I.Introduction

1.At its sixty-first session, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women will examine the national reports of Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Croatia, the Gambia, Namibia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Spain and Viet Nam.

2.As a specialized agency of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) contributes to the building of peace, the alleviation of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, and communication and information. Gender equality is the global priority of the Organization for the period 2014-2021. It is pursued through a two-pronged approach: gender-specific programming and the mainstreaming of gender equality perspectives in all the UNESCO fields of competence.

3.Within the United Nations system, UNESCO has a major role in and responsibility for the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Article 10 of the Convention provides that States parties are to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in order to ensure to them equal rights with men in the field of education. The right to education is at the very heart of the mission of UNESCO and represents an integral part of its constitutional mandate.

4.Efforts by UNESCO to promote women’s empowerment, women’s rights and gender equality are guided by its medium-term strategy for 2014-2021, its organization-wide gender equality action plan for 2014-2021, which supports and guides the implementation of its global priority of gender equality, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women and UNESCO biennial and quadrennial programme and budget documents, as well as resolutions and international and regional instruments relevant to areas of action by UNESCO.

5.The commitment of UNESCO to pursuing the priority of gender equality is facilitated by the Division for Gender Equality in the Office of the Director General. As the UNESCO focal point for gender equality, the Division provides policy guidance and recommendations to senior management and programme sectors for mainstreaming gender equality considerations in UNESCO policies, strategies and programmes; carries out capacity-building; monitors gender parity and work-life balance within the UNESCO secretariat; and develops and establishes partnerships with other United Nations bodies, regional bodies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, private foundations and private sector partners that support women’s empowerment and gender equality initiatives.

II.Measures taken to implement the provisions of the Convention in the countries to be considered at the sixty-first session

Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

6.The Plurinational State of Bolivia is not party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education of 1960 and did not report to UNESCO for the seventh consultation of member States on the implementation of the Convention and the UNESCO recommendation against discrimination in education.

7.Under article 8 of the Constitution of 2009, the State is based on the values of unity, equality, inclusion, dignity, liberty, solidarity, reciprocity, respect, interdependence, harmony, transparency, equilibrium, equality of opportunity, social and gender equality in participation, common welfare, responsibility, social justice and the distribution and redistribution of the social wealth and assets for well-being. Article 14 prohibits all forms of discrimination based on sex, colour, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, origin, culture, nationality, citizenship, language, religious belief, ideology, political affiliation or philosophy, civil status, economic or social condition, type of occupation, level of education, disability or pregnancy and any other discrimination that attempts to annul or harm or results in the annulment of or harm to the equal recognition, enjoyment or exercise of the rights of all people.

8.Article 15 guarantees, in particular to women, the right not to suffer physical, sexual or psychological violence in the family and in society. Under that provision, the State adopts the measures necessary to prevent, eliminate and punish sexual and generational violence, as well as any action or omission intended to be degrading to the human condition or to cause death, pain or physical, sexual or psychological suffering, whether in the public or private sphere.

9.Article 17 guarantees to every person the right to receive an education at all levels that is universal, productive, free, comprehensive and intercultural, without discrimination.

10.Articles 77 to 97 elaborate in more detail the right to education. According to those provisions, education is one of the most important functions and primary financial responsibilities of the State, which has the mandatory obligation to sustain, guarantee and coordinate it. The education system consists of regular education, alternative and special education and higher education for professional training, and is composed of public educational institutions, private educational institutions and contracted education. The State guarantees vocational education and humanist technical learning for men and women that is related to life, work and productive development. Education is to promote civic-mindedness, intercultural dialogue and ethical moral values that incorporate gender equality, non-differentiation of roles, non-violence and the full enforcement of human rights.

11.The objectives of education are the full development of persons and the strengthening of social conscience that is critical in and for life. Education is directed towards individual and collective development; the development of the competencies, attitudes and physical and intellectual skills that link theory to productive practice; and the conservation and protection of the environment, biodiversity and the land to ensure well-being. Its regulation and fulfilment are established by law.

12.Education is obligatory up to the secondary school diploma. Public education is free at all levels, including higher education. Upon completion of studies at the secondary level, a bachelor’s diploma is available without charge. The State guarantees access to education and continuing education to all citizens under conditions of full equality. It gives priority support to those with fewer economic possibilities so that they can achieve different levels in the education system, by providing economic resources, meal programmes, clothing, transportation and school materials and residences in remote areas, according to the law. Those with excellent achievement are rewarded at all levels of the education system. Every child and adolescent with natural outstanding talent has the right to be attended to educationally with the teaching methodology and learning that makes possible the best development of his or her aptitudes and skills. Social, community and parental participation in the education system are recognized and guaranteed by means of representative organizations at all levels of the State and in the nations and the rural native indigenous peoples. Their composition and attributes are established by law. The State promotes and guarantees the continuing education of children and adolescents with disabilities or of those with extraordinary talents in learning under the same structure, principles and values of the education system, and establishes a special organization and development curriculum.

