Children with disabilities can learn…and the pandemic should be no barrier!

“Nobody hears us” said a 17-year-old trans man about his experiences in school

Today on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia the GEM Report has released a new policy paper, Don’t look away, jointly with The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Intersex Youth and Student Organisation (IGLYO) with new survey findings and analysis showing unacceptably high levels of discrimination and harassment in education. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/05/17/nobody-hears-us-said-a-17-year-old-trans-man-about-his-experiences-in-school/

What role can schools play to end violence and sexual harassment?

When will it be safe for a woman to walk herself home at night without the threat of assault or worse by a man? And when do we arrive at the moment that all women are safe from their partners in their own homes? When will schools and workplaces be free of gender-based violence? How can we use the power of education to turn these norms around? This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/05/07/what-role-can-schools-play-to-end-violence-and-sexual-harassment/

Female science and mathematics teachers: Better than they think?

More urgently than ever before, more girls and women are needed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In over two-thirds of education systems, less than 25% of students [https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374514] in engineering, manufacturing, construction, or information and communication technologies (ICT) are women. Yet STEM careers are growing in demand and needed to solve the current challenges facing the world, including the current COVID-19 crisis, climate change and food and water security. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/05/03/female-science-and-mathematics-teachers-better-than-they-think/

Accelerating the universal prohibition of corporal punishment in educational settings

By Mehnaz Akber Aziz, Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, one of just eight women out of 342 directly elected members, and Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, Executive Director, International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd) Physical violence or the prospect of it affects children in every country, community and culture around the world. Sadly, much of that violence occurs in educational settings at the hands of teachers and caregivers. Corporal punishment by school staff is not the only form of violence that children in educational settings are subject to, but it is a particularly egregious and harmful one. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/04/30/accelerating-the-universal-prohibition-of-corporal-punishment-in-educational-settings/

Children with disabilities can learn…and the pandemic should be no barrier!

Khursaid, who lives in Nepal, is in the 4th grade. He can only see when using glasses and has been using them since he was two. During the lockdown, his glasses broke, and ever since he has had difficulty in performing everyday activities, particularly in doing school work. He has no access to internet and his mother just has a simple phone which is not suitable for distance learning. His father lost his job, which has affected the household’s income. Currently, it is difficult to see how Khursaid will be able to remain in school without financial support to cover other school costs. His family may also need him to help earn an income, which is currently their biggest priority. This episode is also available as a blog post: https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/05/05/children-with-disabilities-can-learnand-the-pandemic-should-be-no-barrier/