English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

CEDAW and the Law:
V.7.1.3 Concluding Comments
The relevant paragraphs relating to Article 7 in Concluding Comments on Viet Nam 2007 are:
Paragraph 20
While noting progress towards reaching high levels of literacy in the country, the
Committee notes with concern that a high proportion of girls still drop out of school and
that girls in rural and remote areas do not have full access to education.
Paragraph 21
The Committee urges the State party to take all appropriate measures to eliminate the
disparity in school enrolment rates and to achieve universal primary education for girls
in accordance with article 10 of the Convention, the strategic objectives and actions of
the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and Millennium Development Goals 2
and 3. It urges the State party to address effectively the obstacles that prevent girls from
continuing their education, such as family responsibilities and the cost of education. It
also recommends that teacher training programmes at all levels integrate the principles
of gender equality and non-discrimination on the grounds of sex. The Committee also
calls on the State party to support education programmes on the culture of ethnic
minority groups.
V.7.2 SELECTED INDICATORS
The right of women to education is an important right as it affects women’s enjoyment of other
rights. The right to education can be broken down into key areas: (a) equal access to
education; (b) equal conditions of education; (c) developing non-discriminatory education and
training; (d) securing sexual and reproductive rights through education; and (e) access to
education by rural and/or ethnic minority women.
194
Article 10 of CEDAW requires that women enjoy equal access to education of all kinds
and at all levels. It proceeds to illustrate that this covers all categories of education, whether
in rural or urban areas; for example, pre-school, general, technical, professional or higher
technical education, vocational training, adult and functional literacy programmes. A key
concern in this area is reducing female drop-out rates and putting in place programmes that
will keep girls in school. 397 Another area to look into is ensuring that various courses or studies
for a wide range of trade and professions are open to women, especially for trades and
professions that are traditionally seen as ‘for males only’ or are male-dominated. 398 Women
and girls also must have equal access to scholarships and study grants to assist them in
accessing education. 399 It is also critical to look into different groups of women and whether
they have equal opportunities to education. 400 In this regard, there is a need to ensure equal
access to education by rural and ethnic minority women.
397
CEDAW, Article 10(f)
398
Ibid., Article 10(a)
399
Ibid., Article 10(d)
400
Ibid., Articles 10 and 14(2)(d)
Review of key legal documents and compliance with CEDAW