Gender Transformative Education as Explained by Youth Feminist Activists

Overview & Synopsis

Gender transformative education is a concept gaining ascendance, in part because of the advocacy of youth feminist activists, particularly members of the Transform Education transnational coalition. This article describes research using digital storytelling to study the experiences and recommendations of youth feminist activists who are members of Transform Education to depict how they understand gender transformative education. 12 participants from 11 countries in Africa and Asia explained their advocacy to enhance gender equity in and through education locally, nationally, and internationally. Their desire to rid education of gender-based violence and discrimination stems, for most, from harm personally experienced in education. The vision of gender transformative education they espouse centres feminist, intersectional, queer, anti-capitalist, and anti-colonial perspectives. They emphasize the importance of meaningful, diverse youth participation in developing new education systems that embrace radical change as necessary to create equitable schools and societies for people of all genders.