13.Private educational units are recognized and respected at all levels and in all modalities; they are governed by the policies, plans, programmes and authorities of the education system. The State guarantees their operation pursuant to prior verification of the conditions and compliance with the requisites established by law. The right of parents to choose the education that they prefer for their children is respected.

14.The follow-up, measurement, evaluation and accreditation of the quality of education in the entire education system are entrusted to a technically specialized public institution, which is independent of the branch ministry. Its composition and operation is determined by law. The formation and training of teachers for public schools, by means of upper-level training schools, is the responsibility of the State. Training is exclusive, public, free of charge, intracultural, intercultural, multilingual, scientific and productive, and is based on social commitment and a vocation for service. Teachers must participate in the process of continual updating and pedagogical training. The teaching career is secure, and teaching personnel may not be removed, in conformity with the law. Teachers are guaranteed a dignified salary.

15.Article 98 guarantees the cultural diversity of the country, given that it constitutes the essential basis of the plurinational communitarian State. The intercultural character is the means for cohesion and for harmonious and balanced existence among all peoples and nations. The intercultural character exists with respect for differences and in conditions of equality. The State takes strength from the existence of rural native indigenous cultures, which are custodians of knowledge, wisdom, values, spiritualities and world views. It is a fundamental responsibility of the State to preserve, develop, protect and disseminate the existing cultures of the country.

16.Article 103 guarantees the right to enjoy the benefits of science. The development of science and scientific, technical and technological research for the benefit of the general interest is the responsibility of the State, which provides the necessary resources and creates science and technology systems. The State adopts a policy of implementing strategies to incorporate the knowledge and application of new forms of information and communications technology (ICT). To strengthen the productive base and to stimulate the full development of society, the State, the universities, the productive and service enterprises, both public and private, and the nations and rural native indigenous peoples develop and coordinate processes of research, innovation, promotion and dissemination and the application and transfer of science and technology.

17.As part of the UNESCO participation programme, a project on transforming women’s lives by collecting life stories on successful experiences in that regard and promoting social change through dissemination in the mass media has been developed. The goal is to raise public awareness of the contribution of women to their communities and society as part of the process of change in the country to promote a positive image about women’s roles in and contribution to a more just, equitable and inclusive society, as part of the communications policies of the country. To achieve that goal, the project produces media stories in a documentary format, such as testimonials, including those that specifically illustrate the key role played by women facing complex situations in which the exercise of their rights is hindered, as well as specific problems that they have to face.

Croatia

18.Croatia has been party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education since 1992 and reported to UNESCO for the seventh consultation of member States on the implementation of the Convention and the recommendation against discrimination in education. In the summary report on the results of the consultations submitted to the Executive Board of UNESCO, it was acknowledged that the relevant provisions of the Constitution and legislation outlawed discrimination in education. In its report, Croatia provided indications on the national legal order by describing whether the Convention was directly applicable in national law upon ratification or had been incorporated into the Constitution and national law so as to be directly applicable. Croatia also described the legal norms and the factual situation, and demonstrated how laws and practices complied with the Convention. Detailed information on how the Convention and the recommendation were reflected in the actual economic, political and social realities and general conditions in the country was also provided. Croatia also furnished detailed elements relating to inclusive education, bearing witness to its concern regarding the elimination of discrimination in education against persons with disabilities and its focus on the integration of children with disabilities into schools. In its report, Croatia placed special emphasis on gender equality and equity, as well as on measures taken to ensure universal access to primary education so that it was compulsory and available free of charge and without discrimination or exclusion. It was indicated that efforts had been made to establish a system of continuing education on the basis of individual capacity, especially basic education for those who had not received or completed the entire period of their primary education. The report also provided information on secondary education, noting that it was generally available and accessible to all, as was technical and vocational secondary education. Croatia reported on the extent to which access to higher education based on individual capacity was realized, in particular by highlighting measures taken to ensure equal access, especially in cases where fees were charged for higher education courses. In addition, Croatia stated that it had made efforts to ensure that there was no discrimination on grounds prohibited by the Convention to enter and complete higher education, in both public and private institutions.

19.Under article 3 of the Constitution of 1990 (last amended in 2010), freedom, equal rights, national and gender equality, peacemaking, social justice, respect for human rights, inviolability of ownership, the conservation of nature and the environment, the rule of law and a democratic multiparty system are the highest values of the constitutional order of Croatia. Article 14 guarantees that all persons in Croatia enjoy rights and freedoms regardless of race, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other conviction, national or social origin, property, birth, education, social status or other characteristics. All persons are equal before the law.

20.Articles 66 to 68 guarantee access to education for everyone under equal conditions and in accordance with his or her aptitudes. Compulsory education is free, in conformity with the law. Subject to the conditions specified by law, the establishment of private schools and learning institutions is permitted. The autonomy of universities is guaranteed. Universities independently decide on their organization and operation, in compliance with the law.

