On November 27, 2024, Assila Prianggi, Capacity Building Officer of SEAMEO CECCEP, participated in the Regional Mapping of Gender-Related Policies and Programmes event. The meeting focused on gender-based violence and the situational analysis of gender and skills development across Southeast Asia.
The event was opened by Jhon Arnold Siena, DDP SEAMES, who emphasized that the initiative aimed to broaden access to quality education for both boys and girls, in line with the SDGs, Putra Jaya, and SEAMEO's 7 Priorities. He highlight the importance of ensuring that girls had equal access to quality learning opportunities, as gender-based violence could severely hinder their educational progress.
The session continued with a presentation under the title “Future Girls Inception Report Consultation Meeting for the Regional Policy Mapping Study on Gender and Education.” The consultants shared their initial findings from a literature review on gender-based violence in schools, focusing on existing regulations and policies across the region.
UNICEF presented the initial research framework, which began with a comprehensive literature review examining the laws, regulations, and guidelines protecting children from gender-based violence in 11 Southeast Asian countries. The organization highlighted that gender inequality was still prevalent in the region, contributing to various forms of violence and discrimination against children, especially girls.
A major concern raised was the rise of online violence, which posed a growing threat due to limited digital literacy among children and insufficient protection laws for minors interacting online. The session further highlighted the need to address these issues to protect children, particularly girls, from digital exploitation.
Dr. Hani from UPI, representing the consultancy team, outlined the four main objectives of the research. The research aimed to profile the educational outcomes of boys and girls in the region, analyze gender-based violence in schools, and evaluate existing policies and programs. Additionally, the research sought to identify gaps between policy implementation and practice, particularly in responding to gender-based violence in educational settings.
The meeting concluded with a productive discussion, where several key points were identified for further research development. These included the need to translate the survey questionnaire into multiple languages for better accessibility, develop a regional policy roadmap, and enhance capacity building for child protection against gender-based violence. There was also a call for training focal persons from each country to act as trainers for the gender equality framework.
As part of the ongoing efforts, the team worked on a questionnaire to collect data from policymakers across the 11 countries, which would guide future strategies to combat gender-based violence in schools and communities.
This meeting marked a critical step towards improving gender equality and safeguarding children’s education in Southeast Asia, ensuring that both boys and girls could access education free from violence and discrimination.
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