Gender Equity in Education for Women in Southeast Asian Developing Countries: A Systematic Analysis and Strategies for Inclusive Development

Research Article
Open access

Gender Equity in Education for Women in Southeast Asian Developing Countries: A Systematic Analysis and Strategies for Inclusive Development

Yuxin Li 1*
  • 1 Central University of Finance and Economics    
  • *corresponding author yuxin_li@ldy.edu.rs
LNEP Vol.90
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-085-6
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-086-3

Abstract

Despite being a crucial region for economic growth in the contemporary world, Southeast Asia continues to experience gender inequality in education. This issue is rooted in deeply entrenched cultural norms, economic disparities, and ethnic marginalization. Despite three decades of policy interventions, structural barriers persist: Over the past 30 years, while all countries in Southeast Asia have implemented policies aimed at promoting gender equality in education, challenges such as discrimination, differential treatment, and gender stereotyping persist, hindering women’s access to educational opportunities. This study conducts a systematic comparative analysis of six developing countries in Southeast Asia. Integrating and analyzing secondary data alongside relevant case studies reveals how patriarchal cultural traditions interact with urban-rural disparities, ethnic marginalization, workplace prejudice, and inadequate policy implementation to exacerbate local disadvantages in women’s access to education. Consequently, this study proposes a multidimensional approach that combines educational reforms, economic incentives, and legal safeguards as policy suggestions, emphasizing locally adapted strategies to promote progress in gender equality in education through collaborative efforts among all sectors of society. This research transcends the limitations of previous studies that focused solely on single-country or single-factor analyses, providing a robust framework for understanding educational inequality within the complex social systems of Southeast Asia. Furthermore, the study advocates for collaboration among various sectors of society and underscores the importance of enhancing female education for the overall development of the Southeast Asian region.

Keywords:

Gender Equity in Education, Southeast Asia, Intersectional Disadvantage, Educational Disparities

Li,Y. (2025). Gender Equity in Education for Women in Southeast Asian Developing Countries: A Systematic Analysis and Strategies for Inclusive Development. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,90,56-64.
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References

[1]. World Bank. (n.d.). Literacy rate, adult female (% of females ages 15 and above) - Cambodia. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.FE.ZS?locations=KH

[2]. World Bank. (n.d.). Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) - Cambodia Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.MA.ZS?locations=KH

[3]. World Bank. (n.d.). Lower secondary completion rate, female (% of relevant age group) - Cambodia. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.SEC.CMPT.LO.FE.ZS?locations=KH

[4]. World Bank. (n.d.). Lower secondary completion rate, male (% of relevant age group) - Cambodia. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.SEC.CMPT.LO.MA.ZS?locations=KH

[5]. Sylvain Dessy , Luca Tiberti, and David Zoundi.(2023). The gender education gap in developing countries: Roles of income shocks and culture. Journal of Comparative Economics, 51, 160-180.

[6]. Shanika Samarakoon & Rasyad A. Parinduri. (2015). Does Education Empower Women? Evidence from Indonesia. World Development, 66, 428-442.

[7]. Anne Booth. (2016). Women, Work and the Family: Is Southeast Asia Different?. Economic History of Developing Regions, 31(1), 167-197.

[8]. UNDP. (2024). Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in the Asia Pacific. March 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://s-www.undp.org/asia-pacific/publications/women-science-technology-engineering-and-mathematicasia-pacific

[9]. Lara Perez-Felkner, John S. Felkner, Samantha Nix, Melissa Magalhães. (2020). The puzzling relationship between international development and gender equity: The case of STEM postsecondary education in Cambodia. International Journal of Educational Development, 72, January 2020, 102102.

[10]. Helen Farley & Helena Song. (2015). Mobile Learning in Southeast Asia: Opportunities and Challenges. Handbook of mobile teaching and learning, 403-419.

[11]. Eka Srimulyani. (2007). Muslim Women and Education in Indonesia: The pondok pesantren experience. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 27(1), 85-99.

[12]. Nguyen Viet Cuong. (2012).Gender Equality in Education, Health Care, and Employment: Evidence from Vietnam.

[13]. Nicola Jones, Elizabeth Presler-Marshall and Tran Thi Van Anh. (2018). The impact of gender norms on Hmong adolescent girls’ education, marriage and work in Viet Nam. Empowering Adolescent Girls In Developing Countries, 123-139

[14]. Suet-Ling Pong. (1995).Access to Education in Peninsular Malaysia: ethnicity, social class and gender. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 25:3, 239-252.

[15]. Ruti Levtov. (2014). Addressing Gender Inequalities in Curriculum and Education: Review of Literature and Promising Practices to Inform Education Reform Initiatives in Thailand. Women’s Voice and Agency Research Series 2014 No.9.

