The status and quality of higher education are useful indicators of a country’s social and economic development. In addition to generating highly skilled and knowledgeable personnel for social and economic advancement, it critically influences the quality and depth of public discourse and policy-making. There is also a deep organic relationship between higher education and Education for All (EFA). The presence of meaningful educational opportunities at higher levels pulls children and young people through the educational system. Higher education and teacher training will be central for the realisation of the EFA Goals and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Equally, proactive promotion of greater and equitable participation of women and men of all social and ethnic groups can have a significant downstream impact. More women both in public and private sectors, such as school teachers, health care providers, journalists, development workers, bank employees and so on, have a ripple effect – creating role models for women and girls in traditional communities where gender discrimination and sex segregation are the norm. Scanning through the rich literature on gender and education, it is however, apparent that the bulk of the existing literature pertains to primary/basic, and to a lesser extent, secondary and tertiary education. There is also a lack of national level sex disaggregated indicators in higher education. There are few research-based studies on gender issues in higher education, an issue highlighted by UNESCO and the development and education community. The situation is particularly significant in the Asia-Pacific region – a region rich in the diversity of cultures, economic and human development, and gender relations. This advocacy brief presents an overview of the situation and flags emerging issues.
