Projects per year
Personal profile
Research Group or Lab Membership
Research Group or Lab Membership
Global Working Group to End School-related Gender-based Violence (SRGBV)
Biography
I joined DEV as a Lecturer in Education and Development in August 2015. My research interests centre on exploring how institutional and social barriers to education in developing country contexts are challenged and disrupted. Key research areas include gender equality and education – including school-related gender-based violence – non-formal approaches to youth literacy and skills development, and working with children, schools and communities to understand the impact, social drivers and mitigation of HIV/AIDS.
I specialise in mixed-methods research designs, with a focus on participatory and transformative approaches to research and evaluation. I deliver training for the ESRC Advanced PGR Training workshop on Participatory Global Research Approaches in Global Contexts.
Within DEV I teach on issues of education, literacy, gender and health at both postgraduate and undergraduate levels.
Career
My background is in education and international development, working across research, evaluation, training and practice. Before joining DEV, I was a researcher with the Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report team at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Prior to this I spent almost a decade with the Centre for Educational Research and Training (CERT) at the University of Malawi, as Research Fellow and Deputy Director.
During that time I led several research projects and consultancies within Malawi and the wider Eastern and Southern Africa region, providing policy-related and action research, needs assessments and monitoring and evaluation of educational interventions for government and development agencies (including DFID, UNICEF, USAID, Plan Malawi and GIZ). I led the Malawi component of the multi-country ESRC-DFID Joint Scheme project 'Strengthening Open and Flexible Learning for increased Education Access in high HIV prevalence SADC countries' and coordinated research for the USAID-funded 'Safe Schools Program.'
I also developed, and taught, core courses and distance learning modules for an upgrading Diploma programme for secondary science teachers in Malawi, and led research methods training for postgraduate education students, staff and district extension officers.
Academic Background
I have a MEd in Education and Development from the University of Bristol and a PhD in Education and International Development awarded by the Institute of Education, University of London. My PhD thesis explored the factors that challenge and support educational access and attainment of children of HIV/AIDS-affected households, using this information to design, pilot and evaluate a school-based flexible learning intervention to support orphaned and vulnerable children.
My undergraduate degree is a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh.
Administrative Posts
Key Research Interests and Expertise
Researching issues of educational access, learning and exclusion amongst HIV-affected children and youth in rural Malawi. Including DFID-ESRC Joint Scheme multi-country research Strengthening Open, Distance and Flexible Learning for improved Access to Education in high HIV prevalence SADC countries (SOFIE) (RES-167-25-0217), Partnership between UCL Institute of Education, University of Malawi, National University of Lesotho, South African Institute for Distance Education (2007-2010). Details and publications available on the SOFIE project and The Impact Initiative websites.
A key area of research and action is that of School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV), from early research into the prevalence, support and reporting mechanisms under the USAID-funded Safe Schools Program, to policy-related research and advocacy, including policy briefs, blogs and membership of the Global Working Group to End SRGBV.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
External positions
Executive Committee, The Education and Development Forum
2017 → …
Network
Projects
- 3 Finished
-
Meeting the SDGs: creating innovative infrastructures and policy solutions to support sustainable development in Global South communities (GS-DEV).
Lettice, F., Cornea, C., Jere, C., Mayes, A., McNeil, J., Minns, A., Qi, S., Rao, N., Robinson-Pant, A., McDonagh, T., Millora, C. & Smith, A.
1/10/19 → 30/09/21
Project: Research
-
Accountability for gender equality in education: Critical perspectives on an indicator framework for the SDGs
Jere, C., Unterhalter, E. & Vaughan, R.
Economic and Social Research Council
1/01/18 → 31/05/21
Project: Research
-
-
2022 State of the World’s Volunteerism Report: Building equal and inclusive societies.
United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, 2021, Bonn : United Nations Volunteers.Research output: Other contribution
Open Access -
Cooperation, collaboration and compromise: Learning through difference and diversity
Jere, C., Priyadharshini, E., Robinson-Pant, A., Millora, C. & Evren, B., 23 Sep 2021, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Educational Action Research.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile9 Downloads (Pure) -
Indigenous adult women, learning and social justice: challenging deficit discourses in the current policy environment
Jere, C., Robinson-Pant, A. & Acharya, S., 2021, Indigenous Women and Adult Learning. Aikman, S. & Robinson-Pant, A. (eds.). Routledge, p. 136-157 21 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
-
Reducing School Dropout Rates in Malawi and Lesotho
Jere, C. & Tofaris, E., 1 Feb 2021, 3 p. Institute of Development Studies (IDS).Research output: Other contribution
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Indigenous adult women, learning and social justice: Challenging deficit discourses in the current policy environment
Acharya, S., Jere, C. & Robinson-Pant, A., Aug 2019, In: Studies in the Education of Adults. 51, 2, p. 268-289 22 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile15 Downloads (Pure)
Prizes
Activities
-
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (External organisation)
Catherine Jere (Chair)
20 Dec 2021 → …Activity: Membership › External peer review panel
-
UNESCO International webinar on Family Literacy and Indigenous Learning
Catherine Jere (Chair), Gina Lontoc (Chair), Anna Robinson-Pant (Host) & Chris Millora (Contributor)
10 Dec 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Public lecture/debate/seminar
-
UKFIET 'Meet the Editors'
Catherine Jere (Chair) & Maia Chankseliani (Chair)
15 Oct 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in external training
-
UKFIET 2021 Conference 'Building Back Education and Training' : Reimagining, Reorientating and Redistributing
Catherine Jere (Speaker), Anna Robinson-Pant (Speaker), Gina Lontoc (Speaker), Ahmmardouh Mjaya (Speaker), Sheila Aikman (Speaker), Kamal Raj Devkota (Speaker), Turuwark Zalalam Warkineh (Speaker), Camilla Vizconde (Speaker) & Chris Millora (Speaker)
16 Sep 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
-
Education and Development Public Seminar: 'Supporting Factors and Barriers to Active Citizenship for Adult Learners in China, Costa Rica, Kuwait and Russia.
Catherine Jere (Participant)
9 Dec 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Public lecture/debate/seminar
Press / Media
-
Meeting commitments to gender equality in education
21/03/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
-
-
School-related gender-based violence is a major barrier to education equality
13/05/15
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
-
Good news: UNESCO’s Executive Board unanimously sign up to protect “Learning without Fear”
28/04/15
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media