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The right to higher education and gender equality: briefing note compendium Year of publication: 2023 Corporate author: UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) The right to higher education and gender equality Table of ContentsForeword ................................................................................................................................................................................4Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................................................5UNESCO and the right to higher education ..............................................................................................................5Aim of this compendium..................................................................................................................................................6Key findings...........................................................................................................................................................................7Gender equality in Higher Education - Maximising impacts– Gillian Cowell................................................8Gender equality and higher education: The Afghan case – Aisha Khurram............................................... 12An analysis of gender equality policies and practices in higher education institutions and their effectiveness in promoting gender equity – Angel Mbuthia........................................................ 14Gender identity and access to higher education – Martin Perea.................................................................... 16What can be done to ensure the right to higher education? – Bhavani Rao.............................................. 18Gender equality in higher education still a pending issue in Peru – Patricia Ruiz Bravo ....................... 22Gender equality in higher education: state of play and implications across OECD countries, and reflections on potential responses for policy and practice – François Staring.................................. 24 
Urban heritage for resilience: consolidated results of the implementation of the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape; 3rd Member States Consultation Year of publication: 2023 Corporate author: UNESCO <Short summary>Integrating heritage conservation with urban development plans: fosters inclusive and sustainable local development Urban heritage, including its tangible and intangible attributes, constitutes a key resource in enhancing the liveability of urban areas and fosters economic development and social cohesion in a changing global environment. The UNESCO 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape has contributed towards promoting a holistic approach to managing historic urban areas. The third Member States consultation on the implementation of the 2011 Recommendation conducted between June to November 2022 emphasizes both the importance and the urgency of integrating heritage conservation with urban development plans, disaster risk reduction and climate action at the local level.The report covered six thematic areas of implementation that captured the key principles of the 2011 Recommendation in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the mapping and inventorying of heritage values and attributes, governance mechanisms, laws, regulations, and planning tools to protect these different attributes, inclusive and participatory decision-making, equitable economic development, the impacts of climate change, and the use of digital technologies for managing urban heritage including capacity building.The publication includes key recommendations emerging from consultations with international experts, exchanging innovative practices, developing guidance, tools, and initiatives, notably on planning, civic engagement, regulatory frameworks and financial mechanisms and management to support the implementation of the 2011 Recommendation. 
Supporting women participation in higher education in Eastern Africa: building sustainable and equitable higher education systems in Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda Year of publication: 2023 Author: Winnie V. Mitullah | Sibrino Forojalla | Benon Basheka | Saidou Sireh Jallow | Endris Adem Awol | Scheherazade Feddal | Daniele Vieira do Nascimento Corporate author: UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) | UNESCO Nairobi <Executive Summary>Some takeaways from the Report:Policy frameworks and various legislations have enhanced the implementation of programs aimed at improving women’s education from primary school to university level. At the Higher Education (HE) level, some progress has been made, but the institutions are lagging behind in having gender parity, more so in top leadership positions. Men dominate leadership positions. At lower education levels, progress is hampered by socio-economic and cultural gender inequities, and limited resources. Socio-cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriages have also had a negative effect on women’s advancement to HE.There are multiple factors that hinder women’s participation in HE and in reaching leadership positions. These include fewer women having PhD, maternal household engagement, limited time for participation in research and related activities that are a requirement for upward mobility as well as lack of child care and women-friendly facilities within universities. Ongoing mainstreaming of gender in HE is improving the situation, albeit minimal. More effort is needed to increase the number of women in HE. In addition, there is limited administrative commitment on the part of the universities to address gender inequality in leadership positions.Overall, HE institutions have not fully exploited opportunities that exist for gender advancement in HE, including potential partnerships for supporting the advancement of women. There is need for effective governance to achieve gender equality and collaboration between HE institutions, and development partners through public-private partnerships. Such partnerships have the potential for making resources available and for funding opportunities to enhance the support to women students, in particular those undertaking STEM courses which require more time for study.In Kenya, higher education has evolved over time from the technical and commercial institute in Nairobi – the Royal Technical College of East Africa – established in 1951 to offer technical courses within the East Africa region. The college was transformed to Royal Technical College in 1961, and later to the University of Nairobi in 1970. From this initial one university, Kenya currently has 32 chartered public universities, 9 public university constituent colleges, 21 chartered private universities and 3 private university constituent colleges.In South Sudan, at its commencement, missionary education did not provide for girls. When schools re-opened in August 1956, the Sudanese government authorities maintained the closure of the girls’ schools, irrespective of whether government or missionary, for the following four to five years. The impact has been the severe retardation of girls’ education for almost a generation. Tradition and tribal customs regarding gender equity are still very strong and dominant in everyday life. Consequently, traditional male stereotypes also dominate within almost all higher education institutions, including the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHEST) itself. This research is in fact the first time an effort is being made to investigate the participation of women in HE and in leadership positions in universities and other tertiary institutions. This explains the very limited response to the questions sent out to the institutions outside Juba. Today, however, a good start has been made in advancing girls’ education in general.In Uganda, under similar circumstances, women do not have good access to higher level jobs, positions, voice and wealth like men. The low representation of women in leadership positions in higher education institutions in the country can be traced back to the late start in women’s enrollment in modern schooling due to a number of factors. 
