Today, over 60 million girls are not in school, accounting for more than half of all unschooled children worldwide. The situation is most dire in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 23 million girls are out of school, and in South Asia, where 66 percent of all unschooled children are girls. The majority of the world's one billion illiterate adults are women.
Educating girls is the single most effective step a country can take to combat poverty, yet the barriers that prevent girls from attending school are numerous. We must overcome these challenges in order to ensure that every girl enjoys her fundamental right to an education.
How does girls' education fight poverty?
What prevents girls from attending school?
What can the international community do?
What can individuals do?
Educating girls is an essential part of winning the fight against global poverty. On average, an educated girl boosts the income of her family and her community; has fewer, more healthy children; and is less likely to contract HIV/AIDS.
The benefits of girls' education extend beyond the local community. Studies show that increasing the number of educated girls in a country fosters economic growth, promotes political stability and reduces health care costs. For example, more productive farming due to increased female education accounts for 43 percent of the decline in malnutrition achieved between 1970 and 1995.
Back to top >>
There are many factors that keep children out of school, but girls in particular face significant barriers. School fees and the related cost of books or uniforms prevent many poor families from sending any children to school. When money is scarce, parents tend to place greater value on educating their sons, who are assumed to be the future breadwinners of the family.
Poverty isn't the only obstacle that closes off education to girls – many schools are not sensitive to gender issues. A scarcity of female teachers, lack of bathroom facilities and tolerance of sexual harassment in schools make many parents reluctant to send their daughters to school. Concerns about safety also keep girls at home, especially in rural areas, where they may have to walk up to 10 miles just to reach their classrooms. In regions with political instability, it can be especially unsafe for children to walk to school alone.
Back to top >>
Many programs that target girls' education are showing considerable success in increasing enrollment and completion. A World Food Program initiative that provided both food and take home rations for students increased girls' attendance by at least 50 percent in all targeted countries. Non-formal schools established in rural areas by the Bangladesh Rural Action Committee achieved 90 percent completion rates, compared to 53 percent completion in government schools.
Donor nations can help by increasing aid to these important initiatives. Currently, only Norway and the Netherlands pay their fair share of the funding needed to guarantee universal access to education, while the U.S. ranks 19th out of 21 donor countries. Debt relief has also helped many countries pay for their education programs. Niger, for example, is using 40 percent of the funds freed up by debt relief to fund their universal primary education program.
Back to top >>
NetAid is a member of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) and is committed to helping girls obtain the education that is their basic human right. Through NetAid World Schoolhouse projects in the poorest areas of the world, NetAid and its partners are enrolling more girls in school so they can build a brighter future. Through the NetAid Global Citizen Corps, NetAid inspires a multitude of youth to become committed activists in the struggle to guarantee education for all.
Back to top >>
Find out how you can take part in the Global Campaign for Education >>
Sources:
Council on Foreign Relations, What Works in Girls' Education: Evidence and Policies from the Developing World, Barbara Herz and Gene B. Sperling, 2004.
Global Campaign for Education, A Fair Chance, Attaining Gender Equality in Basic Education by 2005, 2003.
Global Campaign for Education, Girls Can't Wait: Why girls' education matters, and how to make it happen now, 2005.
Global Campaign for Education, Missing the Mark: A School Report on rich countries' contribution to Universal Primary Education by 2015, 2005.