21.Article 69 guarantees the freedom of scientific, cultural and artistic creativity. The State encourages and supports the development of science, culture and the arts. It protects scientific, cultural and artistic assets as national spiritual values. The protection of moral and material rights deriving from scientific, cultural, artistic, intellectual and other creative efforts is recognized and guaranteed. The State encourages and supports care for physical culture and sport.

22.The Primary and Secondary Education Act of 2008 provides the legal framework and defines the basic goals of education: to ensure a systematic approach to teaching, providing pupils with basic academic, lifelong learning and vocational competencies and equipping them to live and work in a social and cultural context that is changing in accordance with the demands of the market economy, modern ICT and scientific developments and achievements. The Primary and Secondary Education Textbooks Act of 2006 regulates the publication of textbooks and allows teachers to independently choose textbooks from among those approved by the Ministry of Education. It also regulates the financing of the textbooks for compulsory education from the State budget.

23.The Vocational Education and Training Act of 2009 stipulates that the main goal of vocational education and training is to enable pupils to acquire key competencies as a set of knowledge and skills necessary to meet basic needs, developing social cohesion, democratic society and employment. The Adult Education Act of 2007 recognizes adult education as an integral part of the education system, thus enabling anyone who has dropped out of formal education to re-enter the system and continue his or her education without any limitations.

24.Primary education is compulsory for children from 6 or 7 years of age. It lasts for eight years (grades 1-8) and is divided into two four-year cycles: lower primary and upper primary. Secondary education lasts for four years in grammar schools (gymnasiums) and arts schools, which prepare pupils for tertiary-level education; four years in vocational (technical) secondary schools, also giving access to tertiary-level education; or three years in vocational schools (industrial and crafts schools), mainly preparing pupils for work. Secondary education graduates can continue their studies at the tertiary level in universities, polytechnics and post-secondary vocational colleges. Polytechnics and post-secondary vocational colleges offer two-year and three-year programmes leading to a professional diploma, as well as three-year to four-year programmes leading to an undergraduate professional diploma. Within the framework of the Bologna Process, university programmes have been restructured into three-year to four-year bachelor’s degree programmes and one-year to two-year master’s degree programmes. Doctoral degree programmes normally take three years to complete.

25.The education sector development plan of 2011 contemplates four key development priorities: improving the quality and effectiveness of education, stimulating the continuing professional training of teachers and other educational staff, developing strategies for improving the management and efficiency of the education system and promoting education for social cohesion and economic growth and development.

Gambia

26.The Gambia is not party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and did not report to UNESCO for the seventh consultation of member States on the implementation of the Convention and the recommendation against discrimination in education.

27.Article 17 (2) of the Constitution of 1997 (last amended in 2001) stipulates that every person in the Gambia, whatever his or her race, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, is entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual, but is subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest. Article 33 guarantees protection from discrimination by stating that all persons are equal before the law, that no law is to make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect and that no person is to be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or public authority.

28.Article 28 specifically guarantees the rights of women. Women are accorded full and equal dignity of the person with men and have the right to equal treatment with men, including equal opportunities in political, economic and social activities.

29.Article 30 guarantees the right to education. All persons have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities with a view to achieving the full realization of that right. Basic education is free, compulsory and available to all. Secondary education, including technical and vocational education, is made generally available and accessible to all by every appropriate means, in particular, by the progressive introduction of free education. Higher education is made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity and by every appropriate means, in particular by the progressive introduction of free education. Functional literacy is encouraged or intensified as far as possible and the development of a system of schools with adequate facilities at all levels is actively pursued.

30.Under article 32 of the Constitution, every person is entitled to enjoy, practise, profess, maintain and promote any culture, language, tradition or religion subject to the terms of the Constitution and to the condition that those rights do not impinge on the rights and freedoms of others or the national interest, especially unity.

31.Children enter primary school at 7 years of age. The basic education programme lasts for nine years and is divided into two cycles: lower basic (grades 1-6) and upper basic (grades 7-9). At the end of the basic education cycle, pupils sit the Gambia Basic Education Certificate Examination, which is terminal and selective for enrolment into senior secondary school.

32.Secondary education covers grades 10 to 12 and is for pupils between 16 and 18 years of age. Secondary schools offer a variety of subjects (science, arts, commerce, vocational and technical).

33.Tertiary and higher education is provided at the University of the Gambia and other post-secondary institutions. Bachelor’s degree programmes normally last for two, four or six years. The duration of master’s degree programmes is normally two years.

34.In terms of the educational policy for 2004-2015, the guiding principle for education is premised on the non-discriminatory and all-inclusive provision of education, underlining, in particular, gender equality and targeting the poor and disadvantaged groups; respect for the rights of the individual, cultural diversity, indigenous languages and knowledge; promotion of ethical norms and values and a culture of peace; and the development of science and technology competencies for a desired quantum leap.

35.The Gambia is one of three African countries that are part of a project to analyse the women’s social movement, gender-based violence and the promotion of social inclusion and of women’s human rights in the countries of the Sahel. The overall goal is to increase the capacity of women to participate in political life and their political influence in the decision-making process in the areas that mostly affect their lives.

