Piloting the Unlearning Intervention in the Pakistan School System
- For policymakers
- Summary created: 2024
This pilot report evaluates the effectiveness of the Unlearning Intervention, which aims to mitigate gender bias and gender-based violence in Pakistan’s educational institutions by addressing the cognitive heuristics that sustain these biases.
This summary, including its recommendations and ideas, was created by Maryam Tanwir and is based on original research. The original research itself was conducted in collaboration with the following researchers.
Pakistan faces severe gender inequality, with the country ranked as the second-worst in the world for gender parity according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2024. As Amir Jahangir, Chief Executive Officer of Mishal Pakistan, has stated: ‘Pakistan’s performance in the Global Gender Gap Report 2024 highlights the urgent need for more effective and impactful gender empowerment initiatives.
While efforts have been made, the overall impact on gender parity remains limited.’ In response to this critical issue, the Unlearning Intervention, developed at the University of Cambridge, aims to reduce gender biases, promote gender equality, and decrease the normalisation of gender-based violence among young adults in Punjab, Pakistan. This intervention merges three critical thinking frameworks to address deeply ingrained, automatic ways of thinking that contribute to gender biases and stereotypes, known as cognitive heuristics.
The pilot for the Unlearning Intervention was conducted over one month in three government colleges in Punjab, involving 63 participants aged 18-24. The workshops lasted two days, ensuring overnight memory consolidation. The objectives of the pilot were to measure the impact of the intervention on reducing gender biases and these ingrained ways of thinking (cognitive heuristics) among participants, observe and document changes in attitudes towards gender equality and reductions in the normalisation of gender-based violence, test and confirm the efficacy of the combined critical thinking frameworks in catalysing sustained behavioural change, and refine and develop a scalable syllabus and workshop model that can be effectively implemented in diverse educational, organisational, and community settings.
Key findings
All participants relinquished traditional gender stereotypes post-intervention
Evidence
100% of the 63 participants (33 male, 30 female) no longer expressed or held traditional gender stereotypes after completing the intervention. This was measured through pre-and post-assessments that evaluated perceptions of gender roles, with significant changes observed in views on leadership, assertiveness, and technical skills being equally applicable to both genders. Notably, the intervention was most effective among participants who exhibited the strongest gender biases in pre-testing.
What it means
In the short term, the intervention led to the immediate recognition and questioning of gender biases among participants. Over the medium term, this shift is expected to sustain changes in perceptions, leading to more gender-equitable behaviour. Long-term, the intervention has the potential to contribute to a broader cultural shift towards gender equality in educational institutions and society at large, ultimately reducing gender bias and promoting gender parity.
Significant reduction in the endorsement of gender stereotypes
Evidence
Female endorsement of gender stereotypes dropped by 9%, from 33% to 24%, while male endorsement decreased by 9%, from 36% to 27%. This change was assessed through a coding method that tracked participants' ingrained, automatic ways of thinking (cognitive heuristics) pre-and post-intervention.
What it means
The short-term impact includes a decrease in specific gender-biased beliefs. Medium-term effects are expected to involve the adoption of more egalitarian views on gender roles among participants. Over the long term, this shift could lead to a pervasive reduction in gender stereotyping across the community, supporting broader gender equality and influencing social norms to reduce gender disparities.
Increased acceptance of positive gender norms
Evidence
The acceptance of equitable gender norms rose by 12%, with male participants' acceptance increasing from 47% to 59%, and female participants from 45% to 57%. This was observed through changes in attitudes towards gender roles, with participants showing greater respect and opportunities for women in various spheres. A male participant reflected, "I actually never realised the amount of fear women go through on a daily basis. I learnt about their subjective experience in a more vivid manner. I will be much more careful now to not make them feel scared in any way and make sure they always feel totally safe around me."
What it means
In the short term, participants began adopting positive views on gender equality. Medium-term impacts include enhanced respect and opportunities for women, with long-term institutional and societal changes promoting gender equality. This shift encourages a more inclusive and equitable environment, fostering gender awareness and parity in both educational institutions and the broader community.
Reduction in normalisation of gender-based violence and harassment
Evidence
The intervention led to a decrease in the acceptance and justification of gender-based violence and harassment among participants. Short-term effects included immediate changes in attitudes towards gender-based violence, while medium-term outcomes involved increased reporting and decreased incidents of gender-based violence.
What it means
Over the long term, these changes contribute directly to the reduction of gender-based violence, improving overall safety and equality for women in educational settings and society as a whole.
Proposed action
Scale the Unlearning Intervention across the Pakistan school system.
Share your thoughts
You must be logged in to ask a question. Make an account.
Are you a researcher looking to make a real-world impact? Join Acume and transform your research into a practical summary.