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East Asia and Pacific United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative Newsletter Issue No. 5: June 2010 In Focus: Ensuring Gender Equality in Education during Emergencies Gender in Education in Emergencies By: Gary Ovington, UNICEF Access to education is often threatened in a time of crisis. In an emergency – whether natural disaster or conflict – some consider food, water and shelter to be immediate priorities and education an optional luxury. However, education is a crucial part of emergency response due to its role in saving and sustaining lives. First, education offers a safe space and thus provides physical, cognitive and psychosocial protection reducing the potential for physical harm, exploitation and violence. Second, education offers normality and stability and so contributes to the healing process. Third, it provides lifesaving information. For example, education systems may deliver critical health and hygiene messages during disease outbreaks such as cholera and malaria, which are exacerbated in emergencies due to closer living conditions, including overcrowding in camps, or inform families about immunizing their children. Children can also be taught what to do in an earthquake or how to swim in floodprone areas. Fourth, education is critical for the development needs of children and youth. Finally, the reestablishment of education services is vital for longterm recovery, providing an opportunity to build back better, to create more peaceful and prosperous societies. Gender plays a significant role in the delivery of education in complex emergency situations. Emergencies have a differential impact on men and women, boys and girls. For example, many more women than men died in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. This happened for a number of reasons: women were more likely to be home or taking their baths in the sea; in many locations men were further out to sea and so were safer; and women, often encumbered with children, were physically less able to escape to higher ground. In conflict situations, men and young boys are at greater risk of recruitment into combat, while women and girls may be forced to serve as sex slaves or cooks. Women are also increasingly targeted for rape or sexual exploitation by fighting forces and can be subjected to sexual violence and exploitation or even by the men of their own community and family. Even in natural disasters, sexual violence and exploitation of women and girls can increase, particularly if displaced families are crowded into poorly designed camps without adequate lighting and separate toilet facilities for females. These gender differences have important implications for ensuring that all boys and girls have You are receiving this email because you are part of the East Asia and Pacific UNGEI mailing list. We encourage you to share the content of this News letter with friends and colleagues. To subscribe to the mailing list, please visit this link: http://www.ungei.org/infobycountry/2253_2290.html. If you would like further details on the contents of this issue, please email us at [email protected]. Our mailing address is: East Asia and Pacific UNGEI, c/o UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 10 Phra Atit Rd, Bangkok 10200 Thailand. Our telephone is: +6623569499. Copyright (C) 2010 East Asia and Pacific UNGEI. All rights reserved. UNICEF/NYHQ2008-1272/Josh Estey A girl from Ban Talaynok primary school which was destroyed by the tsunami, on the coast in Ranong Province, places her wish on a 'Tree of Happiness'. UNICEF/NYHQ2008-1272/Josh Estey A father drives his three daughters home from school on his motorcycle. The girls attend SDN Peukan Bada Elementary School in Aceh Besar District in Aceh Province on Sumatra Island. The entire district was devastated by the tsunami.

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East Asia and Pacific United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative Newsletter Issue No. 5: June 2010

In Focus: Ensuring Gender Equality in Education during Emergencies

Gender in Education in Emergencies By: Gary Ovington, UNICEF

Access to education is often threatened in a time of crisis. In an emergency – whether natural disaster or conflict – some consider food, water and shelter to be immediate priorities and education an optional luxury.