36.The Gambia is also one of three African countries that are part of a project on developing transformative leadership training for women in Africa. Women remain underrepresented in decision-making institutions in Africa, in part because they themselves feel that they lack the appropriate skills and confidence to participate and to take on leadership roles. The project is carried out in cooperation with three universities in Africa (the University of the Gambia, the University of Ghana and the University of Liberia), in collaboration with Rutgers University (United States of America), to develop a curriculum that can be used for training women in those countries for leadership roles. Following the piloting of the project in the three countries, it is expected that the curriculum will be made available more widely throughout Africa and translated into French and other languages, as appropriate.

37.Within the UNESCO participation programme, a project on a motion picture arts certificate, training young people and women film-makers to foster creativity and the diversity of cultural expressions was developed. Its overall objective is to train women film-makers in professional film-making and to produce five short feature and documentary films introducing Gambian cultural expressions.

Namibia

38.Namibia is not party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and did not report to UNESCO for the seventh consultation of member States on the implementation of the Convention and the recommendation against discrimination in education.

39.Article 10 of the Constitution of 1990 (last amended in 2010) guarantees equality and freedom from discrimination. All persons are equal before the law and no persons may be discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.

40.According to article 20, all persons have the right to education. Primary education is compulsory and the State provides reasonable facilities to render that right effective for every resident of Namibia by establishing and maintaining State schools at which primary education is provided free of charge. Children are not allowed to leave school until they have completed primary education or have attained 16 years of age, whichever is sooner. All persons have the right, at their own expense, to establish and to maintain private schools, colleges or other institutions of tertiary education, provided that such establishments are registered with a government department in accordance with any law authorizing and regulating such registration; that the standards maintained by such establishments are not inferior to the standards maintained in comparable establishments funded by the State; that no restrictions of whatever nature are imposed with regard to the admission of pupils based on race, colour or creed; and that no restrictions of whatever nature are imposed with regard to the recruitment of staff based on race or colour.

41.Article 19 guarantees the right to culture, stipulating that every person is entitled to enjoy, practise, profess, maintain and promote any culture, language, tradition or religion subject to the terms of the Constitution and to the condition that the rights protected by article 19 do not impinge upon the rights of others or the national interest.

42.The pre-primary school year, which caters for children between 5 and 6 years of age, is considered to be the first phase of basic education. Primary education lasts for seven years, divided into lower primary (grades 1-4, second phase of basic education) and upper primary (grades 5-7, third phase of basic education).

43.Secondary education comprises two cycles: junior secondary (grades 8-10, fourth phase of basic education) and senior secondary (grades 11 and 12, fifth phase of basic education). At the end of grade 10, pupils sit an external examination in nine subjects for the Junior Secondary Certificate. At the end of grade 12, pupils sit the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Examination in six subjects. Vocational education and training centres offer a variety of courses at the junior secondary level. Skills development opportunities are also offered to young people who are out of school in vocational training and community skills development centres.

44.Tertiary and higher education is offered at teacher education colleges, agricultural colleges, the University of Namibia and the Polytechnic of Namibia, which offer a range of programmes from one-year to four-year bachelor’s degree programmes. At the postgraduate level, one-year programmes for advanced or specialized diplomas, two-year programmes for master’s degrees and three-year programmes for doctoral degrees are offered.

45.Within the UNESCO participation programme, a project on empowering adult women and girls through ICT was developed. The overall goal is to address the digital divide in ICT to contribute to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls to gain access to information and knowledge through ICT and to empower women and girls by increasing their work efficiency and effectiveness by using ICT tools. To achieve its goal, the project develops a four-month training programme focusing on computer skills, beginning with basic computer literacy and moving to intermediate and advanced skills. The expected results are that the disadvantaged women and girls will use the skills acquired to gain access to information and knowledge and increase work efficiency and effectiveness, including the development of business proposals and plans, creative designs such as business cards and wedding cards, basic accounting skills and the use of the Internet and e-mail, thus contributing to employment creation.

46.Also within the participation programme, a project on capacity-building and the empowerment of Namibian women in science was developed. The overall goal is to contribute to the advancement of Namibian women in science, technology, engineering and agriculture through the hosting of a conference to develop strategies for the promotion of women in science, career and leadership development, innovation, capacity-building and professional development and networking opportunities for women in science. The project also envisages follow-up actions stemming from the conference and their long-term impact on the participation of women in science in Namibia, such as the promotion of networking and improved communications among women in academic, science, technology, engineering and agriculture careers, data collection pertaining to women scientists and the identification of qualified women scientists to speak at conferences and in seminar programmes, participate in advisory groups and committees, review manuscripts and serve on editorial boards of journals. As part of its long-term impact, the project also envisages that young girls will be inspired and encouraged to study science, technology, engineering and agriculture courses and pursue careers in those male-dominated fields, through visits to schools by university science students and successful women scientists based in Namibia to help to counteract and overcome negative stereotypes.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

47.Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has been party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education since 1985, but did not report to UNESCO for the seventh consultation of member States on the implementation of the Convention and the recommendation against discrimination in education.

