In a world in which poverty, social prejudice, and poor-quality provision cause an estimated 100 million girls to drop out of school before completing their primary education, it is not enough for governments to pledge themselves to increase girls' access to school. This book presents a vision of a transformational education which would promote social change, enable girls to achieve their full potential, and contribute to the creation of a just and democratic society. Contributors to this book examine the extent and causes of gender-based inequality in education; analyse government policies and their implications for women's empowerment; and report on original field-work in a range of local contexts where gender-equality initiatives have flourished. In their introduction and their concluding chapter, Sheila Aikman and Elaine Unterhalter consider the challenges that confront policy makers, practitioners, campaigners, and researchers if they are to make real progress towards gender equality in education, in the context of the Millennium Development Goals. Sheila Aikman (Global Education Policy Adviser, Oxfam GB) and Elaine Unterhalter (Senior Lecturer in Education, University of London Institute of Education) are joint co-ordinators of "Beyond Access: Gender, Education, and Development", a project arising from a partnership between Oxfam, the Institute of Education, and the British government's Department for International Development (DFID).