The Gender Gap in Education

For more than a century, women have been fighting for political rights and recognition, and with that has come greater acknowledgement of the systemic struggles that women face. Whether it’s minimizing the pay gap, fighting the pink tax, or creating greater inclusion into positions of power, evidence shows that there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equality. The start of societal strength is education, and even within educational opportunities, women see many barriers that their male counterparts do not.

Child marriage and pregnancy are significant challenges to women looking for education opportunities, especially within conflict zones and lower-income nations. Cultural and societal beliefs often expect a girl to drop out of school and end formal education when she becomes tied in matrimony. Once married, these girls are expected to raise families almost immediately. Based on WHO estimates, 21 million girls aged 15–19 years in low- and middle-income countries become pregnant every year. Due to a lack of access to contraception and social support nets, these girls are forced to abandon their schooling to care for the child. Even if they have support, the duties of maintaining a family limit the time a woman has to dedicate to education, reinforcing the cycle of illiteracy. It is incredibly difficult for these girls to return to school, as they often face additional stigma and systemic exclusion that force them to remain at home. 

Even within systems that explicitly support women’s right to education, gender-based violence and harassment have persisted. According to a report by the American Association of University Women, nearly two-thirds of college students and half of students in grades 7-12 reported instances of sexual harassment during their time in school. These experiences can have long-lasting psychological, emotional, and academic effects. Harassment victims often suffer from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Regretfully, gender-based violence can be detrimental to academic performance as well, heightening dropout rates and posing a barrier to future educational opportunities.

Women who strive to fight these barriers are, unfortunately, of a minority. Based on research conducted by Shelly Lundberg, a professor of demography at the University of California, Santa Barbara, even if girls statistically perform better in school than boys, they are less likely to enter more academically intensive, STEM-related fields. The reason why connects largely back to societal norms—girls are expected to perform well, but aren’t as encouraged to find personal and career success. Thus, the first step in addressing these disparities is addressing the societal norms themselves, the ones that attach stigma against teen mothers looking for education, normalize gender-based violence, and hold women back from STEM careers.

To achieve change in educational disparities, society at large must push for gender equity; however, individual behaviors can also support this progress. Creating and using anti-harassment infrastructure to minimize gender-based violence can also be crucial in reinforcing safety and maximizing academic strength. Within classrooms, teachers can foster discussion that highlights women’s strength, doing what’s possible to actively fight stereotypes and encourage the inclusion of female voices. Students can do even more, creating avenues of recognition within the student body through clubs and fundraisers. The struggles women face often come from societal pressures and subconscious attitudes, so acknowledging that and acting to minimize implicit bias can go a long way. Without directive action, the issue of gender inequity persists—it is imperative to act now and support women in education. 

Orlando Book Bank is dedicated to minimizing educational disparities, and this includes the gender gap. Our leaders, a board of driven women, strive to challenge patriarchal societal norms within their own classrooms, and this is reflected within our work as well. Through our drives and donations, we’re able to connect hundreds of women to resources they need for academic success, and we wouldn’t be able to do it without such a connected community. Donate your old textbooks to Orlando Book Bank today, and support our mission against educational inequity.