48.Article 13 of the Constitution of 2009 guarantees equal treatment by stipulating that every person has a right to equality of treatment by public authorities. Article 21 guarantees equality for women and men. Women and men have equal rights and the same legal status in all spheres of political, economic, cultural and social life. All forms of discrimination against women and men on the basis of their sex are prohibited. The rights of women are ensured by according women equal access with men to academic, vocational and professional training and equal opportunities in employment, remuneration and promotion and in social, political and cultural activity. Moral support is to be encouraged for mothers and children, including paid leave and other benefits for mothers and expectant mothers.

49.Education is free, but not compulsory. Primary school lasts for seven years. The first phase of secondary education lasts for five years and is followed by a further two-year period for pupils intending to study further at the tertiary level. Attendance at secondary school hovers at around 60 per cent for both sexes.

50.General vocational training is provided by the Department of Public Works, and agricultural training by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Ministry of Education is responsible for adult education.

51.With regard to tertiary education, 1,000 young people are studying at the teacher training college affiliated to the University of the West Indies and the St. Vincent Technical Community College founded in 1997 on diploma programmes in secretarial and business studies, electrical, electronic and engineering technology, building construction and agricultural science.

52.The “education revolution” of the past decade is a clear indication of the commitment of the Government. Between 2000 and 2010, education represented, on average, 16.8 per cent of the total budget allocation. Consistently high expenditure in education has led to the country surpassing the target of Millennium Development Goal 2 (achieve universal primary education). Not only has the country achieved universal access to primary education, but it has also achieved universal access to secondary education and set its sights on achieving universal access to early childhood education as a major thrust for social and economic development.

53.As part of the UNESCO participation programme, a project to enhance income through capacity-building for women in agriculture was developed. The goal is to build the capacity of rural women producers between 20 and 49 years of age and their families to increase their incomes and quality of life by upgrading their fruit and vegetable value chains. To achieve that goal, the project develops workshops and specific training courses for various cultivation skills. The project is highly relevant for the objectives and priorities of UNESCO in the areas of promoting all forms of gender transformative education and learning, including global citizenship, life skills education and education for sustainable development.

Senegal

54.Senegal has been party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education since 1967 and reported to UNESCO for the seventh consultation of member States on the implementation of the Convention and the recommendation against discrimination in education. In its report, Senegal provided detailed information on the administrative framework, demonstrating the implementation and extent to which national laws and education policy corresponded to the provisions of the Convention. Senegal furnished detailed elements relating to inclusive education. Its report bears witness to concerns regarding the elimination of discrimination in education against persons with disabilities and focuses on the integration of children with disabilities into schools. Generally, discrimination in education based on the grounds specified in the Convention is outlawed in Senegal, and its report contains detailed information on measures taken, in particular in relation to access to education. Senegal clearly addresses the educational needs of the poorer sectors of society, and the Government has introduced proactive policies for access to education, notably in rural areas, as well as financial aid for pupils from poor families by way of bursaries and grants. National accomplishments with regard to ensuring universal access to primary schooling that is available free of charge, compulsory and without discrimination or exclusion are reflected in the report of Senegal. The report also provided information on the education policy framework for minimum educational standards with regard to the rights of parents and legal guardians to provide religious and moral education to their children and the choice of educational institutions.

55.Article 7 of the Constitution of 2001 (last amended in 2010) guarantees equality and non-discrimination. All human beings are equal before the law. Men and women are equal in right; the law promotes the equal access of women and men to mandates and functions. There is no constraint or privilege arising from birth, person or family.

56.Articles 21 to 23 guarantee the right to education. The State and the public collectivities create the preliminary conditions and the public institutions that guarantee the education of children. The State has the duty and the responsibility for the education and the instruction of young people by the public schools. All children, boys and girls, in all the national territory, have the right to attend school. The institutions and religious and non-religious communities are equally recognized as a means of education. All the national institutions, public and private, have the duty to make their members literate and to participate in the national effort of literacy in one of the national languages. Private schools may be opened with the authorization and under the control of the State.

57.The education system in Senegal is based on the system in France. The State is responsible for the creation of an education system that enables every citizen to have access to education. Education is compulsory and free up to 16 years of age. Primary education encompasses children between 7 and 12 years of age and is organized in three cycles, each of two years’ duration. Children of 13 years of age continue their education in middle school for three years, which is a precondition for secondary general education and secondary technical education. Secondary education lasts for three years and finishes with the baccalaureate. At that level, there are also schools for professional training lasting for two or three years. Tertiary and higher education in universities offers various two-year to five-year programmes with a variety of diplomas, including master’s and doctoral degrees.

58.Senegal is one of three African countries that are part of a project to analyse the women’s social movement, gender-based violence and the promotion of social inclusion and of women’s human rights in the countries of the Sahel. The overall goal is to increase the capacity of women to participate in political life and their political influence in the decision-making process in the areas that mostly affect their lives.

