Gender equality

A teacher and students in a classroom Recently, while chatting with colleagues about movies that stayed with us long past the closing credits, someone brought up the  Queen of Katwe . I watched it the same day and was struck by the heartwarming story of a young chess prodigy, Phiona, facing poverty, lack of networks, and gender stereotypes that…,   Female teachers and school leaders are role models and allies for girls, Beyond learning mathematics or science, teachers and school leaders help develop valuable  socio-emotional skills ,  raise students’ aspirations for themselves  and parents’ aspirations for their children, and serve as  mentors and role models . “My fourth-grade teacher was the first one I can remember to speak to me directly, and not just to my…,   Female representation also varies within countries, with more women in urban schools for unsurprising reasons , Even in countries with balanced numbers of female and male teachers, female teacher presence in districts and regions often differs. We find that in  Teachers for All: Zambia Zambia ,  Teachers for All: Madagascar Madagascar ,   Teachers for All: Côte d’Ivoire Côte d'Ivoire , Botswana, Lesotho, Niger, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea and Angola, female…, Women are underrepresented as school leaders , In many parts of the world teachers are promoted to become school leaders, so fewer female teachers mean fewer female school leaders. But there is more to the story. Even in countries where women are well represented as teachers, they face barriers to move into leadership roles (Figure 3). This trend is global, and is seen in  West and Central…, Women lead differently, and female led schools often outperform their male counterparts, Having more women in leadership can empower young girls and help improve student wellbeing and learning. Much of the recent research we read also shows that women practice more collaborative leadership, are better instructional leaders, and prioritize student wellbeing.   Our Time to Teach research showed that female leaders in West and Central…, Harnessing more local and contextual evidence can be a game-changer to support women in teaching and school leadership, The stark reality is, that there is a shortage of female teachers at higher education levels, particularly in rural and challenging areas. What's more, women are poorly represented as school leaders globally. Here, local, and contextual data is critical for identifying and tracking gender disparities – a first step towards addressing the issue.…

The Government of Angola and its Development Partners developed and implemented Apoio à Protecção Social – APROSOC (‘Strengthening and expanding social protection to the vulnerable population in Angola’) between 2014 and 2022 as a first step towards establishing a national social protection system. A key component of the programme, Valor Criança,…

In an effort to mitigate the negative socioeconomic consequences of the COVID-19 containment measures in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UNICEF and the World Food Programme initiated a cash transfer programme in the peri-urban commune of Nsélé, near Kinshasa, the capital of DRC. The intervention reached about 23,000 households in the…

Prospects for Children in 2024: Cooperation in a Fragmented World is the latest edition of the Global Outlook, a series of reports produced each year by UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight, which look to the key trends affecting children and young people over the following 12 months and beyond., As we enter 2024, the world stands at a pivotal juncture. We can choose a path marked by increased global collaboration – a path that embraces innovation, knowledge sharing, policy transfer, and equitable growth. Or, there's a different course that could be taken, one which might entail less unity and a more protectionist approach, potentially…, 1. Geopolitical shifts and the risk of conflict may threaten children’s survival and well-being – but avenues for accountability and cooperation hold promise., In 2024, major powers will continue competing to expand their military, political, economic, and technological influence globally, including within multilateral institutions. Meanwhile, small and middle powers, including many in the Global South, are distancing themselves from confrontation between the major powers by forging new, flexible…, 2. Economic fragmentation threatens families’ livelihoods, children’s development and youth employment – but economic solidarity, market collaboration and investing in future skills can safeguard children’s rights and futures., Economic fragmentation, often driven by geopolitical interests and strategic considerations, is projected to widen disparities between nations in 2024. This unravelling of global economic integration threatens to undermine years of prosperity, progress, and innovation. It also adds fiscal pressure at a time when child poverty is rising in many…, 3. A fragmented multilateral system is not delivering on key issues for children – but it has a chance to reset its course in 2024 through global governance and financing reforms., The year 2024 will be pivotal for addressing a fragmented multilateral system that is failing on issues such as peace, security, climate change, financing for developing countries and the enforcement of normative standards – all of which can have an impact on children and their rights. Many countries, especially those in the Global South, believe…, 4. Developing economies still face structural inequities in the international financial architecture, limiting their ability to invest in children – but reforms to lending approaches and new technologies offer hope., Structural inequities in international financing will continue to limit developing countries’ investments in children in 2024. Excessive debt burdens, high remittance costs, overreliance on unpredictable economic monetary policies, and lack of voice in financial governance penalize poorer states. Debt crises triggered by these factors hurt…, 5. Global democracy will face unprecedented risks presented by disinformation and higher levels of political violence – but positive forces, including those led by children and youth, may still reverse the democratic decline., Democratic backsliding and youth dissatisfaction with democracy have been unfolding for years. But in 2024, as many nations face critical elections, two concerning trends emerge. First, advances in the digital technology for large language models and generative AI have introduced dangerous new disinformation capabilities that can create convincing…, 6. Fast-tracking transition to green energy is reshaping critical mineral and labour markets – if managed responsibly, cooperatively and justly, it can benefit children., In 2024, the accelerated transition to green energy will continue. This transition will be driven by volatility in energy markets, growth in the deployment of clean energy technology and policy imperatives like the development of new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). A faster shift to green energy brings significant benefits to children…, 7. El Niño, mosquito-borne diseases and water scarcity threaten children’s health and well-being – but greater collaboration, holistic programming and technological innovation can mitigate the negative impacts and protect children., Throughout 2024, climate change will continue to pose many threats to children’s health and nutrition. Three key forces stand out: the continuation of El Niño; the rise in outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases due to climate change; and water scarcity. The 2024 El Niño could be even hotter and more dangerous to people and the planet than in 2023.…, 8. Potential impacts of unchecked technologies spark fear and concern for children’s well-being – but proactive policy and global digital cooperation can place children at the centre of responsible design and regulation., The digital environment continues to shape children’s lives. Advances such as artificial intelligence (AI) bring new opportunities for children's learning, health care and development. Because new technology also poses risks for children, striking a regulatory balance will be a 2024 priority for three main reasons: First, apprehension about the…, Prospects for Children: Cooperation in a Fragmented World 2 0 2 4 G L O B A L O U T L O O K This document is interactive and designed for digital viewing. Please consider the environment and refrain from printing. Eight trends for 2024 Geopolitical shifts and the risk of conflict Economic fragmentation A fragmented multilateral system Structural…

