Social Norms and Girls' Education in Sierra Leone

Harmful social norms are at the root of girls’ low education opportunities. Perceptions around gender roles and the value of girls’ education are keeping girls from claiming their rights and reaching their full potential. Addressing harmful social norms is key to breaking the cycle of gender discrimination and achieving gender equality in and through education. The Gender at the Centre Initiative (GCI) supports 8 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone) to tackle the root causes of gender inequality and develop gender-transformative education systems. Within the framework of the GCI, UNGEI and Dalberg undertook community-based research to better understand the social determinants, norms, and perceptions hampering girls' education in Sierra Leone and identified positive pathways to transform social norms and help girls and boys fulfil their dreams. This webinar brings together education stakeholders from national and global levels, including youth activists to reflect on the study results and identify actions needed to effectively transform social norms within the education system and beyond.