Ei-iE

The Sixth EI World Congress, meeting in Cape Town, South Africa from 22-26 July 2011 1. Highlights the fundamental role of public equality policies in the development of non-discriminatory education for girls and the prevention of gender-based violence. 2. Observes with concern the possibility that the serious effects of the current economic and social crisis, made worse by recent international events, may displace the efforts being made to ensure complete schooling for girls at primary level and combat situations of discrimination and gender-based violence that take place in countries all over the world. 3. Stresses that the practice of punishment by stoning is inhumane in that it constitutes sanction of torture and gradual death that is an insult to humanity; and that, although the practice of stoning can be against men or women, it has largely been practiced against women. 4. Notes that International Declarations such as those made in the World Conference in Beijing or the fight to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, as well as the actions promoted by Education International, have contributed towards giving visibility to the problems faced by female students when attempting to complete a type of education that guarantees their rights and independence without incident. 5. Strongly rejects the situations of discrimination and violence experienced by girls and women worldwide and believes that the field of education should be considered a safe place for female students and teachers, who should be assured access to and continuation in schools and all the guarantees of a public and high-quality education for all individuals. 6. Observes with concern the fact that the progress made in schooling girls and boys is slow, as shown in the 2010 EFA Report, which highlights that 54% of girls worldwide still do not have access to schooling and that of the 759 million adults who do not know how to read or write, two thirds of them are women. 7. Reiterates its conviction that equality in education is an essential requirement for achieving fair and equal development in society, as well as for guaranteeing the fundamental rights of girls and women. 8. In this sense, manifests its conviction that only by incorporating gender policies that are transversal to all fields and levels of education will real change be achieved in terms of eradicating all types of discrimination, making progress in wiping out gender-based violence and achieving more equitable quotas for girls and boys, as well as for education workers. In light of this, the 6th EI World Congress, a) Presses on all governments to gather and publish statistics that will allow for measures to be taken to provide visibility to the situation of female students and teachers in the educational context. b) Also urges for the development of specific measures to eliminate all kinds of barriers to girls accessing education, such as the removal of school taxes, the family’s lack of education, the elimination of stereotypes relating to girls’ education and the adopting of concrete and safe measures to prevent violence at school. c) Reiterates that the teaching of equality must be incorporated into the school curriculum wherever there are elements that, whether hidden or explicit, discriminate against women and girls and perpetuate sexist roles. It also provides a reminder that teachers, both male and female, must be trained in order to carry out their duties in line with the principles of equality and the prevention of violence against women and girls. d) Urges all Education International organisations to continue carrying out actions in support of educating girls and young women, by incorporating equality into the education system in a transversal way, carrying out awareness campaigns among families and promoting actions to eradicate gender-based violence at school. e) Encourages all Education International organisations to adopt policies to ensure the eradication of violence against women including opposition to the practice of stoning for any reason, and to express public written opposition to any plans to execute any human being in this manner.