Data aggregated by Region

Data (%)	Net enrolment ratio. Primary. Total	Net enrolment ratio. Primary. Male	Net enrolment ratio. Primary. Female	Gender parity index for net enrolment ratio. Primary
YEAR	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005
REGION
Arab States	94	95	100	100	91	91	0,91	0,91
Latin America and the Caribbean	117	**118	120	**120	115	**115	0,96	**0,96
North America and Western Europe	102	102	102	102	101	102	0,98	0,99
Sub-Saharan Africa	93	97	99	102	87	91	0,88	0,89

** Estimation of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Source: http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=182 ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Education; Last accessed on 03/10/2007.

2.Secondary Education

Country Data

Data (%)	Gross enrolment ratio. Secondary. Total	Gross enrolment ratio. Secondary. Male	Gross enrolment ratio. Secondary. Female	Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio. Secondary
YEAR	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005
COUNTRY
Bolivia	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Burundi	12	**13	14	**15	10	**11	0,75	**0,74
France	111	116	110	116	111	116	1,01	1,00
Lebanon	89	89	85	85	93	93	1,09	1,10
Luxembourg	95	94	92	91	98	97	1,06	1,06
Morocco	48	**50	52	**54	43	**46	0,84	**0,85
Saudi Arabia	89	88	91	89	88	86	0,97	0,96
Sweden	103	103	101	103	105	103	1,04	1,00

Data aggregated by Region

Data (%)	Gross enrolment ratio. Secondary. Total	Gross enrolment ratio. Secondary. Male	Gross enrolment ratio. Secondary. Female	Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio. Secondary
YEAR	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005
REGION
Arab States	68	68	71	71	65	65	0,91	0,92
Latin America and the Caribbean	87	**88	84	**84	90	**91	1,08	**1,08
North America and Western Europe	101	102	101	102	102	102	1,01	1,01
Sub-Saharan Africa	**31	**32	**34	**35	**27	**28	**0,78	**0,79

** Estimation of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Source: http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=182 ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Education; Last accessed on 03/10/2007.

3.Tertiary Education (ISCED 5 and 6)*

a)Country Data

Data (%)	Gross enrolment ratio. ISCED 5 and 6.	Gross enrolment ratio. ISCED 5 and 6. Male	Gross enrolment ratio. ISCED 5 and 6. Female	Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio. Tertiary
YEAR	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005
COUNTRY
Bolivia	**41	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Burundi	2	**2	3	**3	1	**1	0,37	**0,38
France	56	56	49	49	63	64	1,28	1,29
Lebanon	48	51	45	47	50	54	1,12	1,15
Luxembourg	**12	-	**11	-	**13	-	**1,18	-
Morocco	11	11	11	12	10	10	0,87	0,85
Saudi Arabia	28	28	22	23	33	34	1,50	1,47
Sweden	84	82	66	64	102	100	1,55	1,55

b) Data aggregated by Region

Data (%)	Gross enrolment ratio. ISCED 5 and 6. Total	Gross enrolment ratio. ISCED 5 and 6. Male	Gross enrolment ratio. ISCED 5 and 6. Female	Gender parity index for gross enrolment ratio. Tertiary
YEAR	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005
REGION
Arab States	21	21	**21	**21	**20	**21	**0,95	**1,01
Latin America and the Caribbean	29	**29	26	**27	31	**32	1,17	**1,17
North America and Western Europe	70	70	60	60	79	80	1,32	1,33
Sub-Saharan Africa	5	**5	6	**6	4	**4	0,62	**0,62

* The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED): 5 First stage of tertiary education (not leading directly to an advanced research qualification); 6 Second stage of tertiary education (leading to an advanced research qualification)

** Estimation of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Source: http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=167 ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Education; Last accessed on 03/10/2007

Percentage of female students. Pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary.

