7. When access is not enough: educational exclusion of rural girls in Peru

Beyond Chronicity: Evaluation and Temporality in Spanish-Speaking Children's Personal Narratives

“…Some research has looked at the discourse of women in the Andes (Seligmann, 2004); however, gender has not yet been explored in Peruvian Andean children's discourse. Different gender-based patterns of socialization (Uccelli, F. 1999) and school practices (Ames, 2005) have been reported for rural Andean children, suggesting that gender might be also a relevant dimension to consider for urban Andean children. Previous research on gender and narrative has reported, for instance, that English-speaking girls use evaluative devices in narratives earlier than boys (Peterson, 2001); that Mexican American mothers talk more about emotions with their daughters (Flannagan & Perese, 1998); and that urban mothers from Lima, Peru, discuss more positive emotions with their sons than with their daughters in conversations about the past (Melzi & Fernández, 2004).…”

Constructing new identities? The role of gender and education in rural girls' life aspirations in Peru

“…The findings of the study show indeed that education features prominently in girls' aspirations and efforts for changing their lives and their futures. I have argued, based on my previous research and the recent trends highlighted by Peruvian statistics, that this attitude in turn represents a major change in the mindset of younger rural women, since just a decade ago girls of about the same age and context saw little point in going through schooling (Oliart 2004, Ames 2005. Moreover, girls seem to get significant support at home to develop such aspirations.…”

“…Indeed, several girls who had dropped out found more satisfaction in participating in household activities, learning useful things to become valued women in their own culture and contributing to the family economy. All this contrasted sharply with what school had to offer them, which was indeed less attractive from their point of view (Oliart 2004, Ames 2005).…”

Gender education and equality in a global context: conceptual frameworks and policy perspectives

“…Gender equality in education associated with 'practical gender needs' might entail paying particular attention to provision of education, taking account of the social relations that prevent access to learning, participation and achievement. These social relations were found in the household economy and the ways in which women and girls internalised a view that they did not deserve education and their basic needs could be met with minimal education provision (Ames 2005;Leggatt 2005). Equality is thus an aspect of equal regard as much as equal resources to address need.…”