However, education is a crucial part of emergency response due to its role in saving and sustaining lives. First, education offers a safe space and thus provides physical, cognitive and psychosocial protection reducing the potential for physical harm, exploitation and violence. Second, education offers normality and stability and so contributes to the healing process. Third, it provides life‐saving information. For example, education systems may deliver critical health and hygiene messages during disease outbreaks such as cholera and malaria, which are exacerbated in emergencies due to closer living conditions, including overcrowding in camps, or inform families about immunizing their children. Children can also be taught what to do in an earthquake or how to swim in flood‐prone areas. Fourth, education is critical for the development needs of children and youth. Finally, the

re‐establishment of education services is vital for long‐term recovery, providing an opportunity to build back better, to create more peaceful and prosperous societies. Gender plays a significant role in the delivery of education in complex emergency situations. Emergencies have a differential impact on men and women, boys and girls. For example, many more women than men died in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. This happened for a number of reasons: women were more likely to be home or taking their baths in the sea; in many locations men were further out to sea and so were safer; and women, often encumbered with children, were physically less able to escape to higher ground. In conflict situations, men and young boys are at greater risk of recruitment into combat, while women and girls may be forced to serve as sex slaves or cooks. Women are also increasingly targeted for rape or sexual exploitation by fighting forces and can be subjected to sexual violence and exploitation or even by the men of their own community and family. Even in natural disasters, sexual violence and exploitation of women and girls can increase, particularly if displaced families are crowded into poorly designed camps without adequate lighting and separate toilet facilities for females.

These gender differences have important implications for ensuring that all boys and girls have

You are receiving this email because you are part of the East Asia and Pacific UNGEI mailing list. We encourage you to share the content of this News letter with friends and colleagues. To subscribe to the mailing list, please visit this link: http://www.ungei.org/infobycountry/2253_2290.html. If you would like further details on the contents of this issue, please email us at [email protected]. Our mailing address is: East Asia and Pacific UNGEI, c/o UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 10 Phra Atit Rd, Bangkok 10200 Thailand. Our telephone is: +662‐356‐ 9499. Copyright (C) 2010 East Asia and Pacific UNGEI. All rights reserved.

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A girl from Ban Talaynok primary school which was destroyed by the tsunami, on the coast in Ranong Province, places her wish on a 'Tree of Happiness'.

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A father drives his three daughters home from school on his motorcycle. The girls attend SDN Peukan Bada Elementary School in Aceh Besar District in Aceh Province on Sumatra Island. The entire district was devastated by the tsunami.

access to relevant educational opportunities. Jackie Kirk (UNESCO 2006) suggests the following strategies:

Locate schools and learning spaces close to the learners’ homes and away from different kinds of

dangers, such as soldiers’ quarters and dense bush.

Involve community members to ensure safe travel to and from school, particularly for girls.

Proactively recruit women teachers and provide support for additional professional development

activities to complete these teachers’ own education.

Time classes to enable girls and boys with other responsibilities to attend.

Provide childcare facilities for women teachers and girl‐mother students.

Provide sanitary materials and facilities for girls and women teachers.

Provide school feeding programs or take‐home rations for girls (and for the babies of girl mothers).

Engage girls and boys in the preparation of a ‘missing‐out map’ – that is, a map of the children in the

community who are currently not in school – and in the design of gender‐ responsive education

programs to reach out‐of‐school children.

Of course, many of the strategies employed to ensure inclusive access to and quality of education are also applicable to pre‐emergency situations. But they become more pressing during crisis. If vulnerable girls and boys do not have access to opportunities prior to an emergency, it is even more challenging to provide for them once a crisis strikes. This highlights the critical importance of preparedness and risk reduction. Using sex‐disaggregated data and gender‐sensitive analysis, we need to identify the most vulnerable children now and ensure that they have access to quality education sooner. Thus, the worst outcomes for vulnerable groups can be prevented – before disaster strikes. References:

IASC Gender Handbook in Humanitarian Action: Women, Girls, Boys and Men: Different Needs – Equal Opportunities, IASC, 2006. http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/iasc/gender

Education in Emergencies: The Gender Implications – Advocacy Brief, Jackie Kirk, UNESCO Bangkok, 2006.

Education in Emergencies: Including Everyone: INEE Pocket Guide to Inclusive Education. INEE, February 2009.