Country Data

Data (%)	Percentage of female students. Pre-primary	Percentage of female students. Primary	Percentage of female students. Secondary	Percentage of female students. Tertiary
YEAR	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005
COUNTRY
Bolivia	49	**49	**49	-	-	-	-	-
Burundi	49	49	45	46	43	**43	49	**48
France	49	49	49	48	49	49	44	44
Lebanon	49	48	48	48	51	52	40	41
Luxembourg	49	49	49	49	50	50	48	49
Morocco	38	39	46	46	45	**45	39	**39
Saudi Arabia	48	48	49	49	48	48	9	9
Sweden	48	48	49	49	49	49	44	44

Data aggregated by Region

Data (%)	Percentage of female students. Pre-primary	Percentage of female students. Primary	Percentage of female students. Total Secondary. All programmes	Percentage of female students. Total Secondary. Technical/vocational programmes
YEAR	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005	2004	2005
REGION
Arab States	46	46	**47	**47	47	**47	42	42
Latin America and the Caribbean	49	**49	48	**48	51	**51	53	**53
North America and Western Europe	48	**48	48	49	49	49	44	44
Sub-Saharan Africa	**49	**49	46	47	**43	**44	**38	**40

** Estimation of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

Source: http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=182 ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Education; Last accessed on 08/10/2007

B.Country-specific reports: initiatives and projects

Bolivia

Education

12.Bolivia is not a party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and did not report to UNESCO for the Seventh Consultation — covering the period 2000-2005 — of Member States on the Implementation of the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education. Bolivia is encouraged to ratify the Convention as well as the Convention on Technical and Vocational Education (1989).

13.According to the Bolivian Constitution, adopted in 1967, every person has the right to receive an education and acquire culture and to teach under the supervision of the State (article 7). Article 8 provides that every person has the duty to acquire at least an elementary education. The Constitution recognizes, moreover, in its article 177, that education is the most important function of the State and that in performing that function it must promote the culture of the people. Freedom of teaching is guaranteed under the tutelage of the State, and public education is free of charge and shall be provided on a democratic one-school-for-all basis. The elementary phase is compulsory. The Constitution also stipulates that the State shall encourage vocational education and technical professional instruction, guided by the degree of economic development and the sovereignty of the country (article 178), and that literacy is a social necessity to whose attainment all inhabitants of the country must contribute (article 179).

14.Since September 2007, 12 Bolivian schools have been participating in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network.

15.Bolivia joined UNESCO on 13 November 1946.

Participation Programme

16.The following requests were approved:

(a)Development of a database to analyse the participation of women in education throughout the national education system;

(b)Organization of a national workshop to train academics and scientists in scientific research methodology.

Fellowships

17.Four fellowships were awarded to young women: one in ecology, one in agricultural engineering, one in earth sciences and one in communications and information.

Burundi

Education

18.Burundi is not a party to the Convention against Discrimination in Education, but reported to the Seventh Consultation — covering the period 2000-2005 — on the implementation of the Convention and the Recommendation against Discrimination in Education. Burundi is encouraged to ratify the Convention as well as the Convention on Technical and Vocational Education.

19.The country has a UNESCO Chair for Education for Peace and Conflict Resolution and two UNESCO International Centres for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (UNEVOC). Burundi also participates in the organization’s Teacher Training Initiative for Sub-Saharan Africa, a 10-year project aimed at restructuring national teacher policies in 46 sub-Saharan countries. Burundi is part of the EDUCAIDS project, a UNESCO-led worldwide initiative to boost countries’ comprehensive responses to HIV and AIDS; the project is funded by the Government of Japan.

20.Burundi is not part of the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network.

21.Burundi joined UNESCO on 16 November 1962.

Participation Programme

22.The following requests were approved:

–Equipment and rehabilitation of primary and maternity schools, “Debout Bébés de Buyenzi”.

–Equipment of two training and production workshops in sculpture and basketry.

–Provision of musical instruments and traditional costumes.

–Provision of computer hardware to the University of Ngozi-Burundi.