59.A project on literacy skills for young girls and women represents a contribution to the achievement of the country’s 10-year education and training programme, to the achievement of the Education for All goals, in particular goals 3 to 5, and to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, in particular those relating to the eradication of poverty, the empowerment of women and the reduction of maternal mortality. The objective is to develop literacy skills for 40,000 women with a focus on the use of ICT in the process of learning.

60.The overall goal of a project on women’s empowerment through awareness-raising on HIV is to contribute to raising the awareness and developing the life skills of women and girls from marginalized communities in the area of reproductive health, in particular in the prevention of HIV, breast cancer and uterine cancer, within the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

61.A project on the eradication of gender-based violence and promotion of human rights represents the contribution of UNESCO to a joint United Nations initiative with an overall goal of creating an enabling environment for more security and more social justice that is more inclusive for women and girls, through awareness-raising and capacity-building, to combat gender-based violence and to incorporate a human-rights-based approach into public policies and practices.

62.The aim of a project on strengthening the capacity of the Senegalese branch of the network of women in the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters is to promote a gender approach in order to contribute to the creation of an environment that is conducive to freedom of expression among women radio broadcasters for a more widespread popularization of the culture of equality. The project develops workshops for female members of broadcasting teams in the concepts of gender, climate change and food security, gender equity indicators in the media, the production of programmes on the themes of climate change and food security, with the concept of gender as the overarching theme, and the exchange of radio productions on the themes of the workshops for community radio stations.

63.As part of the UNESCO participation programme, a project on young women from marginalized communities and efforts to combat extreme poverty has as its goal to develop mechanisms and means to enable young women living in the urban periphery of Dakar to get out of extreme poverty and ignorance through inclusive empowering programmes. The project gives the women the possibility to integrate themselves into society by learning sewing, knitting and handmade embroidery. It contains a practical part that includes short-term training aimed at strengthening capacity-building and creating awareness of the importance and role of small projects in efforts to combat poverty, exclusion and vulnerability. Within the project, a seminar was organized to reinforce the participants’ knowledge and capacity to create, implement and manage small projects that generate income.

Spain

64.Spain has been party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education since 1969 and reported to UNESCO for the seventh consultation of member States on the implementation of the Convention and the recommendation against discrimination in education. In its report, Spain recalled the relevant provisions of its national Constitution and legislation outlawing discrimination in education. It also provided indications on its national legal order by describing how the Convention had been incorporated into the Constitution and national legislation so as to be directly applicable. Spain described the current situation relating to the judicial, administrative and other competent authorities having jurisdiction with regard to the implementation of the Convention. Generally, discrimination in education based on the grounds specified in the Convention is outlawed in Spain, and in its report it described the measures taken, in particular in relation to access to education. Spain reported on laws and policies ensuring the universal and free availability of primary education. Secondary education is generally available and accessible to all. The report also included information on the education policy framework for minimum educational standards with regard to the rights of parents and legal guardians to provide religious and moral education to their children and the choice of educational institutions. The report confirmed the commitment of Spain to the freedom of parents and legal guardians to choose for their children institutions other than those maintained by the public authorities as well as their right to ensure the religious and moral education of the children in conformity with their own convictions, as set out in article 5 of the Convention. Spain stated that it was essential to place greater emphasis on policies that contributed to eliminating social barriers. Spain also highlighted actions and steps taken towards creating greater awareness of and activities for promoting non-discrimination and equality of educational opportunities.

65.Article 14 of the Constitution of 1978 (last amended in 2011) guarantees the principle of equality and non-discrimination. Spaniards are equal before the law and may in no way be discriminated against on account of birth, race, sex, religion, opinion or any other personal or social condition or circumstance.

66.Article 20 guarantees the right to literary, artistic, scientific and technical production and creation and to academic freedom. Article 27 specifically elaborates the right to education. Everyone has the right to education. Freedom of teaching is recognized. Education aims for the full development of human personality with due respect for the democratic principles of coexistence and for basic rights and freedoms. The public authorities guarantee the right of parents to ensure that their children receive religious and moral instruction in accordance with their own convictions. Elementary education is compulsory and free. The public authorities guarantee the right of all to education through general education programming, with the effective participation of all sectors concerned and the establishment of educational centres. The right of individuals and legal entities to set up educational centres is recognized, provided that they respect constitutional principles. Teachers, parents and, when appropriate, pupils are to participate in the control and management of all centres supported by the Administration with public funds, under the terms established by law. The public authorities are to inspect and standardize the education system in order to ensure compliance with the laws. The public authorities are to help the educational centres that meet the requirements established by law. The autonomy of universities is recognized, under the terms established by law.

67.Schooling is State-funded and is compulsory between 6 and 16 years of age. There are three categories of schools in the education system in Spain: public schools, State-funded private schools and private schools. Some private schools are publicly funded, meaning that the line between public and private is blurred.

