[NLA] Women's Issues

[Gail Spangenberg]

>Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2002 12:19:06 -0400
>To: nifl-womenlit at nifl.gov
>From: Gail Spangenberg <gspangenberg at caalusa.org>
>Subject: U.N. Feedback
>Cc:
>Bcc: ALCDGG at langate.gsu.edu
>X-Attachments:
>
>Colleagues,
>
>Some of you were good enough to contribute on this listserv your 
>current thinking about women's issues in literacy.  To show my 
>appreciation, in unpolished fashion here is feedback (a lengthy 
>posting) on International Literacy Day activities at the United 
>Nations yesterday.
>
>First, the Educational Testing Service and the AAUW Educational 
>Foundation are co-sponsoring a symposium in Washington, D.C., 
>November 15-17 called: International Perspectives: Global Voices for 
>Gender Equity, A Symposium To Explore How Women Create Change. 
>Policy-makers, scholars, researchers, and practitioners are invited 
>to explore how women have used their education to address four key 
>global issues, especially in the developing countries: literacy 
>improvement, peace education and conflict resolution, governance, 
>and education for people with disabilities.  The keynote speaker 
>will be Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, managing director in charge of 
>health, education, social protection, and information technology at 
>the World Bank.    Registration is encouraged by September 16. 
>Forms can be downloaded from 
>http://www.aauw.org/7000/ef/symposium.html), or contact Dawn Kepets 
>at the AAUW Education Foundation, intsymp at aauw.org, for information.
>
>Second, I did have the opportunity to present some of your views at 
>the afternoon workshop on Gender.  The points I chose to stress were 
>these: (a) In developing countries, just teaching the reading and 
>writing mechanics is not enough.  There is a need for functional 
>context programming that recognizes that women have many roles, and 
>that some require other basic skills.  (b) Programming for women as 
>parents and mothers, while important, should not be limited to that. 
>Women have the right and need for programming as women, whatever 
>their interests, roles, and goals.  Overemphasis on parenting and on 
>family literacy, especially in regressive political times, tends to 
>reinforce old stereotypes.  There is a need for institutions of 
>policy, research, and curricular development to become more aware of 
>women's issues and to ACT on them -- for purposes of empowering 
>women.   (c)  There is a need for change in leadership structures 
>and teaching and learning systems -- so as to be more responsive to 
>the problems that block women's access to programs.  
>
>Nearly all of the other points brought up in the listserv dialogue 
>were mentioned in one way or another in the Gender group.  On an 
>international basis, while women share some of the same access and 
>participation problems as men, they have some that are unique: 
>family violence, abuse, in many countries pregnancy and marriage, 
>lack of  low-cost, quality childcare services, and so on.  An issue 
>that got special attention, as an American issue, was the problem of 
>safety, that many women, especially minority women in poor 
>communities, are afraid to leave their homes to attend classes for 
>fear of being assaulted or raped.  The group felt, however, that 
>while women everywhere face the same problems with regard to program 
>access, planning groups should always keep in mind that needs are 
>culture specific and require different goals and curriculum from one 
>country or locale to another.  Nothing new, really in any of the 
>discussion.
>
>Other workshops focused on workforce education, conflict resolution, 
>language and ethnicity, and families and literacy.  Each group 
>discussed its topic with reference to principles of best practice 
>(for marginalized groups), environmental factors (e.g political, 
>religious) that impede the power of literacy to affect positive 
>social change, how the envirnoment for literacy work has changed as 
>a result of 9/11, and innovative approaches for dealing with the 
>challenges.  I didn't hear anything new; most of you could generate 
>the same lists.  But, while the outcome of the meetings was mostly 
>old-hat, it may nevertheless help to inform future U.N. work and 
>thinking as it rededicates itself to its "education for all" agenda. 
>The U.N.'s expressed goal is to achieve a 50% improvement in 
>literacy, especially for women, worldwide -- by the year 2015. 
>
>Here are key points made by the morning panelists:
>
>Mongolian Ambassador (chair) - Illiteracy breeds injustice, 
>violence, poverty, bigotry, intolerance.  Literacy is a key to 
>overcoming any of these.  Literacy = liberty = social justice and 
>human dignity.