–Creation of technical services cooperation for the social and economic integration of 43 girls.

–Organization of a handicrafts seminar and national market.

–Creation of a multimedia centre thanks to the purchase of computer equipment.

–Urgent aid: integration of children and young orphans victims of war and of AIDS.

Fellowships

23.Four fellowships were awarded to young women: two in education and teacher training and two in technology and agriculture.

France

Education

24.France has been a party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education since 1961. France submitted a report to UNESCO for the Seventh Consultation (period from 2000 to 2005). France is encouraged to ratify the Convention on Technical and Vocational Education.

25.The preamble to the French Constitution of 1946 states that the nation shall guarantee equal access for children and adults to instruction, vocational training and culture and that the provision of free, public and secular education at all levels is an obligation. In addition, by its decision 77-87 DC of 1977, the French Constitutional Council determined that freedom of education is a constitutional principle, set out in the Code de l’éducation, which, for the past 15 years, was controlled by the framework law of 10 July 1989 and was modified by the framework and programme law for the future of schools of 23 April 2005. The right to education is enshrined in the Code de l’éducation. According to article L-111-1 of the Code, all persons are guaranteed the right to education so as to enable them to develop their personality, to increase their level of initial and continuous education, to integrate into social and professional life and to exercise their citizenship. The allocation of public service resources for education takes into account differences in situation, notably in economic and social terms. Moreover, the public education system promotes equality of opportunity, and a law on equal rights and opportunities and on the participation and citizenship of handicapped people was adopted on 11 February 2005 by the National Assembly and the Senate.

26.A teacher training workshop on the challenge of inclusion was held at UNESCO on 28 March 2007 by the French National Commission for UNESCO, with the participation of teachers and school inspectors from the Academy of Paris and Versailles. The aim of the workshop was to identify strategies that can be used to provide an inclusive education which caters to a diversity of needs and learners and to meet the challenge of educational inclusion in Europe, with emphasis on the French experience.

27.In the framework of the launch of the United Nations Secretary-General’s study on violence against children, UNESCO, in collaboration with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French National Commission for UNESCO, organized a round table in November 2006 on school-related gender-based violence, at which Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Independent Expert for the United Nations, was present. More than 150 participants attended the round table, which was aimed at raising awareness through discussions of the role and the responsibility of national and local public authorities, civil society and non-governmental organizations, and educational personnel.

28.The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs will pursue its cooperation with UNESCO to ensure that there is follow-up to the round table on school-related gender-based violence in the Africa region. The issue of school-related gender-based violence will be tackled in the regional action plan for the countries members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the framework of the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative in order to accelerate the achievement of gender parity and equality in education. The UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Africa (BREDA) is working on a module on gender violence to be integrated into a guide for the training of trainers on the integration of gender dimension in educational systems. National studies on gender-based violence, followed by national workshops, will be undertaken in several West and Central African countries. These workshops will offer an opportunity to share the findings of the national studies and raise awareness, and will bring together national experts to identify the way forward and issue recommendations for addressing school-related gender-based violence.

29.Since September 2007, 193 French schools have been participating in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network.

30.France joined the organization on 4 November 1946. Paris also houses the International Institute for Educational Planning, whose mission is to disseminate key resources for the drafting of education policies and for decision-making in matters of education.

Fellowships

31.Two young women were awarded fellowships in life sciences.

Lebanon

Education

32.Lebanon has been a party to the Convention against Discrimination in Education since October 1964, but did not report to UNESCO for the Seventh Consultation on its implementation. Lebanon is encouraged to ratify the Convention on Technical and Vocational Education.

33.Lebanon is part of the EDUCAIDS project, a UNESCO-led worldwide initiative to boost countries’ comprehensive responses to HIV and AIDS; the project is funded by the Government of Japan.

