Gender
Universal coverage by health services is one of the core obligations that any legitimate government should fulfil vis-à-vis its citizens. However, universal coverage may not in itself ensure universal access to health care. Among the many challenges to ensuring universal coverage as well as access to health care are structural inequalities by caste, race, ethnicity… Read more
The post-conflict or post-crisis period provides the opportunity for wide-ranging public sector reforms: donors fund rebuilding and reform efforts, social norms are in a state of flux, and the political climate may be conducive to change. This reform period presents favourable circumstances for the promotion of gender equity in multiple social arenas, including the health… Read more
In most parts of the world, health outcomes among boys and men continue to be substantially worse than among girls and women, yet this gender-based disparity in health has received little national, regional or global acknowledgement or attention from health policy-makers or health-care providers. Including both women and men in efforts to reduce gender inequalities… Read more
This study examines the effects of gender and early biological, social, and psychological risk factors on secondary school grade attainment in rural Guatemalan adolescents. The present sample comprised 333 adolescents (156 females and 177 males) with available data on growth, health, and cognitive indices as well as family histories measured during infancy and the preschool… Read more
This paper informs debates about the potential role for low-fee private schooling in achieving Education for All goals in India. It reports Young Lives’ longitudinal data for two cohorts (2906 children) in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Eight year olds uptake of private schooling increased from 24 per cent (children born in 1994–5) to 44 per… Read more
Studies of 36 rural elementary schools in Kenya and interviews with 774 adolescents in the schools’ attendance areas found that dropping out was significantly related to individual and family variables, with many stronger effects for girls than boys, and that girls’ remaining in school was discouraged by nonsupportive classroom environments, unequal treatment of boys and… Read more
This brief focuses on the gender issues in the services provided for children who are three years of age or older in the Asia-Pacific region. It starts by looking into the growth of early childhood care and education (ECCE) in the region and what is driving its growth. It explores why gender responsiveness is important… Read more
Quality is at the heart of education. It influences what students learn, how well they learn and what benefits they draw from their education. The quest to ensure that students achieve decent learning outcomes and acquire values and skills that help them play a positive role in their societies is an issue on the policy… Read more
The Asia-Pacific region is characterised by rich ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity, and children who have an opportunity to learn through their mother tongue or home language have the best chance of understanding what is taught, making the connection between the spoken and written word and participating in their own learning. Yet, many children must… Read more
In large parts of the world, a lack of home tap water burdens households as the water must be brought to the house from outside, at great expense in terms of effort and time This paper studies how such costs affect girls’ schooling in Ghana, with an analysis based on four rounds of the Demographic… Read more
Social and economic inequalities begin early. Presented in this paper is evidence that Early Childhood Development (ECD) can lead to gender equality and empowerment, better health and education outcomes, improved skills, abilities and productivity, narrow the income, ethnic, and geographic inequality gaps, provide timely intervention for persons with disabilities, and is a cost effective strategy… Read more