>
>U.N. Assistant Secretary General (speaking for the Secretary 
>General).  Talked about literacy largely in terms of reading. 
>Strongly emphasized issues of access to education and the global 
>importance of seing the value of education for women, not just 
>because women benefit but because families, communities, and nations 
>do.  He also stressed that literacy is prerequisite for peace, 
>bridging the gap between rich and poor, gender equality, and so on. 
>He spoke of literacy for both girls and boys, and men and women, as 
>a "right", which is at the heart of the U.N. "education for all" 
>movement. 
>
>UNESCO rep - Lack of access to programs stands as a great problem 
>worldwide.  To be "illiterate" is to be "unfree."  One size doesn't 
>fit all -- programs need to be different for men and women. 
>Learners need to take a more active involvement and help shift 
>literacy agendas.
>
>VERIZON rep - Literacy is the "signature focus" of Verizon 
>worldwide.  Spoke of literacy largely in terms of "reading and 
>writing."  Showed a video (same as last year) that stated that 800 
>million adults are "illiterate" worldwide, that emphasized the 
>importance of literacy for girls and for ethnic groups, that 
>advocates eliminating gender disparities in school settings, that 
>promotes policies to support gender equality and "education for 
>all," and that calls for commitments from government, foundations, 
>business, and individuals.
>
>Rep for NYC's Mayor Bloomberg - Literacy ensures diversity, a 
>hallmark of democracy.  It helps develop common knowledge and 
>encourages respect for diversity rather than fear.  Literacy defined 
>again as "reading."    Noted that in NYC today, 46% of New Yorkers 
>are first-generation foreign born.  200 languages and dialects are 
>spoken here, making the learning of English crucial.  Literacy is 
>essential to empower people. Despite all of the languages and 
>diversity of NYC, it's important to keep in mind that the City 
>didn't crumble as a result of 9/11; it came together. 
>
>U.S. Department of Education Rep (Richard LaPointe for Carol 
>D'Amico).  From OVAE, now works with Carol D'Amico.  His points: 
>There's hardly anything more important than promoting the cause of 
>literacy and democracy.  Spoke largely in terms of children. 
>Important issues: how we *understand" literacy and how we "define" 
>it.  Literacy enables people to lead decent and responsible lives. 
>Literacy transcends reading and writing -- it is linked to almost 
>every aspect of public and private life.  It is the essential first 
>step for individuals and helps shape the way individuals use their 
>minds.  It is a key ingredient of freedom.  Fully realized, it gives 
>us the freedom to go where our hearts whisper.  Literacy gives us 
>the power to decide what kind of a people we will be. 
>
>International Reading Association rep - announced the 2002 UNESCO 
>award winners, selected by an international jury.   The awards will 
>be announced in the countries of the winners on September 8th.  The 
>five winners were from Ethiopia, Uganda, Pakistan, and Egypt (2). 
>Among the donors for the cash awards were Japan and Korea. 
>
>Ambassador Chowdbury - Gave heavy emphasis on importance of literacy 
>for women, the relationship between literacy/education and the 
>promotion of peace and understanding, and the role of literacy in 
>creating respect for diversity internationally.
>
>Sr. Ed. Advisor Africa Region, World Bank - (formerly Literacy, 
>UNESCO) - Poverty is the most important worldwide problem today, 
>especially in African countries, and literacy is one of the keys to 
>overcoming it.  In Africa, the majority of the population is 
>"illiterate", not just groups on the fringes.  After independence, 
>there were few primary schools, but being aware of importance of 
>literacy to nation building, they moved to put primary schools in 
>place -- and by the 1980s had brought primary school enrollments up 
>to 80%.  Then from the 1980s to 2000, primary education stagnated 
>and literacy programs died.  They're now back to where they were 30 
>years ago.  In Africa, there MUST be effective adult education and 
>ltieracy programs -- listen to the people, use the languages they 
>understand, and adjust programs to fit their needs.  Also keep in 
>mind that the best programs aren't necessarily those delivered by 
>government.
