Image Credit: Plan UK
How can we ensure that all girls grow up free from discrimination, able to fulfil their potential in a world that gives the same opportunities to everyone, regardless of their gender? Education plays a key part in reaching this vision. That’s why the UK’s support to the Global Partnership for Education is so crucial, and why your action matters.
THE ISSUE - GENDER INEQUALITY
65 million girls around the world are denied an education by the daily realities of poverty, conflict and discrimination. Every day, girls are taken out of school and forced into work, or married off to strangers where they risk isolation and abuse. Missing out on school can mark the end of a girl having any choice over her own future.
GIRLS ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND
Girls are more likely to be denied education - One in five girls globally is denied a secondary education. Poverty forces many families to choose which of their children to send to school. Girls often miss out due to belief that there’s less value in educating a girl than a boy. Instead, they are sent to work or made to stay at home to look after siblings and work on household chores.
Why is this happening? Poverty, discrimination, lack of education and government decisions all play a role in keeping girls locked in a cycle of poverty
What’s the impact? Every day, girls are taken out of school and forced into work, or married off to strangers where they risk isolation and abuse. Missing out on school can mark the end of a girl having any choice over her own future. This isn’t fair, it isn’t right and it’s also a huge waste of potential.
EDUCATION IS THE SOLUTION
With education, a girl can transform her world and the world around her. A good education can unlock the doors to freedom, voice and participation, and challenge the inequalities that affect girls and boys across the world.
An educated girl is...
- Less likely to marry and to have children whilst she is still a child.
- More likely to be literate, healthy and survive into adulthood, as are her children.
- More likely to reinvest her income back into her family, community and country.
HOW INVESTING IN THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION WILL HELP:
The Global Partnership for Education is focused on ensuring girls can get a good education and have an equal chance to complete primary and secondary school. From 2014-2018 in GPE countries the percentage of girls finishing primary school will increase from 74% to 84%.
This will have a huge impact on the lives of girls and women across the world. Educated women tend to be healthier, work and earn more income, have fewer children, and provide better health care and education to their children. Girls' education literally saves millions of lives.
TAKE ACTION
Help challenge gender inequality and make sure all girls can make choices over their own future and be a huge part of creating lasting change. Write to Justine Greening and call on her to support the GPE today. Take action now by clicking on the button above and tell UK Ministers just how important this is!