[16]. Mary N. Booth. (2014). Education and Gender in Contemporary Cambodia. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 4(10).

[17]. Annika Phuong Dinh and Nguyen Thanh Thuy. (2023).The Role of the Education System in Promoting Gender (In-) Equality in Vietnam. Sustainable Development Goals – Perspectives from Vietnam, 81-105.

[18]. Islam KMM, Asadullah MN. (2018). Gender Stereotypes and Education: A Comparative Content Analysis of Malaysian, Indonesian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi school textbooks. PLoS ONE, 13(1): e0190807.

[19]. Anne Booth. (1999). Education and Economic Development in Southeast Asia: Myths and Realities. ASEAN Economic Bulletin, 16(3). SOCIAL SECTORS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: Role of the State (DECEMBER 1999), 290-306.

Cite this article

Li,Y. (2025). Gender Equity in Education for Women in Southeast Asian Developing Countries: A Systematic Analysis and Strategies for Inclusive Development. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,90,56-64.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Global Politics and Socio-Humanities

ISBN：978-1-80590-085-6(Print) / 978-1-80590-086-3(Online)
Editor：Enrique Mallen
Conference website: https://2025.icgpsh.org/
Conference date: 25 July 2025
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.90
ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. World Bank. (n.d.). Literacy rate, adult female (% of females ages 15 and above) - Cambodia. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.FE.ZS?locations=KH

[2]. World Bank. (n.d.). Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) - Cambodia Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.LITR.MA.ZS?locations=KH

[3]. World Bank. (n.d.). Lower secondary completion rate, female (% of relevant age group) - Cambodia. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.SEC.CMPT.LO.FE.ZS?locations=KH

[4]. World Bank. (n.d.). Lower secondary completion rate, male (% of relevant age group) - Cambodia. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.SEC.CMPT.LO.MA.ZS?locations=KH

[5]. Sylvain Dessy , Luca Tiberti, and David Zoundi.(2023). The gender education gap in developing countries: Roles of income shocks and culture. Journal of Comparative Economics, 51, 160-180.

[6]. Shanika Samarakoon & Rasyad A. Parinduri. (2015). Does Education Empower Women? Evidence from Indonesia. World Development, 66, 428-442.

[7]. Anne Booth. (2016). Women, Work and the Family: Is Southeast Asia Different?. Economic History of Developing Regions, 31(1), 167-197.

[8]. UNDP. (2024). Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in the Asia Pacific. March 2024. Retrieved March 20, 2025, from https://s-www.undp.org/asia-pacific/publications/women-science-technology-engineering-and-mathematicasia-pacific

[9]. Lara Perez-Felkner, John S. Felkner, Samantha Nix, Melissa Magalhães. (2020). The puzzling relationship between international development and gender equity: The case of STEM postsecondary education in Cambodia. International Journal of Educational Development, 72, January 2020, 102102.

[10]. Helen Farley & Helena Song. (2015). Mobile Learning in Southeast Asia: Opportunities and Challenges. Handbook of mobile teaching and learning, 403-419.

[11]. Eka Srimulyani. (2007). Muslim Women and Education in Indonesia: The pondok pesantren experience. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 27(1), 85-99.

[12]. Nguyen Viet Cuong. (2012).Gender Equality in Education, Health Care, and Employment: Evidence from Vietnam.

[13]. Nicola Jones, Elizabeth Presler-Marshall and Tran Thi Van Anh. (2018). The impact of gender norms on Hmong adolescent girls’ education, marriage and work in Viet Nam. Empowering Adolescent Girls In Developing Countries, 123-139

[14]. Suet-Ling Pong. (1995).Access to Education in Peninsular Malaysia: ethnicity, social class and gender. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 25:3, 239-252.

[15]. Ruti Levtov. (2014). Addressing Gender Inequalities in Curriculum and Education: Review of Literature and Promising Practices to Inform Education Reform Initiatives in Thailand. Women’s Voice and Agency Research Series 2014 No.9.

[16]. Mary N. Booth. (2014). Education and Gender in Contemporary Cambodia. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 4(10).

[17]. Annika Phuong Dinh and Nguyen Thanh Thuy. (2023).The Role of the Education System in Promoting Gender (In-) Equality in Vietnam. Sustainable Development Goals – Perspectives from Vietnam, 81-105.

[18]. Islam KMM, Asadullah MN. (2018). Gender Stereotypes and Education: A Comparative Content Analysis of Malaysian, Indonesian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi school textbooks. PLoS ONE, 13(1): e0190807.

[19]. Anne Booth. (1999). Education and Economic Development in Southeast Asia: Myths and Realities. ASEAN Economic Bulletin, 16(3). SOCIAL SECTORS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: Role of the State (DECEMBER 1999), 290-306.

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