Women in Learning Leadership (WiLL)

School leaders play a critical role in creating high-quality teaching and learning environments within their schools that can contribute to improving student learning outcomes.

Emerging evidence shows that female school leaders may adopt different practices, possibly creating more favourable learning environments. Research has found additional benefits of female representation in leadership: exposure to female leaders may reduce negative stereotypes about the roles of women, increase parents’ aspirations for their daughters, and help reduce the education attainment gender gap. 

Yet, women remain largely underrepresented in school leadership roles. In fact, in some countries in sub-Saharan Africa, as few as one in 10 primary school leaders is a woman. 

The Women in Learning Leadership (WiLL) research aims to expand the evidence base on gender and school leadership and identify concrete policy and programmatic measures for increasing women’s representation and strengthening school leadership. Using mixed-methods research, the project examines the various contextual, cultural, societal and structural barriers preventing women from advancing into school leadership roles. The project will also analyze differences in learning and education outcomes between schools led by women and men, generate evidence on the effective leadership and management practices school leaders adopt that contribute to these differences, and investigate how these can be implemented in more schools.

Women in Learning Leadership (WiLL) is a joint initiative by UNICEF Innocenti  - Global Office of Research and Foresight, IIEP-UNESCO and the Gender at the Center Initiative (GCI).