Women and Girls as Significant Actors in Education in Emergency Situations By: Bekti Andari, Plan International Padang, West Sumatra, 30 September 2009 A major earthquake struck Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia on 30 September 2009. Data from the West Sumatra Disaster Management Agency showed that at least 1,000 people were killed and hundreds of people were internally displaced. Kota Pariaman was one of the districts worst affected by the earthquake. In this

district, 94% of schools were damaged, most of them elementary schools – a major challenge for children’s education. To get as many children back into school as possible, Plan has built 10 temporary elementary schools, replacing those which were severely damaged or destroyed by the earthquake. Plan’s temporary schools replaced the hot and uncomfortable temporary schools previously used, made from orange tarpaulins. Soon after the schools were ready, the teachers, girls and boys actively worked together in decorating the

classrooms with colorful paintings. The activity was both a trauma healing exercise and a measure to make the classrooms more child‐friendly. The pictures depicted various educational themes, such as the food chain, the process of photosynthesis, human anatomy, and flora and fauna.

Djuneidi Saripurnawan/Plan WSER

A Transitional or Temporary School in Naras Hilir Village, Kota Pariaman, supported by Plan.

You are receiving this email because you are part of the East Asia and Pacific UNGEI mailing list. We encourage you to share the content of this News letter with friends and colleagues. To subscribe to the mailing list, please visit this link: http://www.ungei.org/infobycountry/2253_2290.html. If you would like further details on the contents of this issue, please email us at [email protected]. Our mailing address is: East Asia and Pacific UNGEI, c/o UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 10 Phra Atit Rd, Bangkok 10200 Thailand. Our telephone is: +662‐356‐ 9499. Copyright (C) 2010 East Asia and Pacific UNGEI. All rights reserved.

Girls and women typically play a significant role in Padang society. Padang has a unique matrilineal system, whereby inheritance passes from mothers to daughters. Padang women are also seen as being particularly forthright and powerful. Men, as they reach adulthood, often migrate to other places and usually work as traders. Plan also has carefully considered the social capital of the local matrilineal system through local women networks to assist the in‐kind (non‐food) aid delivery to the target beneficiaries. The women networks has proven to be efficient and fair in reaching the target beneficiaries. Girls and women were also active in the recovery process through education. As an illustration, the rehabilitated schools have brought back 1,234 pupils – 45% of them girls. Additionally, 109 teachers are teaching, nearly 90% of them female. Each of the 10 temporary schools has a female principal. Plan built the temporary schools relatively close to their original locations in order to be safe and accessible for children. To deal with the psychosocial problems faced by children, 102 teachers were trained in Psychosocial and Creative Education Methods for Children and 98% of the trainees were women. For more information, please contact Djuneidi.Saripurnawan@plan‐international.org (Plan WSER).

Quality Education: Fostering Foundations for Gender Equality in Emergency Situations By: Joel Bacha, UNICEF A vision of quality Imagine a school where teachers, students, parents and the local community invest in education and learning together; a school where students are empowered to collaborate with the wider community to solve real‐life problems in line with the curriculum. This is a school where teachers aim to foster values as well as life skills and new knowledge, where students take part in decision‐making and feel connected to their learning environment, and a school where gender equality is the norm and gender issues are discussed openly1. Gender and education in emergencies Emergency situations often threaten the delivery of education in affected communities. Aside from factors

such as social disturbance and damage to infrastructure, attitudes to gender can play a role in determining the quality of, and even access to, education. In emergency situations, stereotypical gender roles can be more easily accepted and acted upon, even if they go against the grain of gender equality (UNESCO, 2006). This may mean that opportunities for boys and girls to receive a quality education can be limited or even removed. Following a flood or earthquake, for example, girls may be tasked with fetching water or staying at home to care for their family (GWTF, 2006). During conflict situations, boys are at risk of being recruited by militant groups. As infrastructure fails, protection systems also break down, increasing the risk of

exploitation and violence, especially among girls, with longer walks to school and limited availability of separate sanitation facilities (INEE, 2008). As a result, many boys and girls may not attend school or are forced to drop out. Even if boys and girls do go to school, issues of gender equality can be compounded by the limited quality of teaching and learning. Crash‐course teacher training may only cover the basics of class management, leaving 1 What constitutes quality education will ultimately vary from context to context. The vision presented here attempts to portray some of the general characteristics of ‘quality’ as perceived by several countries in East Asia and the Pacific region.