Technology-facilitated gender-based violence in an era of generative AI Year of publication: 2023 Corporate author: UNESCO <Short summary>Experiments reveal how generative AI facilitates gender-based violence Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) — deep-learning models that create voice, text, and image — are revolutionizing the way people access information and produce, receive and interact with content. While technological innovations like ChatGPT, DALL-E and Bard offer previously unimaginable gains in productivity, they also present concerns for the overall protection and promotion of human rights and for the safety of women and girls.The arrival of generative AI introduces new, unexplored questions: what are the companies’ policies and normative cultures that perpetuate technology-facilitated gender-based violence and harms? How do AI-based technologies facilitate gender-specific harassment and hate speech? What “prompt hacks” can lead to gendered disinformation, hate speech, harassment, and attacks? What measures can companies, governments, civil society organisations and independent researchers take to anticipate and mitigate these risks?A combination of measures are proposed to be put in place by generative AI companies and the technology companies that platform them, regulators and policy makers, by civil society organisations and independent researchers, as well as users. 
Safe, seen and included: report on school-based sexuality education Year of publication: 2023 Corporate author: UNESCO <Short summary>Why we must empower all learners through inclusive comprehensive sexuality education This report highlights the critical need for inclusive comprehensive sexuality education that embraces diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions to create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all learners. While progress has been made globally in promoting and implementing high-quality comprehensive sexuality education, there are still shortcomings in evidence-based curriculum and delivery, and discrimination based on sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions remains prevalent and harmful.Through insightful analysis, case studies and exemplary practices from various countries, this report offers valuable recommendations to policy-makers, educators, and civil society groups. It emphasizes the significance of pre-service and in-service teacher training, as well as effective monitoring, to ensure the wellbeing of learners in all their diversity. By embracing these recommendations, we can unlock the gendertransformative power of education, fostering holistic development and providing a supportive space for all learners. 
Enhancing our heritage toolkit 2.0: assessing management effectiveness of World Heritage properties and other heritage places Year of publication: 2023 Corporate author: UNESCO | International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) | International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) | International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) <Short summary>EoH 2.0 toolkit helps assess management effectiveness in World Heritage places World Heritage properties are internationally recognized as places of Outstanding Universal Value that should benefit from the highest level of management effectiveness. Despite the best efforts to conserve these places for present and future generations, many are under threat from a range of factors. These include inappropriate development, mass tourism, pollution, resource extraction or climate change, to name but a few.What can be done to better respond to factors negatively affecting World Heritage places? Do management processes influence conservation results? If so, how can critical management weaknesses be identified and improved?The Enhancing Our Heritage Toolkit 2.0 offers a self-assessment methodology to evaluate management effectiveness in a World Heritage property or other heritage place. It contains 12 tools that can be used separately or collectively to understand in detail what is working well and what can be done better. To facilitate their use, the tools are accompanied by worksheets, in the form of either a template to help compile information in a systematic way or a questionnaire, both of which can be adapted to the specific needs of each heritage place.The Toolkit supports managers in identifying ways to improve conservation practices, management processes and resource allocation – particularly if used before reviewing or updating management plans. While there is a focus on World Heritage, it can be applied to all heritage places, whether natural, cultural or combinations of both. 
