Do Policymakers Really Believe In Girls’ Education?

At the Global Education Meeting which was held in in Fortaleza a few weeks ago, governments around the world made the latest in a long line of commitments to "remove barriers to gender equality in and through education". But is this all just cheap talk? The value of educating girls might be one of the least controversial policies in the world. But whilst almost everyone claims to believe in educating girls (with the notable exception of the Taliban), not everyone really follows this through to its logical conclusion: that girls should have the same opportunities as boys, and grow into women with the same opportunities as men.

Policymakers hold varying and inconsistent perspectives on gender equality

Since 1989, the World Values Survey (WVS) has annually asked people the question, “When jobs are scarce, should men have more right to a job than women”? In the most recent data (2017-2022), 32 percent of respondents from 92 countries think men should have more right to a job. We asked similar questions to a representative set of policymakers from 12 developing countries, including senior officials from Ministries of Education and Finance, as well as Members of Parliament. In our sample, 21 percent think men have more right to a job than women. This is lower than the general population, but it remains significant. Nearly half also think that mothers working is bad for their children. These findings are particularly striking given the almost universal support (96 percent) amongst policymakers for the abstract idea that “schools should promote gender equality”. A majority (69 percent) also think that girls face additional challenges in accessing education. Despite strong support for gender equality in theory, there is far from universal support for actual equality of the sexes.

Policymakers think schools should promote gender equality but some also think women shouldn’t work

We also observed significant variation in countries' attitudes toward gender equality. For instance, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) consistently ranked among the most progressive, while Laos and Nigeria ranked at the bottom. Around 3 percent of policymakers in Uganda believed that women working is detrimental to their children, while over 60 percent in Laos shared that view. Similarly, less than 1 percent of respondents in Uganda agreed that when jobs are scarce, men should have more right to a job than women, compared to roughly 55 percent in Nigeria.

Countries’ stance on gender equality

Many disagree with teaching girls about contraception

One particularly controversial implication of gender equality is reproductive autonomy. Worldwide, 13 percent of girls give birth before reaching the age of 18. Many girls drop out of school due to early pregnancy. While international organisations promote a consensus on sex education including learning about contraception, this is vehemently opposed by many religious groups. We find that attitudes toward sexual education are highly varied.

Overall, most agree that “children should be taught about contraception in secondary school”. But this isn’t the case in every some country. 96 percent of policymakers in Pakistan, for instance, think children should not be taught about contraception, a view also shared by more than half of those in the DRC and Ghana. In many countries, discussing sex remains taboo and is considered an adult issue. Over 60 percent of the public in Nigeria think sex education promotes sexual activity among young people (World Values Survey 2018). This view contradicts current evidence that education programs don't increase sexual behavior but can delay or reduce it, while also promoting condom or contraceptive use. The right sex education can reduce teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Without access to quality sex education, girls' education and future opportunities can be at risk.

Views on whether contraception should be taught at school

To truly support girls’ education, policymakers must go beyond rhetoric. While most leaders endorse gender equality in principle, as our survey reveals, a significant minority still hold beliefs that contradict the notion of equal opportunities for girls and women. These contradictions reflect broader societal challenges that prevent girls from achieving their full potential. Achieving real gender equality in education requires a concerted effort to shift not just policy frameworks, but cultural attitudes. This means challenging biases, promoting reproductive autonomy, and ensuring that girls are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed in life, regardless of where they live.

Read the full report here.