Gender Networks
GENIA
The Gender in Education Network in Asia-Pacific (GENIA) created in 2002 by UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, is a network of gender focal points in ministries of education across Asia which are designated to share information and lessons on gender and education and speak with one voice on complex and sometimes controversial issues of gender.
The broad intent of GENIA has been to promote a pro-active regional association of education professionals and stakeholders, in turn, to strengthen the capacity of national education systems to advocate, inform and apply lessons with respect to creating a more gender equal educational and social culture. It has done this through a range of actions aimed at promoting awareness, commitment and capacity - chief among them being support to the creation of a “gender focal point” function (person or unit) in each member country, and strengthening the technical and outreach capacities of these Gender Focal Points (GFP) to foster and facilitate gender mainstreaming.
As of 2010, there are 13 members as part of GENIA. The members are Cambodia; China; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Lao PDR; Mongolia; Nepal; Pakistan; Tajikistan; Thailand; Uzbekistan and Viet Nam.
Membership to GENIA is based on application and open to any country in the Asia-Pacific region, committed to promoting gender equality in education.
UNGEI
The United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) is the Education For All flagship for girls’ education and the principal movement to narrow the gender gap in primary and secondary education, and to ensure that by 2015, all children everywhere will be able to complete primary schooling, and that by then, girls and boys will have equal access to all levels of education. UNGEI was launched in April 2000 at the World Education Forum in Dakar by former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
UNGEI is a partnership that embraces the United Nations system, governments, donor countries, non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector, and communities and families. It provides stakeholders with a platform for action and galvanizes their efforts to get girls in school. UNGEI's vision is a world where all girls and boys will have equal access to free, quality education. Sustainable development and the eradication of poverty will only be achieved with quality education for all - girls and boys alike. Since girls face much greater obstacles, special efforts are needed to get them in school and ensure that they complete their education.