Abstract
This article gives an overview of the development of gender equality and women’s participation in adult learning and education in the history of the International Conferences on Adult Education (CONFINTEA). Though the equality of rights was highlighted throughout the various conferences, the first Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) observed that a gender gap in the participation in adult learning and education still persisted in 2009. This is especially remarkable with regard to the impact of CONFINTEA V in 1997, because it focused on the issue of women’s participation and gender equality. A review of the CONFINTEA VI programme elements and the national reports prepared by UNESCO Member States in 2008 reveals that gender issues have to some extent moved from the centre of attention to the periphery. This article therefore tries to explore how gender principles are acknowledged in CONFINTEA VI and its follow-up.
Résumé
Prolonger la sensibilisation et l’action en faveur de la participation des femmes et de l’équité entre les sexes dans l’éducation des adultes – Cet article fournit une vue d’ensemble de l’évolution de l’équité entre les sexes et de la participation féminine à l’éducation et l’apprentissage des adultes depuis l‘existence des Conférences internationales sur l’éducation des adultes (CONFINTEA). Si l’égalité des droits a été réclamée tout au long des différentes conférences, le premier Rapport mondial sur l’apprentissage et l’éducation des adultes (GRALE) a constaté qu‘un clivage homme-femme dans la participation à l’apprentissage et l’éducation des adultes s’est maintenu jusqu’en 2009. Cette disparité est d’autant plus notable considérant l’impact de CONFINTEA V tenue en 1997, axée sur la question de la participation des femmes et de l’équité entre les sexes. Une analyse des éléments programmatiques de CONFINTEA VI ainsi que des rapports nationaux élaborés par les États membres de l'UNESCO en 2008 révèle que ces questions d’égalité ont en partie quitté le centre de l’attention pour devenir secondaires. Les auteures tentent par conséquent d’explorer dans quelle mesure le principe de l’égalité des sexes a été respecté par CONFINTEA VI et continue de l’être dans le cadre de son suivi.
Zusammenfassung
Aufrechterhaltung der Verteidigung und des Handelns in Sachen Frauenpartizipation und Geschlechtergerechtigkeit in der Erwachsenenbildung – Dieser Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die Entwicklung von Geschlechtergerechtigkeit und Frauenpartizipation in der Erwachsenenbildung in der Geschichte der Internationalen Konferenzen für Erwachsenenbildung (CONFINTEA). Obwohl die Gleichberechtigung in den verschiedenen Konferenzen durchweg unterstrichen wurde, findet sich im ersten Weltbericht zur Erwachsenenbildung (GRALE) die Beobachtung, dass es in puncto Partizipation in der Erwachsenenbildung im Jahr 2009 nach wie vor eine Kluft zwischen den Geschlechtern gab. Dies ist insbesondere im Hinblick auf die Wirkung der CONFINTEA V von 1997 bemerkenswert, denn dort stand das Thema Frauenpartizipation und Geschlechtergerechtigkeit im Mittelpunkt. Eine Überprüfung der Programmelemente der CONFINTEA VI und der von den UNESCO Mitgliedsstaaten 2008 erarbeiteten Länderberichte zeigt, dass Genderfragen teilweise aus dem Zentrum der Aufmerksamkeit an den Rand gerückt sind. Daher wird in diesem Artikel der Frage nachgegangen, inwieweit bei der CONFINTEA VI und ihrer Nachbereitung genderbezogene Prinzipien gewürdigt werden.
Resumen
La necesidad de mantener el apoyo y la acción sobre participación femenina e igualdad de géneros en la educación de adultos – Este artículo ofrece una visión general del desarrollo de la igualdad de géneros y de la participación femenina en la educación durante la historia de las Conferencias Internacionales sobre Educación de Adultos (CONFINTEA). Si bien la igualdad de derechos fue enfatizada a lo largo de las diferentes conferencias, el Primer Informe Mundial sobre el Aprendizaje y la Educación de Adultos (GRALE) observaba que aún persistía una brecha de género en 2009 en cuanto a la participación en el aprendizaje y la educación de adultos. Esto es particularmente sorprendente en vista del impacto de la CONFINTEA V en 1997, que justamente estaba enfocada en el tema de la participación de las mujeres y la igualdad de géneros. La revisión de los elementos del programa de la CONFINTEA VI y de los Informes Nacionales preparados por los estados miembros de la UNESCO en 2008 revela que los temas de género se han movido, en cierto grado, desde el centro de la atención hacia la periferia. Por este motivo, las autoras tratan de explorar en este artículo cómo se tuvieron en cuenta los principios de género en la CONFINTEA VI y cuál ha sido su seguimiento.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asian Development Bank. (2006). Pursuing gender equality through the millennium development goals in Asia and the Pacific. Manila: Asian Development Bank. http://www.dvv-international.de/files/dfidbriefliteracyfinal080811.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
DFID (Department for International Development). (2008). A DFID practice paper. Adult literacy: An update. http://lifelongadultlearning.org/adult-learning/adult-literacy/DFIDbriefLiteracyfinal080811.pdf/view?searchterm=Tools. Accessed 19 July 2011.