68.Primary school education is the beginning of the government-required education. It is made up of six academic school years from 6 to 12 years of age, divided into three cycles of two years each. Generally, the first cycle is from 6 to 7 years of age, the second cycle from 8 to 9 years of age and the third cycle from 10 to 11 years of age. The objective is to give pupils a common and solid basic education in culture, oral expression, reading, writing and arithmetic. Required courses include social studies, art education, physical education, the Spanish language and, if different, the official language of the autonomous community, foreign languages and mathematics. The teaching methodology is directed towards developing pupils and integrating their various experiences and learning styles. Primary education is focused on personalized and tailored classes depending on the level of each child.

69.Middle school (compulsory secondary education) generally lasts from 12 to 16 years of age. Upon graduation, pupils have two choices: high school, known as the baccalaureate, or vocational/professional training. The baccalaureate is a non‑compulsory form of free education that consists of one cycle in two academic years for pupils between 16 and 18 years of age. It consists of a series of required common classes, elective classes and specialization classes, or concentration in a certain discipline. A pupil must specialize in one of the disciplines offered. If a pupil plans to continue on to university, certain concentrations may be required in order to be admitted to certain university programmes. There are two types of vocational training in Spain: middle-grade training cycles for those who have only their compulsory secondary education diploma and superior training cycles for those who possess a baccalaureate. Those who complete a superior training cycle may then pursue certain university degrees.

70.Tertiary and higher education studies usually last for four years, with the exception of degrees in medicine and some other degrees, which last for six years. Higher education consists of bachelor’s degrees for four-year programmes, master’s degrees for two-year postgraduate programmes and doctoral degrees for post-master’s education.

Viet Nam

71.Viet Nam is not party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and did not report to UNESCO for the seventh consultation of member States on the implementation of the Convention and the recommendation against discrimination in education.

72.Under article 16 of the Constitution, all people are equal before the law and no one may be subject to discriminatory treatment in political, civil, economic, cultural or social life. Article 26 specifically guarantees equality between women and men in all fields. The State is to adopt policies to guarantee the right to and opportunities for gender equality. The State, society and family are to create the conditions for women to develop comprehensively and to advance their role in society. Gender discrimination is prohibited.

73.Under article 39, citizens have the right, as well as the obligation, to learn. Article 61 stipulates that to develop education is a top national policy that aims to increase public intellectual standards, develop human resources and nurture talented people. The State is to accord priority to investment in, and attract other investment sources for, education; care for pre-school education; ensure free compulsory primary education; gradually universalize secondary education; develop higher education and vocational education; and implement reasonable scholarship and school fee policies. The State is to accord priority to the development of education in mountainous areas, on islands, in ethnic minority areas and in areas that have extremely difficult socioeconomic conditions; accord priority to the employment and development of talented people; and create the conditions for persons with disabilities and poor people to receive education and vocational training.

74.Article 40 guarantees to everyone the right to conduct scientific or technological research or literary or artistic creation and to enjoy the benefits brought about by those activities. Under article 62, to develop science and technology is a top national policy, playing the key role in national socioeconomic development. The State is to accord priority to investment in and encourage organizations and individuals to invest in the research, development, transfer and effective application of scientific and technological achievements; guarantee the right to conduct scientific and technological research; and protect intellectual property rights. The State is to create the conditions for everyone to participate in and to enjoy the benefits from scientific and technological activities.

75.Article 41 of the Constitution guarantees to everyone the right to enjoy and have access to cultural values, participate in cultural life and use cultural facilities. Under article 60, the State and society are to care for the creation and development of an advanced Vietnamese culture that is deeply imbued with the national identity and has absorbed the cultural quintessence of humanity. The State and society are to develop literature and the arts in order to meet the diverse and healthy spiritual needs of the people and are to develop the mass media to meet the people’s demand for information and to serve national construction and defence.

76.In accordance with the Education Law, primary education (grades 1-5) is compulsory for all children between 6 and 14 years of age. Pupils having successfully completed primary education receive a certificate.

77.General secondary education is divided into two cycles: basic or lower secondary education, which lasts for four years (grades 6-9), and general or upper secondary education (grades 10-12). Admission to upper secondary education is subject to passing an entrance examination. Pupils having successfully completed upper secondary education are eligible to take the final examination, which leads to the diploma of secondary school graduation. Pupils having completed primary education may also enrol in vocational training courses of between one and three years’ duration at vocational training schools. Both the diploma of secondary school graduation and the diploma of vocational secondary education grant access to higher education, subject to passing an entrance examination. Pupils from the professional/vocational track usually enrol in junior colleges.

78.Higher education institutions include universities, colleges and academic research institutes. Junior colleges offer three-year professional programmes (short-term higher education, also referred to as “associate degree”) and graduates can pursue a bachelor’s degree. At the university level, programmes leading to the award of a bachelor’s degree normally last for four years. At the postgraduate level, master’s degree programmes last for two years, and doctoral degree programmes last for two to three years for master’s degree holders and four years for bachelor’s degree holders.