Because youth perspectives matter: UNESCO toolbox for youth policy and programming Year of publication: 2023 Corporate author: UNESCO <Short summary>Placing trust in youth voicesYoung people fear for their future. Pandemics, conflict, climate change, inequality – these are the issues defining their reality.Yet their potential to provide solutions to the multiple crises is not realized. From low representation and tokenistic approaches, to institutional obstacles to participation and limited civic spaces, young people are disconnected from influencing decisions and actions that affect their lives. They need real opportunities to participate in decision-making and contribute to practical solutions.Policy-makers, public officials and practitioners – as well as development sector and civil society actors – can and should create such opportunities for youth. This Toolbox is a comprehensive go-to resource to make that possible. It is intended to support these stakeholders in designing and implementing effective policies and programmes to address the multidimensional needs of youth at national and local levels.It consists of:• A guide for participatory youth policy design;• Intergenerational dialogue tools on holistic youth development and youth civic engagement; and• A training tool on meaningful youth engagement. Together, we can prove that youth perspectives matter. 
UNESCO World Heritage sites: key to biodiversity conservation Year of publication: 2023 Corporate author: UNESCO 
Bolstering Adolescent Social, Emotional, and Mental Health with Dr. Kathleen Ethier of the CDC Year of publication: 2023 Corporate author: Committee for Children 26 Oct 2023 The Grow Kinder® podcast / Committee for Childrenhttps://soundcloud.com/grow-kinder-podcast/bolstering-adolescent-social-emotional-and-mental-health-with-dr-kathleen-ethier-of-the-cdc?utm_source=www.cfchildren.org&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=widget&utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fgrow-kinder-podcast%252Fbolstering-adolescent-social-emotional-and-mental-health-with-dr-kathleen-ethier-of-the-cdc Show NotesIn this episode of the Grow Kinder® podcast, host Andrea Lovanhill speaks with Dr. Kathleen Ethier, the director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).In this enlightening conversation, Andrea and Kathleen dive deep into the pressing issues surrounding the mental health of today’s teenagers.We take a closer look at the CDC’s recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the startling findings related to the mental health of teenage girls.We discover the initiatives undertaken by the CDC to help schools address these mental health challenges.In addition, Kathleen offers advice for concerned parents on how they can actively support their children’s social-emotional well-being and development.To learn more about the CDC’s work with schools, click here. To sign up with Committee for Children to advocate for children’s social-emotional well-being, click here.Stay tuned for more episodes on our thought-provoking journey throughout this new season.You can catch us on your favorite podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and more. For additional information, visit GrowKinderPodcast.org. 
How an SEL Podcast Saved My Carpool Year of publication: 2023 Author: Laura Wheatman Hill Corporate author: Medicinal Media | Committee for Children The Imagine Neighborhood Podcasthttps://www.imagineneighborhood.org/ The Imagine Neighborhood™ podcast helps children and grown-ups grow their social-emotional skills, and talk about the things that matter with the people that matter most.Has your child ever been so angry that they wanted to smoosh something? Have they ever been scared of the babysitter? Have they ever had a hard time calming down? The Imagine Neighborhood is the show for your family. Each episode tells a story that’s amazing, fantastical, and maybe a little bananas, while it tackles the big feelings that come with growing up. And The Imagine Neighborhood gives you and your kids fun activities to do at home, in the car, or anywhere you talk to each other. How an SEL podcast saved my carpool 25 May 2023 (by Laura Wheatman Hill) My kids’ school is 15-20 minutes from our house and there is no bus.I drive my two kids, ages six and nine, and a neighbor, eight, to and from school three days a week and I let them rotate who picks what we listen to every ride. After I had to veto their picks several days in a row because they were testing the limits of what’s appropriate for all parties, even with a “radio edit” version (I’m sorry, but no Eminem for the kindergartner), I found a kid’s podcast that teaches social emotional learning (SEL) called The Imagine Neighborhood.After the first listen, which featured characters like a vampire robot vacuum and a princess dinosaur, and a world containing dangers such as lava, pixies, and an evil hamster, my kindergartner declared, “This is the greatest podcast of all time!” We proceeded to listen to every single episode available over the next few weeks and now play a new episode the minute it drops. Why teach social emotional learning in a podcast?According to