34.In August 2007, young girls and boys from 11 Arab States developed project ideas to address health-related problems and community development issues at the Second Regional Youth Forum on Health Awareness and Community Development. The focus of the forum was to integrate health awareness into educational and training programmes, and it allowed for a wide exchange of national and regional experiences in the areas of health and education. The forum was organized jointly by UNESCO and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in cooperation with the Société des Médecins Généralistes de Tunisie, within the framework of the FRESH Initiative (Focusing Resources on Effective School Health), phase three (2006‑2007), and the International Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). The Third Regional Youth Forum is to be held in Cairo in 2008.

35.Since September 2007, 46 Lebanese schools have been participating in the UNESCO’s Associated Schools Project Network.

36.Lebanon, a founding member State, joined UNESCO on 4 November 1946. The UNESCO Beirut Office opened in 1961. The Office coordinates the implementation of regional educational programmes and also acts as a Cluster Office to Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, Jordan, Iraq and the Autonomous Palestinian Territories in the Middle East Cluster and Regional Bureau for Education in the Arab States.

Fellowships

37.Eight fellowships were awarded to young women: one in molecular biology, four in life sciences, one in anthropology (linguistic rights), one in environmental studies and one in intercultural dialogue.

Luxembourg

Education

38.Luxembourg has been a party to the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education since 1970, but did not report to UNESCO for the Seventh Consultation on its implementation. Luxembourg is encouraged to ratify the Convention on Technical and Vocational Education.

39.The right to education is not expressly mentioned in the revised Constitution of 1868. Nevertheless, article 23 states that “the State shall ensure that all Luxembourg nationals receive primary instruction, which shall be compulsory and free of charge”. It adds that the State has the obligation to set up secondary-education establishments and the necessary courses of higher education and shall establish free vocational training courses. Concerning the organization of the education system, it specifies that the law shall determine the means of supporting State education and the conditions under which it is to be supervised by the Government and the communes; in addition, it shall provide financial aid to the students. According to the 2001-2002 report on the educational system in Luxembourg established by Eurybase, the system is highly centralized and legislation has a strong basis in the principle of free, universal (i.e., compulsory) education.

40.Since September 2007, the country has had four schools participating in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network.

41.Luxembourg joined UNESCO on 27 October 1947.

Morocco

Education

42.Morocco has been a party to the Convention against Discrimination in Education since 1968, but did not report to UNESCO for the Seventh Consultation on its implementation. Morocco is encouraged to ratify the Convention on Technical and Vocational Education.

43.According to article 13 of the Constitution, all citizens have the right to education. The reform of 1985 instituted nine years of compulsory education.

44.The organization strives to improve the quality of education and to restructure the educational system to make it more responsive to the real needs of Moroccan society. Morocco is one of 11 countries chosen to pilot-test UNESCO national education support strategies. Launched in May 2006, that initiative is aimed at helping Governments to establish coherent education policies in order to achieve the goal of education for all.

45.In August 2007, young people from 11 Arab States developed project ideas to address health-related problems and community development issues at the Second Regional Youth Forum on Health Awareness and Community Development. The focus of the forum was to integrate health awareness into educational and training programmes, and it allowed for a wide exchange of national and regional experiences in the areas of health and education. The forum was organized jointly by UNESCO and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, in cooperation with the Société des Médecins Généralistes de Tunisie, within the framework of the FRESH Initiative (Focusing Resources on Effective School Health), phase three (2006-2007), and the International Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). The Third Regional Youth Forum is to be held in Cairo in 2008.

46.Morocco has established two UNESCO Chairs, one on Women, Water and Decision-Making and the other on Women and Human Rights. The Chair on Women, Water and Decision-Making received the IAP-WHEP (Inter-Academy Panel on International Issues-Women Health Education Programme) label for 2007. The label rewards innovative projects which promote women’s health education.

47.Since September 2007, 126 Moroccan schools have been participating in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network.

48.Morocco joined UNESCO on 7 November 1956. The country hosts the UNESCO Office in Rabat, which opened in 1991 a Cluster Office representing UNESCO in Algeria, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.

