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Girls' Education: Why it matters in the developing world (By Judith Abani)



“One of the most direct measures of whether a nation is going to develop effectively is how it treats its women.”
President Barack Obama





Take a close look at the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and you will see that quality education and women empowerment are among the top areas of focus. The 4th and 5th goals, respectively, are to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all and achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. This can only be achieved through quality education.


Although, for the most part, primary school education in many developing nations is supposed to be free, and we are told that "every child has the right to quality education," many children living in developing countries continue to be denied this basic human right. What is sad is that girls are affected the most.


A study by USAID showed that, globally, 62 million girls between the ages of 6 and 15 are not in school. In high-crisis countries, 90% of adolescent girls are more likely to be out of secondary schools. Poverty, famine and drought, health and sanitation, cultural norms and practices, among others – are key barriers that block access to quality education. The problem is a serious one for our world! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.



barriers to girls' education





Cultural Norms and Practices



It's quite sad that most developing countries hold onto cultural norms and practices which favor boys over girls. When it comes to education, most families are in support of sending boys, instead of girls, to school.


This is, primarily, because they believe the old saying, "women's education ends in the kitchen." Other cultural practices like child marriage can bring their education to a halt. Some are even forced to drop out to focus on domestic responsibilities or to raise children.



Crises and Conflict



Another major barrier to girls' Education is the prevalence of war and violence. African countries like Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Burkina Faso are in constant crisis.


War, and any form of crisis, often disrupts educational opportunities for children, especially girls since they become the most vulnerable during times of social or political crises.



Distance and Cost



It should surprise no one that in developing nations, physical access to a classroom is a major challenge. In many parts of the developing world, the closest primary school in a community could be a 4 or 5 hour-long walk, on a dirt road, from the child's home.


Some girls take the long distance walking journey from their home to school, and such requirement is a major source of parental worry. It is well know, and obvious--given our history--that girls are more likely to be exposed to abuse, harassment, kidnapping, and sexual exploitation, among other forms of serious danger, if not death.



Health and Sanitation



Inadequate facilities affect girls the most. Many schools have unsafe toilets or unsanitary water supplies, making it hard for them to remain in school at critical points during adolescence, and in their development into their teenage years and womanhood.


The shortage of safe, separate and private sanitation and washing facilities is one of the leading factors preventing girls from attending school. Among all other factors, poverty presents a clear and present danger to their completion of adequate primary schooling.



Why Education is important





In this world, the importance of education is self evident.


A country that fails to treat women right fails itself. Girls' education is one tool for empowering girls, and it is a key to women’s empowerment. How else can girls and women become empowered if they do not have access to the knowledge and resources required to to become empowered? How do they develop confidence in the face of dire personal and social challenges added to a complete lack of access to basic skills? Furthermore, without an education, how can they escape the cycle of intergenerational poverty that has constrained them within their current negative predicament?





Breaking the cycle of poverty. When a girl is educated, she does not only become empowered to become positioned to break intergenerational cycles of poverty. A girl gains access to proper schooling, and who stays in school is likely to rise to a position in society that enables her to break the cycle of poverty. She becomes not only positioned to earn a living, but to, one day, become a giver or a resource to her family.


Increase a country’s GDP. Some studies show that an increase in girls' education raises the average GDP for her country by 0.3 percentage points. This means that if 10 percent more adolescent girls attend school, a country’s GDP increases by an average of 3 percent.


Improved health. There's a direct relationship between a girl's education and her overall health. An educated girl is less likely to contract sexually transmitted diseases since she would have learned to be more caring towards herself, develop self esteem, and would have gained access to information that would enable her to protect herself. For example, it is likely that she would be able to read information towards the goal of safety and health.


Give them a voice. Denying a girl access to education makes it hard for her to learn the skills that would position her to become a leader, and a contributor to her country's gross national product. Education is, in fact, a government investment for which it should expect a high return. A failure in girl's education, is a country's failure.


"And here’s what we know. We know from experience that nations are more successful when their women are successful. When girls go to school -- this is one of the most direct measures of whether a nation is going to develop effectively is how it treats its women" (President Barrack Obama). (Source)



Efforts by USAID



Advancing equality for women and girls is crucial to USAID. Their initiative - USAID's education strategy seeks to promote inclusive education. Here’s how the agency supports access to education and quality of learning.



malawi




In Malawi, where only 16 percent of girls complete primary school, USAID and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are working with the Ministry of Education and local schools to improve girls' literacy levels, promote healthcare that can help them lead happy and productive lives, and remove barriers so that girls can be in school.


Democratic Republic of the Congo




In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where a third of children are not in primary school and where sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war, a USAID-funded project is providing adolescent girls with the skills to become positive change agents in their communities.


Ethiopia




USAID helped Ethiopia achieve 95% enrollment in primary school over the past 15 years. Since 2006, the program has helped send over 375,000 school-aged children to schools in Somalia. In addition, they are supporting education programs in 18 African countries.


THERE IS HOPE!




Also, USAID’s Empowering Adolescent Girls to Lead through Education program (EAGLE) is leading 1,660 adolescent girls in playing an active role within their schools, families and communities. This effort has improved school completion and led to a better understanding about adolescent reproductive health, the prevention of gender-based violence , and the promotion of gender equality.


Of course, there is a lot more that can be done, but what is being done is a good start. With more awareness about the prevailing issues that prohibit girl’s access to education, people will begin to wake up and draw more attention to the need for long-lasting solutions.


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