Eccher, C. (2003). Women participation: Bridging the gap. In C. Medel-Añonuevo (Ed.), Women moving CONFINTEA V: A mid-term review. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Education.
Medel-Añonuevo, C. (2003). Putting the Gender Perspective in Motion in Adult Education. Background paper for the EFA Global Monitoring Report 2003/2004. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001468/146808e.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UIE (UNESCO Institute for Education). (1997). The Hamburg declaration. The agenda for the future. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Education. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0011/001161/116114eo.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UIL (UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning). (2007). Guidelines for the preparation of national reports on the situation of adult learning and education (ALE). Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. http://www.dvv-soe.org/LLLA/guidelines.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UIL (UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning). (2009). Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE). Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/GRALE/grale_en. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UIL (UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning). (2010a). CONFINTEA VI. Final Report. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/News/confinteavi_final_report_engl_online.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UIL (UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning). (2010b). Belém Framework for Action. Harnessing the power and potential of adult learning and education for a viable future. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. http://www.unesco.org/en/confinteavi/belem-framework-for-action. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO (1949). Summary Report of the International Conference on Adult Education. Paris: UNESCO. http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/confintea/elsino_e.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (1960). World Conference on Adult Education. Final Report. http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/confintea/montre_e.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (1972). Second International Conference on Adult Education. Final Report. http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/confintea/tokyo_e.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (1985). Fourth International Conference on Adult Education. Final Report. http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/confintea/paris_e.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (1997). Fifth International Conference on Adult Education. Final Report. http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/confintea/pdf/finrepeng.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (2005). EFA Global Monitoring Report 2006: Literacy for Life. Paris: UNESCO. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/2006-literacy/. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (2007). EFA Global Monitoring Report 2008. Education for All by 2015: will we make it? Oxford/Paris: Oxford University Press/UNESCO Publishing. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/2008-mid-term-review/. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (2008a). CONFINTEA VI Preparatory Conference in Africa. African Statement on the Power of Youth and Adult Learning and Education for Africa’s Development. http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/Preparatory_Conferences/Conference_Documents/Africa/confinteavi_rpc_africa_outcome_Document_en.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (2008b). CONFINTEA VI Preparatory Conference in the Arab States. Statement on Investing in Adult Education: Building Learning and Knowledge Societies in the Arab States. http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/Preparatory_Conferences/Conference_Documents/Arab_States/confinteavi_rpc_arab_states_outcome_document_en.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (2008c). CONFINTEA VI Preparatory Conference in Europe. Pan-European Statement on Adult Learning for Equity and Inclusion in the Context of Mobility and Competition. http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/Preparatory_Conferences/Conference_Documents/Europe_-_North_America/confinteavi_rpc_pan-europe_final_document_en.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (2008d). CONFINTEA VI Preparatory Conference in Asia and the Pacific. Asian Statement on Building Equitable and Sustainable Societies in Asia and the Pacific. http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/Preparatory_Conferences/Conference_Documents/Asia_-_Pacific/confinteavi_rpc_asiap_outcome_document_en.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
UNESCO. (2008e). CONFINTEA VI Preparatory Conference in Latin America and the Caribbean. From Literacy to Lifelong Learning: Towards the Challenges of the 21st Century. A Statement from Latin America and the Caribbean. http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/Preparatory_Conferences/Conference_Documents/Latin_America_-_Caribbean/confinteavi_rpc_mexico_final_document_en.pdf. Accessed 19 July 2011.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Medel-Añonuevo, C., Bernhardt, A. Sustaining advocacy and action on women’s participation and gender equality in adult education. Int Rev Educ 57, 57–68 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-011-9212-1
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-011-9212-1