Valerie Moghadam served from 2004-2006 as Chief of the Section on Gender Equality and Development in the Social and Human Sciences Sector of UNESCO, in Paris, France. Val is now Professor of Sociology and Director of Women's Studies at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. Photo Credit: webislam.com
'Led by the charismatic National Coordinator Scholastique Kompaoré in the 1970s, the Project achieved notable successes. It
engaged women in articulating their viewpoints; it led to women
adopting the practical health advice conveyed to them by Project radio
and functional literacy programmes in national languages; and it
unleashed time for a myriad of income-generating activities. The Government and UNESCO's
development partners took note of these achievements, which led to
expansion and replication of the project by the UN Development
Programme, the World Bank, the US Agency for International Development,
other donors and Non-Governmental Organizations.
A 2005 assessment
of the legacy of this innovative effort indicates that the progressive
polices introduced over three decades ago by the Government in
partnership with UNESCO have been followed and built upon by successive national political leaders and development organizations. The
Government of Burkina now allocates 22% of its national budget to
education, a higher percentage than most African countries. While female literacy (age 15 and over) is low at about 9%, eight girls now complete primary school for every ten boys. The
assessment suggests that while labor-saving devices have reduced the
time women spend on subsistence activities, their workloads remain
daunting as the women now spend their freed-up time on activities that
give them discretionary income. The Government is also
maintaining a focus on women's workloads. A current high-profile
initiative is the introduction of the 'Multi-Function Platform' that
will provide energy to villages for grinding millet, processing shea
butter and drying vegetables, and also will provide light for children
to study by. It is noteworthy that behavior change generated by the
Project also continues, as women in the Project zones now tend to be
consulted on important family and community decisions.
In addition to the
specific initiatives noted above, the mission of the Project continues
to be endorsed. The flagship joint programme of the UN organizations
in Burkina is directed at girls' education. Another "child" of
the Project is the International Centre for Girls' and Women's
Education in Africa headquartered in Ouagadougou
that promotes women's and girls' full participation in poverty
eradication. The UN Millennium Development Goals reflect these themes,
and the Project directions still serve as a beacon for the empowerment
of women and girls.' " [1]
[1]
Personal communication from Dr. Brenda Gael McSweeney, Visiting
Scholar, Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University and
Visiting Faculty, Women's Studies Program, Boston University. Dr.
McSweeney served with the UN Development Programme from 1972-77, based
in Ouagadougou. See also her PhD. thesis, based on this UNESCO Project, at gaels.net. The statistical data are drawn from Education for All in Africa: Paving the Way for Action (UNESCO Regional Office in Dakar , 2005).
