(vii) The nature and scope of the obligation to ensure gender parity and gender equality in education Summary • Women and girls have an equal right to the enjoyment of the right to education, and States are under an obligation to ensure gender parity and gender equality in the provision of education. This mandates both formal and substantive equality. • States must ensure the same conditions for career and vocational guidance, for access and admission to studies and for the achievement of qualifications for males and females. States may, however, take into account existing economic, social, cultural and gender inequalities. • Progress on gender equality is related to the content and quality of education. States must ensure access to the same curricula, examinations and teaching standards. Further, curricula must promote equality and non-discrimination. • States must identify and eradicate barriers to females’ education, including socio-cultural factors, discrimination and financial disadvantage. • States must ensure the safety of children both while travelling to and from and while attending school. • States should take measures to ensure that girls’ education is not interrupted or terminated by early marriage and motherhood. • States should provide access to education on health and hygiene matters for both sexes. Discussion Gender parity and gender equality in education Introduction The education of girls and women is inseparably linked to the promotion of social justice, democracy and development. Globally, the challenges to attaining gender parity and gender equality in education continue. The Special Rapporteur on the right to education has consistently raised concerns in regard to girls’ exclusion from the formal schooling system.274 274 In particular, the Special Rapporteur’s Annual Report for 2006 focuses on the girl child and proposes a comprehensive approach for confronting gender discrimination in education: see Report of 104