Youth, Girls And Children In Difficult Circumstances
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YOUTH, GIRLS, CHILDREN IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES Seo Hee Chang Kimberly Kon Nicole Mechem Tiffany Min Alexandria Price
description
Presentation on educating marginalized students.
Transcript of Youth, Girls And Children In Difficult Circumstances
YOUTH, GIRLS, CHILDREN IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
Seo Hee ChangKimberly Kon
Nicole MechemTiffany Min
Alexandria Price
Marginalized Populations
Marginalized populations are, “perceived as deviating from the norm, or lacking desirable traits, and therefore are excluded or ostracized as outsiders.”
-(USAID, 2007)
Ranges from total exclusion to low quality inclusion
“Umbrella” term Encompasses an extensive list of populations
Static V. Dynamic
Static (inherent characteristic)
Girls Youth Disabled Ethnic Minorities
Dynamic (situational)
Street Kids Child Soldiers Refugees Migrant Workers
*Multiple Marginality*i.e. female child soldiers, Aboriginal street kids
YOUTH
“Education is the single most important factor contributing to young people’s chances of leading productive and responsible lives”
YOUTH
Background
15-24 years of age Majority live in
developing countries Lack of group
definition Perceived as adults Vulnerable population Potential driving force
behind development
YOUTH
Challenges
Addressing gender inequalitiesMaking education respond to realities of
young peoples livesDeveloping capacity of youthImproving access to educationExpanding opportunities for youth
YOUTH
Policy Options/Programs Recognition of youth
Group specific policies Acknowledge special
needs Focus on life skills
Health Job skills
Facilitate access Distance education Non-formal education Alternative school hours
Focus on life-long learning
GIRLS
GIRLS
Background
Importance of girls’ education The most effective means of combating many of the most
profound challenges to human development (UNICEF, 2004) High returns both to individuals and societies
Higher wages Greater empowerment Smaller, heathier and better educated families Faster economic growth
Current situations Gender gaps in developing countries’ primary enrollment
rates have narrowed over last two decades. However, 58 million girls are not in school
31 of the 196 countries in the world are at high risk of not achieving gender parity in primary enrollment rates by 2015
Gender Gaps in Primary Net Enrollment
GIRLS
Challenges
Costs of schooling Social norms Inadequate legal frameworks Safety and security in and around school Irrelevant curricula to their realities
GIRLS
Policy Options/ProgramsAffordable direct and indirect costs of girls
education Physical arrangement of schoolCapacity to educate non-formallyMore female teachers Gender-friendly pregnancy and marriage
policies
DISABLED
“It appears highly likely that children with disabilities comprise one of the most socially excluded groups in all societies today.”
- Colin Robson, The University of Huddersfield
DISABLED
Background
Disabilities Defined 98% of children with disabilities in
developing countries do not attend school
In Africa alone, fewer than 10% of disabled children are in school
500,000 children every year lose some part of their vision due to vitamin A deficiency
41 million babies are born each year at risk of mental impairment due to insufficient iodine in their mothers’ diets.
DISABLED
Challenges
Lack of national investment and political will
Growing disabled population caused by conflict and other consequences of poverty
Too many standards for defining disabled individuals
DISABLED
Policy Options/Programs Remove barriers to learning and participation in
education Promote a broad concept of education,
including essential life skills and lifelong learning
Focus on the needs of individuals with disabilities when resources and activities address the realization of EFA goals.
Creation and Implementation of preventative measures to disability
EMERGENCIES and RECONSTRUCTION
Emergencies include: conflict natural disasters difficult circumstances
Complex because education is both: an immediate humanitarian response to an
emergency a developmental response in reconstruction
Populations in and affected by emergencies can be the hardest to reach, but most in need of education
EMERGENCIES and RECONSTRUCTION
Background
Loss of personnel, resources, and communications during the emergency
Difficult to co-ordinate various types of participants and the numerous groups within each type
Separate funding and programs for short-term and long term
Unstable environment
EMERGENCIES and RECONSTRUCTION
Challenges
EMERGENCIES and RECONSTRUCTION
Policy Options/ProgramsBuild capacity of local government, NGOs,
and communitiesCreate information sharing networksFund and develop programs that address
both short-term and long-term needsPrepare a contingency plan in case of
emergency
General Policies/Programs to reach all Marginalized PopulationsISSUE Infrastructure/Curricula TOO
GENERAL
Ignorance/lack of awareness and political will
Lack of funding and resources
Conflicting cultural roles/responsibilities
POLICY/PROGRAM OPTION Decentralization Community Participation
EMIS, data collection Informational/Social Mobilization
Campaigns Non-profits/NGOs
Private/Public Partnerships (PPPs)
Alternative/Non-formal Schooling Alternative hours Distance Education Vocational Education
Lessons Learned
Theory ≠ Practice Extensive
Access Quality Range of specific needs
Contextual Specific issues call for targeted programming
“Middle-Child Syndrome” Integrating Supplementary Services Managing from the ‘Bottom-Up’
Questions
What other policy options/programs are available to address marginalized populations as a whole?
How can/should multiple marginality be addressed?
