women’s Day and through the Working Group on Gender Statistics.
  • Other potential initiatives proposed for discussion for the year include:
  • Active engagement in emerging national initiatives on gender equality (Laos, Philippines) to explore possible national level UNGEI networks.
  • Multimedia product(s) (e.g. video presentation) to raise awareness about UNGEI and its work.

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