Girl Up

introduction

Equal Access is a Human Right

It’s been shown that when you educate a girl, you advance a nation. Yet, all over the world millions of girls lack the access and opportunity to go to school.

1. 131 Million

   girls are out of school around the world

2. 50%

   of girls drop out before they reach the 7th grade

3. 76 Million

   girls, out of 123 million, are illiterate

4. 25%

   of girls ages 15-24 never completed primary school

Why aren’t girls in school?

The Benefits are Far-Reaching

We have a serious problem. Worldwide, 131 million children are not in school—more than half are girls. In many countries, girls drop out before they reach the 6th grade.

School fees, the price of school supplies, mandatory uniforms, and long distances between home and school are just some of the many barriers that can prevent girls from reaching the classroom. Other systemic issues such as the lack of trained teachers, gender-based violence in schools, and cultural norms like child marriage and menstruation, are keeping girls from receiving a quality education. The benefits of girls’ education are far-reaching. For many girls, going to school can be more than just an opportunity to be educated – it can mean avoiding long work hours, delaying marriage and pregnancy, and staying healthy and safe. With an education, girls earn a higher income and can get jobs that otherwise would not be possible.

Girl Up and the United Nations

Girl Up supports a network of UN partners to help ensure adolescent girls have access to quality education and complete schooling through high school.

• UNHCR is working to increase access to quality education for refugee girls. Girl Up’s financial support of UNHCR in Uganda and Ethiopia has helped girls enroll in and stay in school. To provide a safe, quality learning environment for girls, the program focused on hiring and retaining female teachers, and providing improving learning resources.
• Girl Up-supported UNFPA programs in India and Guatemala empowered marginalized girls by teaching life-skills, increasing opportunities for continued education and leadership roles, and increasing their access to health information and services.
• Girl Up funded a UNICEF program in Liberia that helped at-risk girls enroll in school. The program also provided girls access to safe spaces and peers educators that develop girls’ life skills and teach about violence prevention, harmful traditional practices, and sexual health.

Ensuring all girls have a quality education is critical to empowering girls and upholding their rights. The positive impact of girls’ education has been shown to transcend generations, resulting in better health and economic outcomes among women and future generations.