Effective school leaders are indispensable for driving school and student learning improvements. Inspired by emerging literature highlighting a positive correlation between female school leaders and learning outcomes and the underrepresentation of women in school leadership, the Women in Learning Leadership project in Chad adopts a gender lens to…

This paper outlines how climate change can create specific gendered risks based on age and stage of the life course. Critical gendered risks for women that increase their vulnerability to climate shocks include: discriminatory social and gender norms; inadequate access to and control of assets and crucial resources; concentration in low-wage…

This COVID-19 Digest explores this ‘crisis of care’. It examines the evidence that has emerged in recent years on how COVID-19 has affected the care that women and children provide and receive. 12 studies, selected from the Innocenti's Children and COVID-19 Research Library, are highlighted to provide insights into several dimensions of the crisis…

This report outlines the polycrisis in which the world finds itself — multiple, simultaneous shocks with strong interdependencies, intensified in an ever-more integrated world — along with eight trends that will shape child rights and well-being in the coming year. The trends explored are: The pandemic’s harms will continue to be counted — but…,   This webinar is a panel discussion of key trends impacting children and young people in 2023 and beyond. Participating speakers are: Deona Julary, UNICEF Youth Foresight Fellow Jacob Ellis, UNICEF Youth Foresight Fellow Peter Engelke, Deputy Director of Foresight, Scowcroft Strategy Initiative, Atlantic Council Jasmina Byrne, Chief, Foresight…, Prospects for Prospects for Children in Children in the Polycrisisthe PolycrisisA 2023 GLOBAL OUTLOOK PROSPECTS FOR CHILDREN IN 2023 About | 2 While preparing the third edition of our Global Outlook, we looked back at our previous reports to see what we did right, what we may have missed and what we could do better. We also looked beyond uNICEF to…

Access to early childhood education has increased over the last two decades, with global enrolment rates showing gender parity in access among boys and girls. Despite this gender parity in access, the pre-primary education system does not always deliver on its potential to tackle gender inequities and address harmful gender stereotypes while they…

Social protection can reduce income poverty and food and economic insecurity, address financial barriers to accessing social services, and promote positive development outcomes throughout the life course – particularly for women and girls. But can it address preexisting gender inequalities through the design, implementation and financing of its…

Emerging evidence shows a positive association between women school leaders and student performance. Some studies suggest women school leaders are more likely than their male counterparts to adopt effective management practices that may contribute to improved outcomes. However, women remain largely underrepresented in school leadership positions,…

Early childhood is a period of unprecedented growth and development.  During this time,  a child acquires the social, emotional, cognitive and language skills that lay the foundations for their future health, development, wellbeing, positive relationships, and productivity into adulthood.  Early childhood is also a critical period in which…,   An unmatched opportunity for achieving gender equality  , Globally, enrolment in ECE has increased in the past two decades, with  current figures  reflecting gender parity in most instances. However, behind the overall gender parity figures lie differences in how girls and boys access quality provision and what their experiences in the classroom are.  Studies   have found  that pre-primary educators…,   Building frameworks for gender equality through a gender transformative systems approach, Early childhood education systems need to move beyond simply improving access to education for girls and reaching gender parity. In taking a gender transformative approach, ECE systems should consider how we can use policy, curriculum, pedagogy, play and learning materials, teacher training and parental engagement programmes to support children…,   Getting it right from the start, A gender transformative approach to early childhood education provides an unmatched opportunity to build gender equitable futures for children, their communities, and countries. Governments, with the support of education partners, must play an important role in taking this work forward to incorporate gender-transformative approaches into their pre…