14 October 1994

Doc. 7183

MOTION FOR A RECOMMENDATION on gender equality in education

presented by Mrs HAWLICEK, Austria, SOC and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

      The undersigned, members of the Assembly,

1.       Reaffirm the Assembly's commitment to the promotion of equality between women and men for the purpose of developing fundamental human rights reflected in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the European Social Charter and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women;

2.       Acknowledge the considerable action by the Council of Europe on gender equality, inter alia the work of the Council for Cultural Co-operation, of the Standing Conference of European Ministers of Education (11th session in 1979 and 14th session in 1985) and of the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men on participation of women in public and political life as well as on sex stereotyping in the mass media and the Declaration on Policies for Combating Violence against Women in a Democratic Europe adopted by the 3rd European Ministerial Conference on equality between women and men;

3.       Reassert the importance of gender equality in education and considers it a matter of concern that:

i.       co-education has led to more equality but also seems to favour hidden forms of discrimination of girls and women;

ii.       traditional gender roles in education still strongly steer and reduce the choices of both sexes as regards education, occupation and lifestyles, thus reinforcing the male norms in society, the unequal power relationship of the sexes, sex-segregation of the labour market and the sex-specific allocation of family responsibilities;

iii.       in numerous countries there is sexual harassment and male violence, racism and xenophobia, in education and society, afflicting especially girls and women;

4.       Believe that gender equality, as a fundamental human right and an essential element of a "parity" and pluralist democracy, should be guaranteed by the educational systems of all states party to the European Cultural Convention;

5.       Are convinced that girls and boys, women and men should have de jure and de facto freedom of access to and freedom of choice in education including initial and further education, vocational training and adult education. Education should help them to develop their full potential, to preserve their personal integrity, to aim at economic independence and to participate fully in society and in political life;

6.       Believe in the need to present girls and boys with positive role models of women of the past and present as a valid educational concept for removing stereotypes. Women as principals and decision-makers within a gender-balanced educational workforce can also be considered as important role-models;

7.       Recognise the impact that childbearing and motherhood have on women's activities and considers the knowledge of it as a valid educational concept for girls and boys as well as the sharing of responsibilities for children and household work;

8.       Believe that gender equality in education can only be achieved by meeting the needs of employed women, especially those working in the educational fields, by counteracting the existing discriminations. The educational authorities of the member states should do all they can to achieve fixed and regular school timetables and provide mothers, in particular those working in the educational fields, with support such as child-oriented timetabling and provisions for child care;

9.       Consider that gender equality in education must be part of an overall strategy for a more egalitarian and democratic society, considering that:

i.       all educational issues are related to society and shape society, especially the society of tomorrow;

ii.       girls and women have specific educational needs, especially with regard to their lifestyles, health situation and experience of discrimination, harassment and violence;

iii.       it is necessary to improve and change the image and position of women in education and society;

iv.       women of the past and present have contributed eminently to European culture and society and it is necessary to incorporate into education the knowledge the feminists have gathered on their contribution;

10.       Acknowledge the significant contribution of the women's movement and feminist researchers and activists to human rights and gender equality in the educational field as well as in the political, social, cultural and economic fields and appreciates the expertise gathered in analysing and counteracting sexism and racism;

11.       Believe that democracy can only be taught in schools in a democratic setting with respect for the cultural plurality in Europe and for the equality and dignity of the individual girl or boy, woman or man:

i.       where gender equality as a norm is actively promoted;

ii.       where gender differences are accepted and the different viewpoints and experience of women and men are appreciated in a gender sensitive way;

iii.       where there is awareness and acceptance of the ethnic and cultural differences of girls and boys, women and men and their different viewpoints and experiences;

