In 2000 at the United Nations Millennium Summit, Canada joined 189 world governments in the commitment to achieve the MDGs, a set of 8 goals aimed at improving the lives of the world’s poorest by 2015.

The Target

Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015.

The Facts

64% of the world’s estimated 876 million illiterate adults are women. 80 % of all refugees are women and 60% of the 113 million children not in primary schools are girls. Around the world, omen's earned income is still significantly less than men’s earned income. Only in nine countries in the world are a third or more of the seats in national parliaments held by women.

Poverty disproportionately affects women, who represent 70 percent of the world’s poor and the current financial crisis is likely to affect women particularly severely. According to estimates, of the 771 million illiterate adults worldwide, 64 percent are women.

Gender equality in primary education, has not yet been achieved.

The Opportunity

By focusing mainly on closing the gender gap in education, MDG Goal 3 misses the mark on other important factors required for women to achieve gender equality. This includes addressing other critical areas such as omen's representation in government and decision-making, legal equality in land ownership and the justice system, access to fair employment and respect for reproductive rights.

Our Focus

Targeted public policy initiative are needed to overcome gender inequalities. For example, building schools close to remote communities, recruiting and training local teachers, and eliminating school fees can narrow the gender gap in rural areas. Targeted intervention is also needed to reduce the gender gap in paid employment, and access to health care and reproductive rights.

Much more still needs to be done. Canada has the tools and the experience to continue making a positive contribution to gender equality and the empowerment of women thru our development aid. All development programs and policies should be examined from a gender perspective to ensure that they contribute to the empowerment of women and promote gender equality.