Community-supported models for girls’ education in Pakistan: the transformational processes of engagement

ABSTRACT

This article presents the case for promoting girls’ education in the contexts of geographic isolation, social conservatism, fragility, and severe financial hardship, with localised services delivered through community supported initiatives, contextualised approaches, and flexible strategies. To examine the significance of using localised approaches for improving girls’ access to education, the article explores three case studies from Pakistan in three different contexts. These cases highlight lessons learnt for establishing responsive and flexible girls’ education initiatives which are relevant in the cultural, social, financial, and political contexts of the girls and their communities.

Cet article présente les arguments en faveur de la promotion de l'éducation des filles dans les contextes d'isolement géographique, de conservatisme social, de fragilité et de difficultés financières sérieuses, avec des services localisés fournis par l'intermédiaire d'initiatives soutenues par la communauté, des approches contextualisées et des stratégies souples. Pour examiner l'importance de l'utilisation d'approches localisées pour améliorer l'accès des filles à l'éducation, cet article examine trois études de cas du Pakistan dans trois contextes différents. Ces cas mettent en relief les enseignements pouvant être utilisés pour établir des initiatives d'éducation des filles réactifs et souples qui sont pertinents dans les contextes culturel, social, financier et politique des filles et de leurs communautés respectives.

El presente artículo expone argumentos a favor de promover la educación de las niñas en contextos de aislamiento geográfico, conservadurismo social, fragilidad y severas dificultades económicas, a partir de la prestación de servicios locales por parte de iniciativas comunitarias caracterizadas por enfoques contextualizados y estrategias flexibles. Con el propósito de valorar la pertinencia de utilizar enfoques locales encaminados a mejorar el acceso de las niñas a la educación, el artículo analiza tres estudios de caso realizados en contextos diferentes de Pakistán. Los mismos destacan los aprendizajes surgidos a partir de la creación de iniciativas educativas orientadas a niñas, mismas que resultaron receptivas, flexibles y pertinentes, si se consideran los contextos culturales, sociales, económicos y políticos de las niñas y sus comunidades.

KEYWORDS:

• Aid – Development policies
• Civil society – Partnership, NGOs
• Gender and diversity
• Social sector – Education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Jamila Razzaq is the education adviser at Aga Khan Foundation Pakistan (AKFP). She leads AKFP’s education programme and projects on strengthening teacher education, early childhood development, and educational development and improvement projects in multiple regions in Pakistan. Before joining AKFP, Dr Razzaq worked as a research associate at the School of Education, University of Glasgow. She has 23 years of teaching and research experience, during which she has focused on issues of educational reform such as policy and practice, teacher professionalism, educational development, Pakistani education system, and gender issues. Dr Razzaq has conducted research and presented on a variety of topics including gendered views on career choices, girls’ education, and women’s access to health facilities in Pakistan as well as educational change management and experiences of school leaders in the implementation of educational reforms. She holds a PhD from the University of Glasgow, a MA in educational planning and management from Allama Iqbal Open University, a MA in English literature from Bahauddin Zakariya University, and a BA in psychology from Government College for Women Multan.