2015年-世界发展银行全球_The_Resilience_of_Women_in_Higher_Education_in_Afghanistan_28页_6mb

Summary of the Education Resilience Approaches (ERA) Program in Afghanistan

Core Content

The Education Resilience Approaches (ERA) Program is a complement to the Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER), designed to enhance the understanding of education resilience in fragile, conflict-affected, and violence-impacted contexts. The program focuses on building the research capacity of academics and education practitioners through a nine-month training module that integrates resilience theory and a transformative research paradigm. The module includes a research manual, handouts, PowerPoint presentations, and additional guidance materials, and is open to education practitioners within the World Bank and other agencies.

This report summarizes two pilot studies conducted as part of the ERA program in Afghanistan, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for women in higher education, and the resilience of female doctors and postgraduate residency programs.

Main Findings

Study N° 1: Obstacles and Opportunities in Women's Enrollment and Graduation

• Key Challenges:

  • Cultural barriers: Pressure to marry, discrimination within families, and misconceptions about the value of higher education for women.
  • Economic barriers: High costs of education, including Kankor exam preparation, and lack of financial resources.
  • Family problems: Decision-making power held by men, lack of part-time job opportunities, and family violence.
  • Security and social problems: Insecurity in the country, and challenges in accessing university due to unsafe routes.

• Opportunities and Assets:

  • Individual factors: Self-confidence, positive attitude, personal effort, life goals, and intrinsic motivation.
  • Family and community: Emotional, financial, and cultural support, including role models.
  • Education system: Free education, encouragement from teachers, equal treatment, and dormitory facilities.

• Conclusion:

  • Ongoing support for free education and equal opportunities is crucial for female students.
  • Policies and programs that involve families and teachers can help encourage female students.
  • Facilities such as dormitories are vital for the safety and security of female students.

Study N° 2: Human, Social and Institutional Resilience of Female Doctors and Postgraduate Residency Programs

• Resilience Framework:

  • Resilience is defined as the ability of individuals to adapt and overcome risks, continuing to perform despite adversity.
  • It includes human, social, and institutional dimensions.

• Methodology:

  • Qualitative interviews with nine female doctors (enrolled and not enrolled in postgraduate residency programs).
  • A Local Advisory Committee (LAC) was formed to assist in participant selection and support the study's success.

• Context of Adversity:

  • Cultural norms, family values, and religious concerns significantly influence female enrollment in medical programs.
  • There is a critical shortage of female healthcare professionals, especially in provinces and remote areas.
  • The maldistribution of healthcare providers is due to poor working and living conditions, security issues, and lack of educational and transportation facilities.

• Findings and Analysis:

  • Female doctors face significant challenges in accessing postgraduate residency programs, including bureaucratic hurdles, difficult entry tests, and limited opportunities for part-time work.
  • Despite these challenges, they are motivated by the desire to gain new knowledge, better job prospects, and to serve their communities.
  • Resilience factors include support from family, social networks, and institutional resources such as female-friendly facilities in hospitals.

• Recommendations:

  • Expand the scope of research to include a broader target group.
  • Conduct mixed-methods studies to improve the validity of quantitative questionnaires.
  • Address the shortage of female healthcare providers through targeted policies and support.

Key Information

• Female enrollment in higher education: In 2009, only 24.8% of university students were female.
• Kankor exam: Over 100,000 secondary school graduates take the exam annually, but only about half get admitted to government universities.
• Healthcare workforce: There are 7.26 health care providers per 10,000 population in Afghanistan, still below the WHO benchmark of 23.
• Female healthcare professionals: Only 28% of public health care providers are female, with midwives and 36% of support staff being female.
• Training locations: The RES-Research training was delivered in Delhi, India in November 2013 and in Kathmandu, Nepal in April 2014.

Conclusion

The ERA program's pilot studies in Afghanistan highlight the complex interplay of cultural, economic, and institutional factors that influence women's access to and retention in higher education, particularly in the field of medicine. The studies emphasize the need for gender-sensitive policies, supportive institutional environments, and community engagement to foster resilience and improve educational outcomes for women in a challenging context.