For too many women, born as a girl is one of the principal ground for precluding in the XXI century. Education is a universal right to everyone, but inequalities paralyze the lives of million women and girls all over the world. Thanks to education, women can break this vicious circle in which they build a better world, based on equality and democracy. Thanks to that, they can decide about their own life, increase living conditions of their family and protect welfare of next generations.
Current World situation about girls education in the world
According to the UNESCO (United Nation organization in charge of education and cultural issues), the situation of girls education is progressing with a lot of difficulties. African and Asian countries which are the most concerned, do not care about this issues, trumped by economic and political matters. The lack of national programs leads to develop NGO and international education projects in order to educate girls. The statistics made in 2013 by Education For All Global Monitoring Report (EFAGMR, developed by UNESCO) are warning us of the risk of the lack of education for girls.
- PRIMARY SCHOOL :
- There are still 31 million girls of primary school age out of school. Of these 17 million are expected never to enter school. There are 4 million fewer boys than girls out of school
- Three countries have over a million girls not in school: In Nigeria, there are almost five and a half million, Pakistan, over three million, and in Ethiopia, over one million girls out of school.
- LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOL: There are also 34 million female adolescents out of school, missing out on the chance to learn vital skills for work.
- SKILLS: Slow education progress for children today will have lifelong effects: Almost a quarter of young women aged 15-24 today (116 million) in developing countries have never completed primary school and so lack skills for work. Young women make up 58% of those not completing primary school.
- LITERACY: Two-thirds of the 774 million illiterate people in the world are female
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Why Girls have to be educated?
Beyond the non-respect of their rights, the lack of education for women is disturbing economic, social and environment. Educated girls and women will build a new world, based on equalities, sharing and benevolence : (Following Propositions are developed by UNESCO)
- Educated women are less likely to die in childbirth: :
- If all mothers completed primary education, maternal deaths would be reduced by two-thirds, saving 98,000 lives.
- In sub-Saharan Africa, if all women completed primary education, maternal deaths would be reduced by 70%, saving almost 50,000 lives.
- Educating girls can save millions of lives :
- If all women had a primary education, there would be 15% fewer child deaths.
- If all women had a secondary education, child deaths would be cut in half, saving 3 million lives.
- Mothers’ education improves child nutrition :
- If all women had a primary education, 1.7 million children would be saved from stunting from malnutrition.
- If all women had a secondary education, 12 million children would be saved from stunting from malnutrition.
- Girls with higher levels of education are less likely to have children at an early age :
- 10% fewer girls would become pregnant under 17 years in sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia if they all had a primary education
- Almost 60% fewer girls would become pregnant under 17 years in sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia if they all had a secondary education
- Educating girls is a key factor in hastening the demographic transition to lower birth rates :
- In sub-Saharan Africa, women with no education have 6.7 births, on average. The figure falls to 5.8 for those with primary education and more than halves, to 3.9, for those with secondary education.
- Girls with higher levels of education are less likely to get married at an early age :
- If all girls had a primary education, there would be 14% fewer child marriages
- If all girls had a secondary education, there would be two-thirds fewer child marriages
- Education narrows pay gaps between men and women :
- In Pakistan, women with a primary education earn 51% what men earn. With a secondary education, they earn 70% what men earn
- In Jordan, women with a primary education earn 53% what men earn. With a secondary education, they earn 67% what men earn
- Educated women are more likely to find work:
- In Brazil, only 37% of women with less than primary education are in work. This rises to 50% if they have a primary education and 60% with a secondary education
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What are the NGOs which works on this issue?
More and more NGO and International organizations tackle this problem. The recent case of Malala Yousafzai (young Pakistanis woman, which been attack by the Taliban for promoting girls education) permitted to restart this cause.
- Malala’s Fund works in regions where the most girls miss out on secondary education. Our priority countries are Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and countries housing Syrian refugees (Lebanon and Jordan).
- Educate Girls since 2007, Educate Girls empowers communities to facilitate girls’ education in rural India and help them take a stand against gender inequality.
- UNESCO : Through the Education 2030 Framework for Action, SDG 4 aims to ‘Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ and SDG 5 to Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
- CARE develops Girls Education programs to tackle the unique barriers that keep girls out of school, while at the same time working with boys and men to help identify and address such barriers. Other projects may engage both girls and boys from inception, to build equitable environments through which all students can learn, thrive and grow.
http://www.care.org/work/education/girls-education
- Room To Read has an intern program dedicated to girls. It is based on life skills, mentorship and material support.
→ https://www.roomtoread.org/literacy-girls-education/girls-education/
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Press reports :
In the last few months, girl’s education issue is a frequent subject in the press.
- France :
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Solidarité : elle milite pour l’éducation des filles en Afrique (http://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/solidarite-elle-milite-pour-l-education-des-filles-en-afrique_2378305.html)
- Marie Claire et L’Occitane s’engagent pour l’éducation des filles et des femmes dans le monde (http://www.magazine-avantages.fr/marie-claire-et-l-occitane-s-engagent-pour-l-education-des-filles-et-des-femmes-dans-le-monde,187459.asp).
- Macron soutien “le combat courageux” de Malala pour l’éducation des filles (http://www.rtl.fr/actu/international/macron-soutien-le-combat-courageux-de-malala-pour-l-education-des-filles-7790177800)
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Leadership, Sexism, Girls, and Education, (http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/leadership_360/2017/10/leadership_sexism_girls_and_education.html)
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Michelle Obama delivers message supporting girls http://thehill.com/homenews/news/352095-michelle-obama-delivers-message-supporting-girls-education
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To Fight Climate Change, Educate and Empower Girls
https://www.newsecuritybeat.org/2017/09/fight-climate-change-educate-empower-girls/
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Educating Girls, Ending Child Marriage
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/immersive-story/2017/08/22/educating-girls-ending-child-marriage
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Bibliography :
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Global Partnership for Education
→ http://www.globalpartnership.org/focus-areas/girls-education
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UNESCO, Education des filles et des femmes