>
>LaPointe - Dept of Education - has moved over from OVAE to Carol 
>D'Amico's office where he has responsibility for technical and 
>secondary education.  Years ago he worked under Secretary of 
>Education Bell during the Nation at Risk time.  Two most important 
>goals of this administration, he said, are establishing high 
>standards for all students, and accountability -- have high 
>expectations, standards, rigorous content, good leadership, etc.  In 
>response to questions raised by the literacy community (what the 
>administration believes):  Literacy is critical to planning and 
>building strong communities, leadership and financial support is 
>important, it's important to serve young people well first time 
>around.  The Department recognizes that adult literacy is important 
>but we should come to grips with what we teach adult learners and 
>establish elements of accountability.  (Audience: Someone pointed 
>out that accountability and standards must be carefully applied and 
>understood -- to lay these on programs that have too few resources 
>to build a good program is to blame the victim.)  Thinks the field 
>is lacking in research, and more is needed that is "evidence-based."
>
>International Reading Association (Lesley Morrow) - Places high 
>importance on the necessity of professional teacher development. 
>All research shows that kids do better in schools with strong 
>teacher development programs.  Noted that the administration's 
>Reading First Acts target funds on marginalized kids and 
>communities.  Noted also that professional development for teachers 
>comes in many forms:  study groups, development of materials for 
>study groups, reading cultures, reading coaches (New Jersey recently 
>hired 100 reading coaches to work with neediest kids), and 
>workshops.  While teachers are the most important ingredient in the 
>learning of kids, she said,  families are critical to all 
>professional development efforts.  We need to teach parents how to 
>read and to do supportive things with kids. 
>
>Sherrie Claiborne, COABE - But we must have funding if we are to 
>undertake professional development activities.  Can't do it on the 
>resources we've got.
>
>Calvin Miles - VALUE - spoke in terms of "reading and writing." 
>Emphasized importance of access -- especially getting the access 
>message to small businesses.  Also stressed that there is inadequate 
>funding for programs -- and if this situation doesn't improve, good 
>people are going to leave the field.  (This latter point received 
>more applause than any other comment by any panelist.)
>
>My own sizing up:  The conference, while well-intended and perhaps 
>appropriate for a "celebration", was largely the converted talking 
>to the converted.  Little was new.  Plenty of slogans and banners 
>and good intentions and uplifting statements.  Highlight of the day: 
>poems and writings read over lunch by 11 NYC-area adult learners! 
>There wasn't a dry eye in the house. We need to figure out how to 
>help VALUE do what it is uniquely equipped to do.  Two figures cited 
>cited during the course of the day were that worldwide women account 
>for 64% of adults needing literacy help, and that 1- in 7 people 
>have low basic skills.  While these are probably okay as worldwide 
>ballpark figures, it isn't clear what the numbers include, and they 
>aren't very helpful indicators from the standpoint of targeting 
>funds or designing effective programs.
>
>A personal observation about women's issues:  Based on what I heard 
>at the U.N. and what I read from the listserv contributions, I 
>believe we need to be much clearer about which issues and obstacles 
>to service are UNIQUELY women's issues, not just issues shared by 
>both genders.  And I believe we need to think and plan for 
>strategies and programs that take those unique differences into 
>account.   The point from the listserv postings that I found most 
>compelling in this regard is that we need to do things that make 
>policy, research, and curriculum development organizations more 
>cognizant of women's issues and to encourage them to act on that 
>awareness.
>
>Finally, thanks to everyone who took time to share their thoughts. 
>CAAL plans in the coming months to sponsor a symposium on women's 
>issues in adult education and literacy, with a U.S. focus. 
>
>
>--
>
>Gail Spangenberg
>President
>Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy
>1221 Avenue of the Americas - 50th Floor
>New York, NY 10020
>212-512-2362, fax 212-512-2610


-- 
Gail Spangenberg
President
Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy
1221 Avenue of the Americas - 50th Floor
New York, NY 10020
212-512-2362, fax 212-512-2610
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