Quality Education –students, parents and teachers designing a

UNICEF/Thailand Office, August 2008

Girls and Boys in Classroom Decorating Activity in Kota Pariaman.

Djuneidi Saripurnawan/Plan WSER

You are receiving this email because you are part of the East Asia and Pacific UNGEI mailing list. We encourage you to share the content of this News letter with friends and colleagues. To subscribe to the mailing list, please visit this link: http://www.ungei.org/infobycountry/2253_2290.html. If you would like further details on the contents of this issue, please email us at [email protected]. Our mailing address is: East Asia and Pacific UNGEI, c/o UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 10 Phra Atit Rd, Bangkok 10200 Thailand. Our telephone is: +662‐356‐ 9499. Copyright (C) 2010 East Asia and Pacific UNGEI. All rights reserved.

out strategies for mainstreaming gender into lessons. When faced with large, multi‐grade classes, even regular teachers may be unable to ensure that lessons relate to both boys and girls appropriately. These challenges are exacerbated during an emergency. For learning materials, teachers often have to rely on using ‘whatever is available’ during emergencies with limited concern for gender bias or gender stereotyping (UNESCO, 2006).

How can quality help? Emergency preparedness strategies are making great strides to mainstream gender into education content before emergencies strike, as well as during response and recovery phases. These strategies can be complemented by building a foundation for quality education and gender equality through, for example, transformative approaches to education where processes such as experiential learning, project‐based learning, and involving the school community play a central role in teaching and learning. Communities where quality education and gender equality are already an integral part of the social structure will arguably be more resilient during emergency situations in adapting to education and gender challenges. Families who value education and gender equality are more likely to find ways to educate their children during an emergency situation, and effectively overcome some of the risks that gender issues may otherwise raise. When the help of boys or girls at home cannot be avoided during an emergency, for instance, parents and schools can work together to adjust timetables to enable children to attend lessons. When infrastructure has collapsed, parents and others can form community groups to, for example, ensure that longer distances to school are safer for girls and that separate and safe sanitation facilities are available for boys and girls in their learning environment. Students who are accustomed to a transformative learning environment also have the potential to promote gender equality during emergency response and recovery. Where there are a limited number of teachers, child‐to‐child approaches, from older to younger, can be encouraged to ensure that younger boys and girls receive appropriate attention. Older children, in the process, can develop a sense of responsibility by playing a valuable part in response and recovery efforts. Students who are also familiar with gender equality can help guide new teachers through gender mainstreaming approaches during lessons, such as employing mixed groups, considering the needs of both boys and girls in the learning environment and appointing girl/boy leadership roles to assist with lessons. The knowledge, values and social‐emotional skills fostered through quality education have the potential to support communities to adapt to emergency situations. Arguably a school community already engaged in quality education processes before an emergency strikes will be better positioned to adapt and alleviate gender inequalities during response and recovery phases and beyond. References:

UNESCO. 2006. Education in emergencies: The gender implications. Bangkok: UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education.

INEE. 2008. Enhancing the provision fo quality and equitable education programmes and policies. Retrieved 25 April 2010 from http://www.ineesite.org/uploads/documents/store/INEE_Tools_Gender.pdf

GWTF. 2006. Gender, water and sanitation: A policy brief. New York: UN‐Water.

