Social and Humanitarian Council seeks to resolve gender disparities in education

            The Social and Humanitarian Council passed a resolution regarding gender disparities in education after numerous sessions of un-moderated caucus. The resolution is comprehensive, aiming to allocate funds to countries based on their literacy rates, encourage women to become mentors, provide schools in refugee camps, and give scholarships to women who show merit.

            In developing countries, women experience severe gender discrimination in education. One out of every four women is illiterate, which hinders chances of advancement and leads to lower national wealth. Female teachers face workplace discrimination more than four times of that which male teachers might experience.  Several female children are not even allowed to attend primary school.

            Resolution 1.A is “flexible and adaptable” and “maintains national sovereignty” according to sponsors Syria and India. This resolution proposes to limit funds to countries where 30% of women are illiterate and offer subsidies for further education in countries where literacy for women is over 50%, excluding countries in the top 45% of GDP.

            “It attempts to decrease the gender disparities in education by providing equality for women and to help countries economically by increasing the labor force,” resolution sponsor Sam Tope-Ojo of Venezuela stated.

             Austria also pledged 10% of its total GDP to fight for the improvement of gender disparity in education. The resolution requests the employment of women as teachers and as government workers, hoping to increase economic growth. Member states are encouraged to participate and cooperate with the UNESCO Priority Gender Equality Action Plan and efforts by NGOs. Another proposal is the creation of orphanages, hostels, and special education programs so females can have a secure and safe environment.

            The resolution focuses heavily on NGOs alongside UN bodies. It relies on interested NGOs to aid in the distribution of resources to underprivileged areas. It also asks the Security Council to offer protection for female teachers who would be sent to war-torn countries. More importantly, the resolution did not focus on primary education, which was the main issue of this topic.

            With a narrow 37/16 vote, barely passing the two-thirds majority of 36, debate was closed.  The delegate from Tonga Barnhart Dean criticized the decision, saying, “to not recognize the fact that there is gender disparity is just ridiculous.”

            While this resolution accomplished the goals of the simple majority, as Grant Adametz of Tunisia said, “one working paper cannot incorporate every country’s need in the world; it’s not probable.”