The contributions to education of one of the great Latin American thinkers, Paulo Freire, have been enormous. His voice and wisdom have inspired educators globally. Three particular contributions--to emancipation, to literacy, and to dialogue--are explored in this article through a critical lens. From a gender perspective, Freire's path to…

Under the research radar, and yet highly influential in transformation of practices concerning the social understanding and enactment of gender, are women-led non-governmental organizations (WNGOs). Their continued efforts to reconfigure gender identities and their impact on public policy formation have expanded notions of citizenship and…

This chapter considers Theme 4 of the "Hamburg Declaration": Adult learning, gender equality and equity, and the empowerment of women. It has a fourfold purpose. It begins with a review of the balance of progress to date in conceptualizing gender. Second, it examines the objectives of CONFINTEA V and VI from a gender perspective. Third,…

Girls' education has been a high development priority for decades. While some progress has been made, girls are often still at a great disadvantage, especially in developing countries, and most especially in African countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, less than half of primary school teachers and only a quarter of secondary school teachers are…

Global policies today encourage greater access by women to formal schooling but leave aside issues of content and school practices essential to the modification of the social relations of gender. This article assumes a holistic approach and compares the promise of education with its actual contribution to transformative knowledge. It examines why…

A study examined the extent and significance of organizational learning in international development agencies (IDAs) concerning gender and education; the manner in which IDAs learn; and the factors that create obstacles to learning. Research was divided into four steps: (1) tracing the relevant academic literature on organizational change; (2)…

This paper compares and contrasts educational and gender experiences in Latin America and Africa. It provides a brief background for each area and addresses some commonly recognized issues, such as access to schooling and dropping out. The article discusses educational policies and examines some less-commonly recognized issues in higher education,…

Survey of 48 multisectoral women-in-development (WID) units in governmental bureaucracies of developing nations indicates that most have educational activities but tend to focus on nonformal education for adult women (literacy, health, vocational education). Their limited contestation of the ideological function of schooling makes these WID units…

In this article, Nelly Stromquist examines the trajectory of the Comparative and International Education (CIE) field over the past several decades. In this effort, she reviews the major journals in CIE over the many years of their existence and draws from her own professional experience, including five years as the associate editor for the…

Discusses poverty and its implications for education in Latin America. Focuses on gender as a social construct that differentiates the impact of poverty. Analyzes interaction of gender, class, and public policy. Examines aspects of national and global policy processes and educational disparities in society related to the education of girls. (CAJ)

Inspired by idealistic beliefs in the state's benign, just nature, women seeking to influence public policies on gender issues have tended to rely on gentle persuasion. Similarly, feminists have failed to realize the true importance of schools as the state's ideological agents supporting the status quo and requiring major transformation of power…

Examines how democratization of schooling is being shaped in Latin America and how dangerous delusions and exclusions affect the treatment of gender in this process. Focuses on initiatives and development policies of international aid agencies, their research projects, and international conferences. Suggests that democratization requires a larger…