English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

CEDAW and the Law:
where students are entitled to free tuition; (c) ensuring the appropriate proportion of ethnic minority
women and girls - starting from 30 percent and gradually moving to 50 percent of the total ethnic
minority grantees - are qualified for scholarships, social subsidies, tuition subsidies and
reductions, and other measures; and (d) exploring the possibility of credit facilities and
allowances for ethnic minorities, which must be provided not only for the cost of education but
also to alleviate the loss of income or help due to schooling of children, especially girls.
It is also suggested that guidelines for EMSBs be issued, and that legal documents: (a)
ensure that scholarships, grants and allowances are provided to EMSB students to cover not only
tuition fees and school fees, but also cost of living expenses, partially or fully; (b) require that 30
percent gradually moving up to 50 percent of scholarships and grants are provided to ethnic
minority women and girls; and (c) guidelines on and standard for student accommodation; and
(d) provide guidelines for onsite health service providers, social workers and counsellors, if possible
of both sexes, so that they can adequately address concerns of both ethnic minority girls
and boys as well.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Articles 15-17 of the Law on Education and Articles 63 and 89 of the Ordinance for Disabled
Persons mandate particular measures for people with disabilities, while the SEDP provides a target
to have children with disabilities increasingly participate in the education system. Both these
laws and the plan are gender-neutral and do not provide any gender-specific references to particular
experiences by men or women. There is a significant gender imbalance in terms of accessing
education by people with disabilities. It is recommended that clearer guidelines be provided
to ensure that women and girls with disabilities are not overlooked. The guidelines should provide
that data collection and information must always be sex-disaggregated and subject to appropriate
gender analysis. Scholarships and subsidies for people with disabilities must ensure that
women and girls amount to at least 30-50 percent of the grantees. Where this cannot be met, a
plan must be drafted and resources allocated to build capacity of women and girls to be able to
qualify in the next round for these scholarships/grants. This must be implemented in areas where
significant gender imbalance exists. For persons with disabilities who go to official boarding
schools and EMSBs, clear guidelines must be set for their reasonable accommodation and facilitation
of their mobility. A system for monitoring that women and girls with disability benefit on an
equal basis must be in place.
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SOCIALIZATION
Article 12 of the Law on Education and the Resolution on Socialization pushed for the socialization
of educational activities. In this regard, it is suggested that the socialization of education be
monitored as to its impact on both sexes, including ensuring sex-disaggregated data and gender
analysis. Stipulating that scholarships and subsidies are granted proportionately to women and
girls is important to ensure their access to education.
EQUAL CONDITIONS OF EDUCATION
Article 10 of the Law on Education states that all citizens regardless of their ethnicity, religion,
belief, gender, family background, social status or economic condition are equal in learning
opportunities. Aside from this, there is no specific or express guarantee on equal conditions of
education, such as the same curricula, examinations, teaching staff or facilities. Hence, it is recommended
that an explicit provision guaranteeing the right to equal education conditions, including
the same curricula, examinations, teaching staff and facilities be stipulated.
Executive summary