The Dakar Framework for Action represents the most important international political commitment towards promoting Education for All. The Framework contains two gender-based goals. In Article 7 (ii) the participants commit themselves to eliminating "gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005". The second commitment is to achieve gender equality in education (Article 7 (v)). These are described as "gender parity" and "gender equality" respectively. This article focuses on gender equality and examines gender parity by way of comparison, on the premise that it is a necessary but insufficient precondition for the realization of equality. It also discusses a human rights framework for education to promote gender equality in and through education. (Contains 2 figures, 1 table and 47 notes.)