Training Approaches to Access to Education in Emergencies for Girls and Vulnerable Groups from UNICEF’s Asia Pacific Shared Services Centre (APSSC) By: Melinda Smith, Education in Emergencies Consultant, APSSC Emergencies often exacerbate the barriers to education for girls and other excluded groups that already exist in non‐emergency situations. Any training package on education in emergencies needs to address the issues of gender and inclusion, since the access to education, regardless of circumstance, is a basic right of all children.

Quality Education– students, parents and teachers designing a school improvement plan in a UNICEF Thailand Child Friendly School.

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You are receiving this email because you are part of the East Asia and Pacific UNGEI mailing list. We encourage you to share the content of this News letter with friends and colleagues. To subscribe to the mailing list, please visit this link: http://www.ungei.org/infobycountry/2253_2290.html. If you would like further details on the contents of this issue, please email us at [email protected]. Our mailing address is: East Asia and Pacific UNGEI, c/o UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 10 Phra Atit Rd, Bangkok 10200 Thailand. Our telephone is: +662‐356‐ 9499. Copyright (C) 2010 East Asia and Pacific UNGEI. All rights reserved.

UNICEF’s APSSC Education in Emergencies section is currently conducting training on education in emergencies in all countries in the region. The training package includes a module on Gender and Inclusion, which focuses not only on emergency response measures to ensure access to girls and other vulnerable groups, but also on preparedness measures prior to an emergency. The training package is targeted to education sector partners, including education ministries, UNICEF education officers, NGOs and community organizations involved in delivering education in emergencies. There are four parts to the session. The first is an introduction to the gender perspective, to ensure that participants have a common framework for understanding gender and access issues. Concepts of

sex, gender, gender equality and gender equity are defined. The next part is a lively role play in which teams of participants are asked to develop and dramatize instances of denials of access to education in emergency situations. Teams are first given different role play cards that describe situations of exclusion for various vulnerable groups. Then team members act out these scenarios, and the participants must guess which excluded group is being portrayed.

Next, participants work in their teams to identify the types of barriers to education access that might exist for their assigned group. Barriers may include economic issues (families are too poor after an emergency to afford school fees), community beliefs and practices (girls get married off after emergencies at an early age since education may not be prioritized), and infrastructure barriers (distance from schools for rural children which might be exacerbated after emergencies). Finally, groups brainstorm a range of inclusion strategies to overcome the barriers that exist after emergencies. Examples of these strategies are provided in the training materials: Once participants have considered emergency responses to guarantee access to education, they are asked to generate a list of steps to be taken prior to an emergency to mitigate the impacts on excluded groups. What emerges is a list of best practices for gender and inclusion strategies that should be applied in a development context and thus mitigate the impacts in an emergency. EiE Frontline Responders Training available through APSSC. For more information, please contact Gary Ovington, Senior Emergency Education Advisor at [email protected].

UNICEF/NYHQ2008-1272/Josh Estey

(Left) Herlisa Nadiya Putri works with her teacher and other classmates during an arts and crafts class with other Grade-6 students, at SDN Peukan Bada Elementary School in Aceh Besar District in Aceh Province on Sumatra Island. The entire district was devastated by the tsunami.

Girls Involve communities and local authorities in designing strategies to bring girls to school.

Offer reduced or flexible hours in the classroom.

Assess ways of ensuring safe routes to school.

Install water points at schools and make schools more accessible for girls, i.e., separate latrines for boys and girls.

Children with disabilities

Outreach/sensitisation of community on importance of education for disabled children.

Provide special transport when needed by bicycle, vehicle or wheelbarrow. Minority children

Introduce bilingual education for children including the use of teaching in their mother tongues.

Include representatives of minority groups on school management committees.

You are receiving this email because you are part of the East Asia and Pacific UNGEI mailing list. We encourage you to share the content of this News letter with friends and colleagues. To subscribe to the mailing list, please visit this link: http://www.ungei.org/infobycountry/2253_2290.html. If you would like further details on the contents of this issue, please email us at [email protected]. Our mailing address is: East Asia and Pacific UNGEI, c/o UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 10 Phra Atit Rd, Bangkok 10200 Thailand. Our telephone is: +662‐356‐ 9499. Copyright (C) 2010 East Asia and Pacific UNGEI. All rights reserved.

