Education for Women and Girls

It has been proven across the globe that an investment in a girls education is an investment in the future of a community and nation. For too long girls and women have not had equal access to education.

Within the past decade particularly after the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000 there have been significant advances in the number of girls accessing primary education, however still more than half of the world out-of-school children are girls. In tertiary education there are more girls enrolled than boys however the access to tertiary education varies depending on the region.

Education for girls and women is an essential for combating and eradicating poverty. Furthermore, if a society's girl are not educated that society's productivity and ultimately its rate of growth is constrained. In addition, educating girls has a positive impact such as reducing infant and maternal mortality rates and higher levels of health for children and their families.

Education also has inter-generational benefits. If a mother has received a formal education, then they are more likely to send their children to school. In many countries, for every additional of formal education completed by a mother it translate to her children remaining in school for an additional one-third to one-half of a year.

For more Information on Poverty and Economic Security, please see the resources below

Education for Women and Girls Factsheet