This paper, presented at the 'Women's Role in Building
Peace in India and Pakistan' Workshop, provides the opportunity to think about the
education systems of both India and Pakistan, and about the roles and impacts they
have in both perpetuating conflict and in promoting change.

It highlights the reasons why the schooling system is 'part of the problem' in that
it fosters gender division and violence; but it also emphasises the need to think
about how education can be seen as 'part of the solution', re-imagined as a force
for more peaceful futures, and how women and girls can be agents of that change and
benefit from it. According to the authors, "in order to change the culture of
violence one has to start at the beginning, namely by educating our young people in
ways which prevent the glorification of war. The pandemic of violence cannot be
treated without isolating the root causes, and education is where we need to begin".

They conclude: "There are particular educational impacts of conflict for girls and
women that need to be recognised and acted on. This is important, not only because
education is a right, but also because education is a site in which the skills,
attitudes and knowledge for active participation in peace-building can be fostered
and practised. Given the traditions of an overly formal, patriarchal education
system which particularly silences girls, attention has to be given to working with
girls, empowering them to speak out, and also working with their families and
teachers to understand why this is important. There are examples from which we can
build, and lessons learned to be integrated into development work". [Source: CRIN]

For more information, contact:
Jackie Kirk, Research Associate
MCRTW/UNESCO Centre, University of Ulster
Tel: + 44 (0)514 276 7412
Email: jackie.kirk@mail.mcgill.ca
Website: www.mcgill.ca/mcrtw/peace