The editorial introduction acknowledge that the Latin American region exhibits a
greater degree of social and economic development than most other zones of the so-
called 'developing' world. In broad terms, regional and national statistics show a
situation near to gender parity as far as education -or at least schooling- is concerned,
though a tendency for gender related curricular experiences remains. Perhaps this
apparent equality is the reason for the paucity of literature on gender and education in
this region? Educational opportunity does not necessarily resolve other forms of gender
based disadvantage where, as the author puts it: "the subordination of women is
anchored in both ideological and material conditions". The widening of educational
opportunities under state control merely extends that control.
In such a situation, Stromquist asks: "When are spaces or opportunities created in the
educational system for the introduction of emancipatory gender ideas? "In fact
nonformal education is well developed in Latin America where it is known as
"education popular" and the mobilisation of women through participation in such a
form of emancipation is a move towards democracy.
The editor concludes that: "Women are doing much better than before in terms of
access to education and years of education attained, but problematical situations remain
in several areas: content of curriculum materials; the social and organisational
arrangements used in schools, classrooms and teachers' unions; the presence of women
in teachers unions; women's literacy rates; and the design and scope of nonformal
educational programs".
STROMQUIST, Nelly (1992) Women and Literacy in Latin America, in:
STROMQUIST, Nelly (ed) (1992) Women and Education in Latin America.
Knowledge, Power and Change, Lynne Rienner, London, 19-32.
As compared with the other two mayor regions of the so-called 'developing world',
Latin America has enjoyed considerably more educational expansion in the post 1950
period. With most countries of the region having been independent for nearly 200
years, and despite periods of constraint on public education, strong policies on the
provision of schooling have made UPE a reachable target within a generation and USE
is also close in several countries. There is also a large and significant tertiary sector in
regional terms.
And yet Latin America exhibits some major problems of literacy when one examines
the situation on a smaller scale. The gender gap, almost imperceptible on macro
aggregated figures suddenly becomes a chasm in certain contextual circumstances, for
example in the poor rural areas and in the favellas and barrios of the big cities: in short,
whenever poverty is widespread and entrenched. As the author puts it: "Clearly the
elimination of illiteracy among women will necessitate the elimination of poverty, and