Committee for Children, which helps create programs to assist children in developing life skills, including The Imagine Neighborhood, SEL is “the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success.” Research over time shows that kids who have access to SEL interventions have positive developments both academically and socially in the short and long term. However, teaching these skills in a classroom or at home in an academic, abstract way isn’t shown to work to help your child integrate them into their lives. “You need to use stories for social emotional learning because it’s how a child can see another person’s point of view,” says Dr. Cindy Hovington, a neurologist who created Curious Neuron, a community for parents who want to learn more SEL tools, and co- founder of Wondergrade, an app that supports SEL in young children. She says empathy is much easier to convey in a story rather than a lesson because of the back and forth aspect of dialogue and character. “Someone else in the story has a consequence. Through a narrative, the child will understand both sides, how a certain event or action made a character feel and how it made the other person in the story feel,” she says. When it happens to someone else, a child can see it play out without the heightened emotion of being involved, and the empathy piece is easier to identify. The narratives are the magic of The Imagine Neighborhood. They have tapped into the problems of little kids in such a way that addresses many common issues kids face without being too overt, which would cause many nine-year-olds to roll their eyes and beg for Daft Punk. Mia Doces is the vice president of the Committee for Children. Doces says they have designed this balance of story and lesson very carefully. She explains, “Every episode has wild situations, very unique characters, and humor that ranges from slapstick to cultural references to your basic fart joke — all of which keep listeners hooked to the story. But our writers make sure that no matter how crazy things appear on the surface, the story is rooted in universal human experiences and the everyday social-emotional skills we use to navigate our emotions and cope with challenges.” Some episodes that resonated with my carpool, myself included, have been about big worries, boredom, disappointment, and loss. The parents are in on itThe host of the podcast frequently speaks directly to the parents and asks them to tell the child listeners about a time something happened to them like what is happening in the story. My carpool of sassy, smart kids usually avoids listening to what I have to say, but they actually lean in when Scotty asks me to contribute. Parental participation is also an intentional part of the design. Even if schools are teaching SEL skills, Doces says, “school-based SEL works best when kids are also learning these life skills at home with their families.” According to Hovington, “There is a misconception that SEL learning happens on the playground. SEL skill-building happens with the parent. Practice happens on the playground.” She says the best opportunities to learn new SEL skills are not in times of crisis or when problem solving, but on calm car rides home from school or before bed — the exact times we listen to The Imagine Neighborhood. In the future, Hovington says, “When a child comes back from school with a problem, that’s an opportunity for a parent to recreate or recall the story.” This resonates with audiences of The Imagine Neighborhood. Doces says, “We get letters from parents who tell us they refer to certain characters or use certain SEL-based catchphrases from the show as shorthand to help their kids draw parallels between something that’s happening to them in real time and a tool that a character learned on the show.”I haven’t sent a letter (yet), but I quote the show frequently. SEL is good for all of usTurns out, The Imagine Neighborhood, and the skills it teaches isn’t only for kids. SEL wasn’t taught in schools when most of us were kids and Doces says, “when adults listen along with the children, they’re also picking up the SEL techniques we’re sharing, and learning positive phrasing and other tools to empower them to have these family discussions in impactful ways.” Since the kids do have SEL in school, these stories provide a good segue for the students to become the teacher, and to tell us how they talk about their feelings. Parents can use the shared SEL language from curriculums and narratives like The Imagine Neighborhood as a vehicle to foster better communication in the family. Doces says parents don’t have to be masters of SEL, but “when they help children name and process their feelings, and acknowledge and support children’s positive behaviors, they’re teaching their family SEL and building a stronger, kinder future for their families.” We know positive reinforcement is successful and the message of The Imagine Neighborhood is one we can all agree on: be kind to those around you.We were driving a third-grader home from a playdate one day and The Imagine Neighborhood was playing. I heard the friend from the backseat ask, “What is this? Because I like it!” Got another one!