Gender equality and equity have proved time and time again to be one of the main forces and strengths of inclusive and forward-looking societies and communities. How is this achieved? Research shows that adult education and learning have a substantial transformative power at both the individual and societal levels (Boyadjieva & Ilieva-Trichkova, 2021). 

“Adult education is expanding agency and capabilities, enabling individuals to gain power over their environment as they strive for their well-being and a just social order. As a process, empowerment is embedded in the available opportunity structures.”

One aspect of equalising society and working towards accessible and inclusive communities is reducing poverty. However, the EUROSTAT information we have for 2023 shows that “women, young adults aged 18–24 years, people with a low level of educational attainment and unemployed people were, on average, more likely to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion than other groups within the EU population”. 

Adult education and learning should be considered one of the main tools to combat poverty. With the rise in education, especially for women, we see a drop in poverty. As Hoong Eng Khoo states, “Education, especially higher education, can prepare women to take on roles of responsibility in government, business and civil society”. While Hoong Eng Khoo is writing from a Bangladeshi perspective, this aspect of education is present almost everywhere. Education is an emancipatory tool, a building block that can transform lives. 

Gender equity, why is it so important?

When discussing gender equity, we often discuss the empowerment of girls and women. While this notion might seem biased, historical, cultural, and societal reasons behind it exist. Today the EU statistics show that women are more likely to be more highly educated than men, however, historically this has not been the case. Just at the beginning of the 21st century, the disparities were still quite big. 

“The feminization within academia was slow, for in 2006 only 11% of the professors in Europe were women, with national variation: 5% in the Netherlands and Germany, 13% in France and Sweden, 17% in Portugal.  Women were more strongly represented in languages and literature rather than in physics or mathematics, scientific fields that are supposedly unsuitable to women’s “nature” and “capacity.” (Sylvie Schweitzer "Women and the professions: a very long road", in Digital Encyclopedia of European History)

The example provided above tells us only about the highly educated women who have had the privilege and opportunity to become professors. If we look at people from other social strata, we know that women are less likely to have positions of power or to be able to choose careers. When we add to this equation aspects of women’s obligations to take care of the elderly and children, we can slowly start seeing the context which makes employability and economic independence a challenge. “Families facing poverty often prioritize the education of boys over girls due to limited resources and perceived economic benefits (Wolf et al., 2016). As a result, girls from low-income households are more likely to miss out on educational opportunities, leading to disparities in enrolment and completion rates.” (Kuteesa et al., 2024). If we add a cultural aspect where women and girls are less likely to get a full education due to missing out on school because of periods, lack of support, and even stigma, we can understand the need for policy changes to encourage girls' and women’s empowerment.

Getting there: research evidence and relevant projects

There is still a long way to go to achieve true gender equity. Nevertheless, numerous examples from Europe and around the world highlight the importance of gender equality initiatives, national agendas, and a global approach to educating girls and women to help them attain independence.

Key early 2000s examples from the NGO perspective integrating gender equality into education research and advocacy

A report on gender equality in adult basic education by Oxfam from 2005 talks about the necessary strategies in lobbying the governments to enable women to become literate and independent. “The key challenge for civil society is to lobby governments through advocacy, campaigning, and provision for an overall gender equity approach to all education, by linking the focus on girls’ formal education contained in the Millennium Development Goals to adult basic education and literacy for women.”

Another example that can be considered a starting point from 2004 is represented by the VHS conference results, which talk about how adult learning and education can affect poverty reduction, including the gender perspective. “The lessons drawn from the ten studies were first that all the projects examined were of high quality. The role of gender and the empowerment of women were important. Participants were strengthened in the process of gaining information, knowledge and learning. There was evidence of improved incomes as a result of adult education and training, and the ‘target groups’ showed high motivation to participate". (Heribert Hinzen - IIZ/DVV)

Global Trends

UNWomen states that in 2024 globally, more women than men are living in poverty. “Presently, over 10 per cent of women worldwide are caught in a cycle of extreme poverty, surviving on less than USD 2.15 per day. If current trends continue, by 2030, an estimated 342 million women (8 per cent) will still be living in extreme poverty.”

Education is considered a pathway towards gender equality because “surveys conducted in 55 developing countries show that girls are more likely to be out of school at the lower secondary age than boys, regardless of household wealth or location. Nearly two-thirds of the world's 775 million illiterate adults are women.” 

The Education 2030 agenda acknowledges that achieving gender equality requires an approach that guarantees access to and completion of education for girls and boys, women and men, and ensures they are equally empowered through education. The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is dedicated to promoting gender equality in lifelong learning, with a special emphasis on literacy programs, adult learning and education (ALE), and advancing gender equality within the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC).

European Projects

The recent project “Move Up” deals with the valorisation of motherhood skills as an asset for the empowerment and professional development of women and is a step forward in enabling women with the necessary accreditation to participate in the labour market. As explained here ”the MOVE-UP approach offers the opportunity of discovering, assessing, recognising, possibly validating, and further developing the competencies acquired thanks to the motherhood experience, therefore mostly through informal learning and daily activities. The outcome of this process is thus the opportunity to make value out of these competencies to facilitate participation in training and possibly in the labour market and at societal level.”

In the Beyond Learning 2: Identities podcast series, the EAEA featured an episode on Learning Mothers. One of the key insights shared by the mothers in academia was their desire to inspire their children, particularly their daughters, to understand that they can pursue successful careers while also having a family. They emphasised the importance of being a positive role model as a woman in balancing these aspects of life.  

Instead of a conclusion

What can adult education and learning do?

When we examine statistics, it's clear that women are often more highly educated than men, yet they continue to earn less. Many of these women work in fields like nursing, teaching, education, and social work—professions that are typically lower-paid. This disparity highlights a structural problem that cannot be overlooked.

The transformative potential of adult learning can be part of the solution. When an individual's work is recognised, it becomes a foundation for building confidence and discovering new opportunities. This not only empowers the individual but also inspires those around them.

A compelling example from Ukraine is the story of Oleksandra, a mother whose son was reluctant to attend school. Following a psychologist's advice to lead by example, she enrolled in a confectionery course. This decision reignited her love of learning and eventually sparked a passion for teaching. Today, Oleksandra continues to pursue professional and self-development programs and works as a vocational trainer. Her story is just one of many where learning new skills and professions has been life-changing.

However, we cannot place the entire burden on individuals. It's crucial to support and develop adult learning and lifelong learning centres in our countries. When combined with gender equity policies, these efforts lead to better economic outcomes - more workers mean more profit and greater financial security for everyone.