79.In 2010, the UNESCO International Bureau of Education conducted a three-day pilot testing workshop of draft teacher training modules developed in the context of a programme on national textbook review and analysis from a gender perspective, including piloting teacher training programmes to incorporate gender equality issues, in line with the laws on gender equality and domestic violence prevention and control.

80.A project on gender equality and girls’ education to empower girls and women for a more equal society contributes to the enhancement of an enabling environment for the implementation of the legal right of girls and women to education. It does this through gender mainstreaming in plans, leadership training and awareness-raising, by enhancing the capacity of the education sector to ensure gender equality in planning and management and to increase access to high-quality education at all levels for girls and women, including those in disadvantaged and vulnerable situations; gender mainstreaming in curriculum and textbook development and teaching practices; and raising awareness of gender equality and girls’ education among pupils, parents, community members and the media.

81.The overall goal of a project on strengthening gender equality in the media for women’s empowerment and participation is to assist Viet Nam in developing a national policy on gender-sensitive indicators for the media and to use it as a tool to gauge gender sensitivity in media operations and content.

82.As part of the UNESCO participation programme, a project on an international forum on the gender dimensions of social exclusion towards more inclusive policies for women aims at creating a platform to foster the exchange of experiences and good practices among experts and policymakers so that they can enable intersectoral dialogue and social transformations conducive to the social inclusion of women. To achieve that goal, an international forum was held for one day, bringing together some 60 participants among public authorities, policymakers, social science researchers, gender specialists and representatives of civil society and international organizations, creating a space for sharing best practices and an interactive debate that can contribute to informing policy formulation and implementation to achieve more inclusive policies for women, thus contributing to efforts to combat poverty and narrow gender inequalities.

Annex

Educational statistics for countries reporting to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its sixty-first session: gross enrolment ratios of women and men and gender parity index

		Gross enrolment ratio, primary		Gross enrolment ratio, secondary		Gross enrolment ratio, tertiary	Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio, primary	Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio, secondary (all programmes)	Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio, tertiary
Country	Year		Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male

Bolivia (Plurinational State of)	2009	101.14	102.34	77.43	78.05	–	–	0.99	0.99	–
2010	93.33	98.65	77.38	77.69	–	–	0.99	1.00	–
2011	93.72	95.16	77.44	77.11	–	–	0.98	1.00	–
	2012	90.97	93.00	78.30	78.05	–	–	0.98	1.00	–
Croatia	2009	91.52	91.91	100.29	96.68	56.52	44.49	1.00	1.04	1.27
	2010	92.26	92.49	101.79	95.15	64.15	47.84	1.00	1.07	1.34
	2011	94.08	94.67	99.89	96.13	68.81	49.20	0.99	1.04	1.40
	2012	96.66	96.98	100.30	96.65	77.32	52.33	1.00	1.04	1.36
Gambia	2009	–	–	57.48 a	60.21 a	–	–	–	0.95 a	–
	2010	86.20	84.12	55.97 a	59.01 a	–	–	1.02	0.95 a	–
	2011	83.95	80.98	–	–	–	–	1.04	–	–
	2012	87.02	83.43	–	–	–	–	1.04	–	–
Namibia	2009	–	109.27	–	–	–	–	0.98	–	–
	2010	–	108.81	–	–	–	–	0.98	–	–
	2011	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
	2012	95.57	111.20	–	–	–	–	0.97	–	–
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	2009	102.37	109.51	111.55	107.44	–	–	0.93	1.04	–
2010	101.22	108.77	108.85	106.26	–	–	0.93	1.02	–
	2011	98.13	101.12	99.87	107.17	–	–	0.97	0.93	–
	2012	103.27	107.28	98.96	107.89	–	–	0.96	0 . 96	–
Senegal	2009	86.27	82.88	–	–	5.90	10.20	1.04	–	0.58 a
	2010	86.67	82.19	33.87	38.93	5.65 a	9.63 a	1.05	0.87	0.59
	2011	86.13	80.97	39.11 b	42.88 b	–	–	1.06	0.91 b	–
	2012	87.01	80.63	–	–	–	–	1.08	–	–
Spain	2009	106.19	107.19	121.56	116.37	81.19	65.55	0.99	1.04	1.24
	2010	105.08	105.86	126.03	123.31	86.32	70.24	0.99	1.02	1.23
	2011	104.02	104.67	129.26	127.81	91.27	74.37	0.99	1.01	1.23
	2012	102.57	103.24	131.39	130.25	93.16	76.42	0.99	1.01	1.22
Viet Nam	2009	101.69	103.88	–	–	19.80	19.94	0.98	–	0.99
	2010	102.38	107.30	–	–	22.43	22.34	0.95	–	1.00
	2011	102.70	107.15	–	–	24.63	24.24	0.96	–	1.02
	2012	105.08	104.32	–	–	–	–	1.01	–	–

A dash indicates data not available.

aUNESCO Institute for Statistics estimate.

bNational estimate.