12.       Ask the Assembly, therefore, to recommend that the Committee of Ministers ask the competent authorities of member states to promote education in human rights with a gender sensitive approach and to take measures to accelerate de jure and de facto equality in education, promoting actively equal rights, equal chances, equal treatment in a gender sensitive way to girls and boys, women and men, being students or belonging to the workforce in education, and in particular to:

i.       guarantee freedom of access and freedom of choice in education for girls and boys, women and men, including initial and further education, vocational training and adult education;

ii.       condemn and eradicate physical and verbal sexual harassment and violence;

iii.       promote equal opportunities for women and especially mothers in the work place;

iv.       promote equal participation of women in the decision-making processes;

v.       continue efforts to improve research sensitive to gender and cultural origin;

vi.       improve public awareness of the impacts of and obstacles to gender equality in school;

13.       Believe that it is important that the Committee of Ministers urges the educational authorities of member states to do all they can to provide a proper basis for a gender sensitive approach in education in all areas within their control, and especially through:

i.       revision of curricula, syllabi, textbooks and teaching material, inter alia by integrating gender sensitive expertise on girls and women's everyday life, life concepts, health demands and child-minding and the care of elderly and sick people;

ii.       reinforcement of non-discriminatory language in school;

iii.       revision of teaching methods aiming at non-sexist teaching;

iv.       improvement of educational interactions aiming at equality and non-violence;

v.       improvement of choices of segregation especially in mathematics, science and technology as a way of providing girls with career education and giving them more confidence and boys more gender awareness;

vi.       revision of female stereotypes and role models for girls, aiming at improving their self-images and providing them with positive role models;

vii.       revision of history teaching so as to present the importance of women for European history and culture, to propose them as positive role models for girls and boys and to explain the reasons for inequalities;

viii.       revision of male stereotypes and role models for boys, counteracting concepts of inequality and violence and aiming at positive non-aggressive and family-oriented role models;

ix.       revision of health education, considering the needs of girls and women;

x.       revision and broadening of sexual and family planning education;

xi.       revision and broadening of parenthood education;

xii.       revision of media education aiming at non-sexist, non-racist and non-violent teaching, counter-acting verbal and visual violence against girls and women;

xiii.       improvement of gender balance of teaching and administrative staff and school management;

xiv.       improvement of communications between schools and parents especially for migrant girls, for whom school is the most important social point of reference and sometimes the only context in which their parents allow them to enter into social relationships;

xv.       improvement of guidance and counselling, including the training of vocational advisors, of girls and boys, especially migrant girls;

xvi.       revision of initial and in-service teacher training, preparing teachers for teaching in a gender sensitive way in an egalitarian and pluralist democracy;

xvii.       improvement of support services for working parents and especially mothers such as child-oriented time-scheduling and child-care;

14.       Ask the Assembly further to recommend that the Committee of Ministers:

i.       place special emphasis on activities in the field of monitoring and provide in due course information on gender equality in education within the area of the European Cultural Convention;

ii.       initiate or intensify gender sensitive research;

iii.       expand international consultation and exchange of experiences with regard to legislation, educational programmes, studies or debates on topical problems;

iv.       encourage participation of feminist and migrant researchers and expand the incorporation of feminist expertise;

v.       expand the participation of women's organisations;

vi.       initiate exchange programmes for teachers, students and researchers, and for possibilities of training and research;

vii.       instruct the newly established European Commission against Racism and Intolerance to consider the equality dimension in its work;

viii.       re-establish the former joint working party of the Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men and the Council for Cultural Co-operation to study the effects of co-education and to organise subsequently an international policy-making conference.

signed :

Hawlicek - Austria - SOC

Müller - Germany - EPP

Speed - United Kingdom - EDG

Johnston - United Kingdom - LDR

Zingeris - Lithuania - EDG

Fischer - Germany - EPP

Lopes Henares - Spain - EPP

Karas - Czech Republic - EPP

Robert - Switzerland - LDR

Fleetwood - Sweden - EDG

Hooper - United Kingdom - EDG

Ryynänen - Finland - LDR

*       SOC - Socialist Group

      EPP - Group of the European People's Party

      EDG - European Democratic Group

      LDR - Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL - Group of the Unified European Left