Arab education unions gear up to increase women's participation and leadership
“Empowering women in education unions is not just a goal; it is a necessity. The data speaks clearly: we must invest in awareness, mentorship, leadership quotas, and zero-tolerance for discrimination.” That’s how Najat Ganay, Vice-President of the Education International (EI) Arab Countries Cross-Regional Structure (ACCRS) introduces the study: Participatory Research on Opportunities, Challenges, Obstacles, and Solutions for Increasing Women's Participation and Leadership in Arab Educational Unions and Federations.
Ganay adds:
“As women of the Arab world, we carry the legacy of strength, wisdom, and resilience. In every challenge, we find an opportunity; in every voice, we build unity. As Chair of the ACCRS Women's Committee, I pledge to lead with purpose, to uplift every woman’s potential, and to shape a future where our daughters rise not in spite of their heritage, but because of it.”
Within this sector, there is currently a weak presence of women in the work structures and in administrative positions. Women's aspirations collide with reality due to several social obstacles that prevent their participation in union work.
Objectives
The EI groundbreaking research explores the challenges, breakthroughs, and transformative potential of female leadership in the education unions of Arab countries. The global union federation partnered with the Office of Arab Moroccan Studies (Acetre Consulting) and the Institute of Trade Unions for Development Cooperation (ISCOD) to carry out this study, which was conducted in six Arab countries: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, and Palestine in partnership with a significant number of Arab education unions.
The objective of the research was to identify obstacles, opportunities, and potential solutions to enhance women's participation and leadership in Arab education unions within these six countries.
Findings
The results of the study indicate a significant decline of women in leadership positions, now at 41.79%, despite women making up the majority of primary school educators (62.79%), and preschool educators. According to the survey analysis, there are several major obstacles to women's participation in leadership positions including stereotypes, a lack of experience and self-confidence, fear of failure, family obligations, social pressure, household labor, and male dominance. Arab education unions also face several challenges in their quest to promote gender equality on a personal, societal, and institutional level. Challenges similarly include household labor, a fear of change, gender stereotypes, the lack of balance of representation in leadership positions, and a false view of women's abilities as less than the abilities of men.
Despite significant female membership, women remain underrepresented in leadership roles due to various barriers. The study calls for targeted strategies like awareness-raising, policy reform, capacity building, and inclusive leadership development. Success requires a collaborative approach involving unions, governments, civil society, and international partners. By adopting these recommendations, education unions can advance gender equality and social justice in the region.
Suggestions for the future
The study concludes by offering a variety of steps that can be taken to improve women’s experience in education unions. Initiatives like increasing awareness and training on gender equality, as well as enhancing men's understanding of the importance of equality, are essential in this process. These goals can be accomplished by organizing workshops and training courses for union members on the concepts of gender equality and establishing mentorship programs aimed at supporting women in achieving leadership positions.
This research also calls for the adoption of gender quotas in leadership positions, the recruitment of specialists on gender issues within unions, the development of zero-tolerance policies towards discrimination, and national and local bodies to carry out activities that seek to support gender equality.
The study further explains that “to achieve these goals, education unions must work collaboratively with governments, civil society organizations, and donors to ensure these strategies are implemented effectively. Only through these comprehensive efforts can gender equality be promoted, and trade unions be empowered to play an active role in achieving this goal.”
As Najat Ganay emphasizes:
“We commit to transforming these findings into action building unions where gender equity is not an aspiration, but a lived reality. Together, with our partners and our members, we will shape a future where every woman leads with confidence, and every man stands as an ally.”
An online research launch will take place on 25 June to promote open dialogue, solidarity, and recommendations for the way forward for unions. These recommendations will inform future actions and help shape the democratic unions we want to see.
You can download the research summary here.