UNGEI Global Conference ‐ “Engendering Empowerment: Education and Equality (E4)” By: Maki Hayashikawa, UNICEF Dakar, Senegal, 17‐20 May 2010 This year marks the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI). In celebrating this 10th birthday of UNGEI, to further galvanize its actions and contribute to the global efforts to realize the right of all girls to education and promoting gender equality in education by 2015, a global conference entitled “Engendering Empowerment: Education and Equality”, or “E4” in short, was organized in Dakar Senegal from 17 to 20 May 2010. This year, the Conference returned to its “birthplace”, Dakar, and gave added significance and boost to the UNGEI commitment to action.

The importance of the conference was also demonstrated by the presence of the Prime Minister of Senegal at the Opening Ceremony, along with the Minister of Preschool, Primary and Lower Secondary Education and National Language of Senegal who chaired both the opening and closing sessions. The new Executive Director of UNICEF, Mr. Anthony Lake reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to the cause of girls’ education and gender equality and also shared his strong personal belief in the UNGEI vision: “A world where all girls and boys are empowered through quality education to realize their full potential and contribute to transforming societies where gender equality becomes a reality”. The conference also featured remarks by the Director of UNESCO Africa Regional Bureau of Education and aired video messages from prominent singers and activists from the region.

The over‐arching goal of the conference was “[t]o harness the power of partnerships to improve girls’ access to quality education globally”. This was to be achieved by (a) recommitting accountable partners to the gender‐related actions agreed at the 2000 World Education Forum in Dakar, and (b) consolidating the public and policy debates needed around girls’ education to explore and understand the broader issues of gender equity and disparity in education. This conference was organized in close partnership with the Institute of Education, University of London, with the strong support of the Global Advisory Committee, and coordinated by the UNGEI Secretariat. The Institute of Education developed the theoretical framework for thematic issues, facilitating on‐line discussions prior to the event and guiding working group sessions during the conference. The conference brought together over 230 participants in total from around the world, a majority being from the Africa region, consisting of senior policy makers, practitioners on the ground, researchers and representatives from international organizations, NGOs and CSOs – anyone who works on gender and education. From the East Asia Pacific region, Papua New Guinea participated in the Conference, and Afghanistan and Pakistan participated from the South Asia region. The Conference was divided into three thematic streams that were not only relevant but also seen as strategic to achieving the goal of gender equality in education: Poverty (intersecting with inequalities); Violence; and Quality (“Beyond Access”). Under each thematic stream, issues such as health, climate change and participation were addressed as cross‐cutting issues relating to girls’ education. A common thread throughout the conference sessions was to discuss and tackle the questions of partnership, participation and power for gender equality in education.

At the end of the conference, outputs from plenary discussions and working group sessions were integrated into a one‐page declaration in both English and French. The “Dakar Declaration on Accelerating Girls Education and Gender Equality” was unanimously adopted by the participants, which called for urgent action in support of girls’ right to education, gender equality and empowerment with a strong focus on the most marginalized children. It recalled that “poor quality of education, extreme poverty, structural inequality and violence against girls”, as well as emergencies, HIV and AIDS, are threatening the achievements of education and gender responsive EFA and MDGs by 2015.The Declaration also suggested key actions that should be taken in relations to each thematic stream. The Declaration concluded with a strong renewed vision statement of a “world where there is no more need for a special initiative for girls’ education”. After all, if UNGEI’s vision is achieved, the world should be transformed where gender equality becomes a reality and all girls and boys are empowered through quality education, and their full potentials realized! All documents related to the conference are available at the UNGEI global website, including the Dakar Declaration at http://www.ungei.org.

