Equity and inclusion are at the heart of the SDG 4-Education 2030 Agenda. Target 4.5 calls for monitoring equity using disaggregated parity indices for all education indicators “by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability and geographic location, or other characteristics” (UN, 2016). In East Asia and the Pacific, access to basic education has expanded in recent decades, especially for girls (UNESCO & UNICEF, 2012). Despite these gains, many girls are still denied the right to education in the sub-region, but this should not mask the fact that boys also face barriers to education. As policymakers seek to implement Target 4.5, they must address the multiple, intersecting disadvantages that all children and youth face.
