Gender perspective and the education sector

Gender inequality in education and other sectors is still a big challenge, with most students dropping out of school due to sexual harassment. This was stated during AWiM 2022  conference which took place in Fez, Morocco.

During the Gender and Journalism Education panel discussion, panellists pointed out that fewer female students graduate in higher education due to the effect of gender-based violence and sexual harassment.

Though feminism and gender movements have helped women in creating gender equality as well as affirmative action leading to positive results, there is no specific gender policy working in the journalism and education sector.

The speakers on the panel called for the formulation and implementation of gender policies in education to reduce gender inequality. They also called for improving women’s knowledge and skills in solving their problems.

Asma Nashit who was one of the speakers explained how education empowers people as well and provides reliable presentation and representation that all people can realize and become more productive in the world.

“Factors of gender inequality in Morocco include poverty, discrimination, child marriage, and illiteracy. Gender is a women’s issue but a human issue this is not a collaboration but is a competition,” she said.

Yassine Azzioui another speaker explained how gender inequality is constructed in education as well as in the media sector.

“Textbooks are tools for education and informational change, through which gender is constructed by use of stereotypes that depict women in domestic settings, and as being subordinate to men. Media platforms are also major areas of construction of gender through advertisement, magazines and newspapers, as well as films, series, and soap operas,”  Yassine stated.

Each speaker reiterated the need for providing an effective gender policy implementation system, improving the sustainability of women’s empowerment projects, as well as increasing awareness and knowledge to curb sexual harassment and gender stereotypes in the educational sector.