Group photo at the E4 Conference, May 2010.

You are receiving this email because you are part of the East Asia and Pacific UNGEI mailing list. We encourage you to share the content of this News letter with friends and colleagues. To subscribe to the mailing list, please visit this link: http://www.ungei.org/infobycountry/2253_2290.html. If you would like further details on the contents of this issue, please email us at [email protected]. Our mailing address is: East Asia and Pacific UNGEI, c/o UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 10 Phra Atit Rd, Bangkok 10200 Thailand. Our telephone is: +662‐356‐ 9499. Copyright (C) 2010 East Asia and Pacific UNGEI. All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because you are part of the East Asia and Pacific UNGEI mailing list. We encourage you to share the content of this News letter with friends and colleagues. To subscribe to the mailing list, please visit this link: http://www.ungei.org/infobycountry/2253_2290.html. If you would like further details on the contents of this issue, please email us at [email protected]. Our mailing address is: East Asia and Pacific UNGEI, c/o UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, 10 Phra Atit Rd, Bangkok 10200 Thailand. Our telephone is: +662‐356‐ 9499. Copyright (C) 2010 East Asia and Pacific UNGEI. All rights reserved.

Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Gender Issues in Fragile Situations By: Jacqueline Hayden and Lisa Deters, Macquarie University, Australia Children constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in fragile situations. Emergencies destabilize social infrastructure leaving all children vulnerable. However, some children are especially at risk. Assessments of vulnerability have identified several risk factors such as age, birth order, ethnicity, tribe, urban or rural dwelling. Beyond these indicators of risk gender – the girl child, young female, and older woman ‐ represent the most vulnerable population during emergency situations In emergency situations relief and programming can focus on gender equity as a target – ensuring that the needs of the girl child and female population have a high priority. One of the most effective ways of doing this is through a concentration on the development or re‐development of early childhood programs in post emergency situations. Evidence shows that the girl child – often accrued with low social status under normal circumstances ‐becomes especially vulnerable in post‐emergency and post‐conflict situations. Girls, in situations where normal safety nets of caregivers and community are disrupted, are highly susceptible to violence, particularly sexual violence. They are also most likely to be taken from school due to the need to take on care and household duties, which are in disarray (Machel, 1996). The tasks, activities and status given to the girl child and the woman in families, communities and institutions pre ‐, during, and post ‐ emergencies exacerbate gender‐differentiated risks and vulnerabilities (UNESCO, 2006). Emergency and post conflict situations, however, can have some positive outcomes since they offer opportunities to build back better. At a basic level, the development of early childhood programs involves mapping of children within the community – as part of a needs assessment exercise. The mapping activity will highlight which children are eligible for services, and thus

raise awareness of needs of the girl child. Meanwhile early child programs have outcomes beyond the delivery of child‐centred play and learning centres. Early childhood programs in fragile situations become safe spaces where protection can be offered, issues can be aired, trust can be built, solidarity can emerge and mobilization of needed services can take place. In this way early childhood programs can become the seed for community healing, reconciliation and enhanced social justice (See Connolly and Hayden, 2007). A myriad of programs serve as examples of entry points for inclusion and raising voices of women and girls (Mathieu, 2006). Kirk (2006) advocates that emergency programming should include targeted and gender‐responsive measures to ensure that girls and boys receive relevant physical, cognitive and psychosocial protection. After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, UN Agencies and others such as PLAN