Science

49.Ms. Rhimou Bouhlal, a young researcher in the field of marine biology, received a UNESCO-l’Oréal International Fellowship for Women in Science, corresponding to $20,000, in March 2007 at UNESCO headquarters.

Fellowships

50.Seven fellowships were awarded to young women: two for environmental studies, four in life sciences and one in water sciences.

Saudi Arabia

Education

51.Saudi Arabia has been a party to the Convention against Discrimination in Education since August 1973, but did not report to UNESCO for the Seventh Consultation on its implementation. Saudi Arabia is encouraged to ratify the Convention on Technical and Vocational Education.

52.According to article 30 of the Constitution adopted in 1992, “the State provides public education and pledges to combat illiteracy”. The Educational Policy Document issued by Council of Ministers Resolution No. 779 of 17 December 1969 is the basic reference on the fundamentals, goals and objectives of education. It is a comprehensive document which emphasizes the right Islamic orientation and provides for extensive scientific and technological developments, with the ultimate objective of promoting human dignity and prosperity. In accordance with the Education Policy Document, it is the duty of the State to provide and make widely available education at all stages within existing capacities and resources. Although there is no specific law concerning compulsory education, that goal is fulfilled through the following actions: the provision of education to every school-age child; a balanced distribution of schools in all populated areas; the provision of free transportation to both male and female students; financial assistance to students to motivate them to continue their education; and the provision of free textbooks to students at all stages of the process.

53.In 2001, Saudi Arabia established a UNESCO Chair to train female teachers in the health-care field at the Sebai Institute for Development.

54.In August 2007, policymakers, educators and curriculum specialists from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Finland met at the forty-eighth session of the International Conference on Education to discuss the different aspects of inclusive education from a national and regional perspective.

55.Since September 2007, four Saudi Arabian schools have been participating in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network.

56.Saudi Arabia joined UNESCO on 4 November 1946.

Sweden

Education

57.Sweden has been a party to the Convention against Discrimination in Education since 1968 and reported to UNESCO for the Seventh Consultation (covering the period 2000-2005). Sweden is encouraged to ratify the Convention on Technical and Vocational Education.

58.Sweden has four fundamental laws which serve as a basis for how Sweden is ruled. One of these, called the Instrument of the Government, contains provisions on education. According to article 21 of the Instrument of the Government, all children covered by compulsory schooling shall be entitled to a free basic education at a public school. It stipulates also that the public institutions shall be responsible for the provision of higher education. One fundamental principle of the Swedish educational system is that all children and young people must have access to an equivalent education, regardless of gender, place of residence or social or financial background. The curricula and timetables are valid nationwide. State regulations on the educational system — including preschool activities, childcare for school-age children and preschool classes — are set out in the Education Act and the Higher Education Act and in a number of ordinances.

59.The pilot project on recognized higher education institutions was the focus of a conference held at UNESCO in March 2007 with the aim of providing information and easy access to online resources on recognized higher education institutions through a UNESCO-hosted portal. The meeting focused on the capacity-building component of the project at the national level. Three more conferences are foreseen in the pilot phase of the project. The Steering Group of the project is composed of representatives from all participating countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, India, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America. All country-level information is managed and updated by the competent national authorities. The project is a follow-up to the UNESCO/Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines on quality provision in cross-border higher education.

60.A UNESCO Chair in Education for Sustainable Development was established in September 2007 at the Chalmers University of Technology, in Gothenburg. The Chair is aimed at integrating national and regional policies for sustainable development through the university’s programmes and practices and promotes a multidisciplinary approach to learning, research and training, with a focus on young women. The Chair serves as a primary means of capacity-building through the exchange of knowledge and sharing in a spirit of solidarity.

61.Since September 2007, 27 Swedish schools have been participating in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network.

62.Sweden joined UNESCO on 23 January 1950.