Photo Credit: Viet Tuan Tran/ADB

Southeast Asian countries have made remarkable strides in education, with girls and boys achieving nearly equal outcomes at the primary and secondary levels. Despite this progress, gender biases persist, limiting girls’ full participation in education and preventing them from reaching their true potential. Data from UNICEF and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reveal that while girls often outperform boys in reading and mathematics, they remain significantly underrepresented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects. This exclusion from STEM opportunities puts girls at a severe disadvantage, impacting not only their future careers but also their well-being and long-term economic empowerment.

In addition to gender bias in subject choice, other challenges continue to hold girls back. Child marriage and School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SR-GBV) are two critical barriers that contribute to high dropout rates among girls. These harmful practices rob girls of their right to education and undermine their ability to contribute fully to their societies. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these issues, placing an estimated 1.2 million girls at risk of not returning to school post-pandemic (UNICEF, 2022). The long-term impact of these challenges is far-reaching, as they not only restrict individual opportunities but also limit the development of Southeast Asian societies as a whole.

Addressing these issues requires comprehensive, gender-responsive strategies that promote equal access to education, challenge harmful societal practices, and provide girls with the resources and support they need to succeed. This is where the work of the SEAMEO Secretariat comes into play, with a strong focus on transformative education and advancing girls’ education across Southeast Asia.

The SEAMEO Secretariat, through its ASEAN-UK Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education (ASEAN-UK SAGE) and Empowered and Equal Future for Girls (Future4Girls) programmes, is actively working to close the education gap and promote gender equality across the region. Both programmes are designed to tackle gender disparities by improving access to inclusive education and addressing systemic issues through a gender lens.

The ASEAN-UK SAGE programme focuses explicitly on foundational learning and girls’ education, addressing key learning crises in Southeast Asia. It builds capacity at the institutional level by engaging with regional education policies, supporting marginalised groups, and partnering with Ministries of Education to produce evidence-based solutions. This initiative works to ensure that girls receive a strong educational foundation, which is crucial for their personal and professional growth.

On the other hand, the Future4Girls programme takes a broader approach, targeting policy and system-level changes to reshape the educational environment for girls. It goes beyond classroom learning to create sustainable, gender-equitable systems that support the well-being and empowerment of girls across Southeast Asia. By engaging with key stakeholders at the highest levels, Future4Girls is driving long-term reform that aims to create more inclusive and gender-responsive educational systems.

Both initiatives underscore the urgency of addressing the gender gap in education. They advocate for the rights of girls to access quality education, free from bias, discrimination, and violence. By promoting evidence-based policies, engaging regional stakeholders, and targeting the root causes of gender inequality, these programmes aim to build a future where girls in Southeast Asia are empowered, equal, and able to reach their full potential.

The road to gender equality in education is a long one, but with initiatives like ASEAN-UK SAGE and Future4Girls, Southeast Asia is taking meaningful steps toward breaking down the barriers that continue to hold girls back. The success of these programmes will not only benefit individual girls but also contribute to the sustainable development and prosperity of the entire region.