Mobilising against misogyny and gender-based violence in schools – Education International

Report on Gender-Based Violence in Education and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Challenge to Gender Equality and Quality Education

A rise in misogyny, harassment, and gender-based violence against female educators presents a significant obstacle to achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report details the escalating issue, highlighting its direct contravention of SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Coordinated action is required to ensure educational institutions are safe environments that uphold these global commitments.

Escalation of Violence Against Female Educators: A Threat to SDG 5

Recent data indicates a disproportionate level of violence targeting female teachers, undermining the core principles of SDG 5, which aims to end all forms of discrimination and violence against all women and girls. This trend is a direct consequence of toxic gender stereotypes and norms that threaten gender justice within educational systems.

1. Disparate Impact: Studies from multiple countries confirm that female teachers are more vulnerable to all forms of violence—from verbal abuse to physical and sexual assault—compared to their male counterparts.
2. Ideological Drivers: The rise in misogynistic ideologies, amplified by online influencers and far-right rhetoric, is identified as a primary cause for the increased hostility. This directly challenges the target of eliminating harmful practices and promoting gender equality.

Statistical Evidence of Gender Disparity in School-Related Violence

Data from an Education International (EI) member organization, NASUWT in Scotland, provides quantitative evidence of the gendered nature of school violence, illustrating a severe impediment to ensuring safe and inclusive learning environments as mandated by SDG 4.

• Physical Abuse: 49% of female teachers experienced physical abuse from pupils in the last year, compared to 36% of male teachers.
• Specific Acts of Violence:
  • 27% of female teachers reported being hit or punched, versus 13% of male teachers.
  • 20% of female teachers reported being kicked, versus 8% of male teachers.
  • 12% of female teachers reported being spat at, versus 4% of male teachers.
• Frequency of Violence: 18% of female teachers experienced physical violence several times a week, a rate three times higher than that for male teachers (6%).
• Verbal Abuse: 37% of female teachers reported weekly verbal abuse, more than double the rate for male teachers (18%).

Similar findings from a study by the Colegio de Profesoras y Profesores in Chile corroborate this trend, confirming that female educators face higher rates of all forms of violence.

Impact on Quality Education (SDG 4) and Decent Work (SDG 8)

School-related gender-based violence is a grave violation of teachers’ right to decent working conditions (SDG 8) and students’ right to a quality education (SDG 4). The hostile environment created by misogynistic behavior disrupts the educational process and compromises the well-being of educators.

• Erosion of Safe Learning Environments: A BBC survey found that 61% of teachers with over five years of experience have observed an increase in misogynistic behavior among pupils, making schools unsafe for female staff and students alike.
• Lack of Institutional Support: Research from Australia indicates that teachers who report misogynistic incidents often feel unsupported by school leadership, a failure of institutional responsibility that contravenes the principles of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). This lack of protection violates the right to a safe and secure work environment under SDG 8.

Global Call to Action for Gender Justice and Safe Educational Environments

In response to this crisis, Education International has issued a call for systemic change to eradicate gender-based violence from education. This aligns with global efforts to achieve gender equality and ensure safe, inclusive learning and working environments.

1. Systemic Change: Stakeholders demand action against the patriarchal systems that fuel misogyny, advocating for a renewed commitment to gender justice in line with SDG 5.
2. Ratification of International Standards: EI advocates for the universal ratification and implementation of ILO Convention 190, which seeks to create a world of work free from violence and harassment. This is a critical step toward guaranteeing decent work for all educators as outlined in SDG 8.

The eradication of school-related gender-based violence is essential for upholding the rights of teachers and students and for making substantive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education – The article discusses violence and safety within schools, which directly impacts the quality of the educational environment for both teachers and students.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality – The core theme is gender-based violence, misogyny, and harassment specifically targeting women teachers, highlighting a profound lack of gender equality.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The article frames the issue as a violation of teachers’ right to “decent working conditions” and calls for a “world of work free from violence and harassment,” connecting school safety to labor rights.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The call to eradicate violence, address systemic issues (“misogynistic patriarchal system”), and implement international conventions like ILO C190 relates to promoting peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.a: “Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” The article’s central plea is to “ensure schools are safe spaces for female teachers and students,” directly addressing the need for safe and non-violent learning environments.

2. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.1: “End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.” The misogynistic attitudes and higher rates of violence experienced by female teachers are a clear form of gender-based discrimination in the workplace.
   • Target 5.2: “Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres…” The article focuses on eliminating physical and verbal abuse, harassment, and violence against women teachers within the public sphere of schools.
   • Target 5.c: “Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality…” The advocacy for the ratification and implementation of the ILO’s Convention 190 is a direct call for strengthening policies to protect women from violence at work.

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.8: “Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers…” The article explicitly states that school-related gender-based violence is a “grave violation of… teachers’ right to decent working conditions” and advocates for a “world of work free from violence and harassment.”

4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.1: “Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.” The article’s entire focus is on the prevalence of violence against women teachers and the need for “coordinated action” to eradicate it.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators drawn from surveys and research that can be used to measure the prevalence of the problem and track progress.

• Prevalence of physical violence: The NASUWT survey provides specific data points, such as “nearly half (49%) of female teachers had experienced physical abuse or violence from pupils in the previous 12 months.” Specific acts like being hit, punched, kicked, shoved, or spat at are also quantified.
• Frequency of violence and abuse: The article indicates the regularity of incidents, noting that “18% of female teachers said they experienced physical violence several times a week” and “37% of female teachers reported being verbally abused several times a week.”
• Prevalence of misogynistic attitudes: The BBC survey provides an indicator for the rise of misogyny, stating that “A third of the 6,000 teachers surveyed by the BBC reported misogyny among students in the previous week.”
• Comparative data between genders: The article consistently compares the experiences of female and male teachers, providing a clear indicator of gender disparity in violence. For example, 27% of female teachers reported being hit or punched, compared to 13% of male teachers.
• Policy and legal frameworks: The call for the ratification and implementation of “Convention 190 of the International Labour Organization” serves as a clear policy-level indicator for progress in creating a world of work free from violence.
• Institutional support: A qualitative indicator is mentioned from research in Australia, where “teachers who report such behaviours often feel unsupported and unprotected by school leadership.” Measuring the perception of support among teachers can be an indicator of institutional response.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ei-ie.org