International and Save the Children supported a holistic integrated emergency ECCE response. PLAN (2005) targeted pregnant women through the distribution of nutrients and trainings for midwives and young mothers and girls through the establishment of ECD centers. Young girls benefited from not having to take care of their younger siblings, increasing school enrolment and retention, while mothers were also enabled to participate in trainings, adult education and income generation programs. ECD provides this critical focus on women and girls in the planning, response and recovery in an emergency situation. Again, when women and girls’ voices are included in disaster risk reduction assessments, they will be accounted for in response and recovery planning. ECD responses that provide for women and girls, through childcare, sanitation and feeding facilities, simultaneously protect and empower them. It is imperative to establish and maintain these gender‐responsive ECD programs to ensure the participation and support the capacities of women and girls in emergencies. While we have evidence of early childhood outcomes in fragile situations, there remains a glaring need to research gender issues in such situations, and beyond. We believe that situating this research in the early childhood sector will assist with the development of effective outcomes for the girl child and other female populations. References

Connolly, P. & Hayden, J. (2007) From Conflict to Peace Building The Power of Early Childhood Initiatives –Lessons From Around The World. Seattle: Exchange Press

Kirk, J. (2006). Education in emergencies: The gender implications. Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok.

Machel, G. (1996). The UN study on the impact of armed conflict on children. New York: Department of Information United Nations.

Mathieu, A. (2006). Reaching the girls in South Asia: Differentiated needs and responses in emergencies. Regional Office for South Asia: UNICEF and UNGEI.

Plan. (2005). Tsunami: Six months after. Bangkok: Plan Ltd.

UNESCO. (2006). Education in emergencies: The gender implications – advocacy brief. Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok.

UNICEF/NYHQ2008-1272/Josh Estey

Girls from the Kepu Elementary School attend class in a tent provided by UNICEF in the village of Ngibikan, Jetis Subdistrict, in the southern district of Bantul in Yogyakarta Province.

Upcoming events

Key resources

Photo Contest 2010 on Promoting Gender Equality in Education UNESCO Bangkok, in collaboration with the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI), East Asia and the Pacific (EAP) and the Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA), is pleased to invite entries for the 2nd photo contest on promoting gender equality in education 2010, with the theme of: “Promoting Gender Equality in Education ‐ five years to go until 2015: What have we accomplished ?” The submission deadline has been extended to 3o June 2010. Click here for more details.

1 Goal Football Match 1GOAL is a global campaign run by the Global Campaign for Education that has captured unprecedented support and political will across the world. UN agencies, INGOs and other development partners comprising the Regional Thematic Working Group on EFA in Asia and the Pacific are preparing a joint regional “1GOAL” event, to take in Bangkok, as part of the global EFA campaign. The event will link up with the 2010 FIFA World Cup to raise awareness of the need to step up education financing. More details on this event will be provided on the EAP UNGEI website.

APYouthNet discussion forum on Vulnerable Youth / Sub‐stream on Youth in Emergencies The ILO‐sponsored Community of Practice, APYouthNet, recently hosted a discussion forum on vulnerable youth. One sub‐stream of the discussion focused on youth in emergencies and was facilitated by EAP UNGEI member, Anne‐Marie Davies.

Education in emergencies: The gender implications Education in emergencies” refers to both formal and informal education activities that are life‐saving and sustaining. Women’s participation has proven critical in post‐emergency recovery, reconstruction and peacebuilding. This advocacy brief promotes gender‐responsive education that gives women the opportunities to learn new skills and to develop confidence in coping with emergency situations. It also recommends strategies that ensure protection of children and youth in times of crisis.

Education in emergencies: Including everyone, INEE pocket guide to inclusive education All children have equal rights, and should get equal opportunities to and within education. This guide looks at how to make education in emergencies more accessible for everyone, particularly those often excluded from education. The main focus is rapid onset emergency response, but the guide is relevant to all emergency settings and phases.

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Editorial board

The EAP UNGEI Secretariat would like to thank everyone who has made this Newsletter possible. All content of the EAP UNGEI newsletters are based solely on the contributions from UNGEI members and partners. Submissions have been reviewed by the EAP UNGEI editorial board: David Braun, Maki Hayashikawa, Mika Mansukhani, Goy Phumtim, Malisa Santigul, Cyrene Siriwardhana and Chemba Raghavan.