The Gender Gap in Global Education
Written and Edited by Patricia Zhang & Amani Sikand
One might think that education is accessible to everyone. Currently, more girls than ever attend school. Yet, there are still multiple obstacles that prevent women from receiving proper education.
Some reasons are the intersection of gender and aspects such as age, ethnicity, poverty, and disability. However, accessible education is a human right, and there are actions that we can take to ensure education for everyone.
As stated in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all humans have the fundamental right to education:
“(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.”
Despite the intrinsic right being outlined in the USHR, more than half of all countries have a noteworthy gender gap in education, especially at lower secondary school. Of the 759 million adults who cannot read or write, around 70 percent are women.
According to World Vision, nearly 75% of girls in South Sudan do not attend primary school. Additionally, only 17% of young women are literate in Niger. These alarming statistics raise an important question: why are females being educated disproportionately?
As mentioned before, disproportionate dropouts are a direct result of concrete factors. The main issue is lack of proper sanitation in some rural schools.
While this problem can impact every student, it especially affects young girls. Many of these schools aren’t properly equipped to deal with women’s menstruation. Thus, they can’t stay in school due to lack of sanitary washrooms and menstrual products.
Another large issue is the culture and societal standards in regards to female education. Parents and guardians simply don’t see the value of educating a girl as it might distance their daughters from becoming a wife and mother, the classic patriarchal outlook on the role of women.
Even for the minimal number of girls who do start school, cultural practices such as child marriage can abruptly stop their education. Some may be forced to drop out to take care of children and focus on domestic responsibilities.
How do low levels of education affect these girls? Girls who drop out of school are around three times as likely to marry before they turn 18 than girls who attained a second level of education or higher. This can negatively affect their own health and their children’s because they may not be physically or mentally ready for taking on the role of a wife or mother.
However, many of the factors opposing women’s education have diminished in recent years. An article published by Their World showed that between 2000 and 2015, the gender gap in literacy narrowed dramatically and the number of girls going to primary school rose significantly.
Furthermore, organizations all over the world are fighting to make sure that education is available to everyone.
- The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals have a target to ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education by 2030.
- UNICEF is a global leader in supporting girls’ education that works to provide learning opportunities that begin in early childhood in over 155 countries.
- The Malala Fund invests in local education activists, pushes for accountable leaders at the local, national, and international level, and works to amplify girls’ voices.
So what can you do to help girls all over the world go to school? There are lots of options ranging from making donations to spreading awareness. For instance, when you sponsor a girl, you help provide basic necessities like nutritious food, clean water, access to education and health care.
You can also donate to some notable charities (the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CAMFED, Share & Care, and Step Up). But even doing something small can go a long way. Start talking to friends, families, and neighbors, join local organizations dedicated to decreasing the education gap, and educate yourself about current issues.
Though it’s easily assumed that most girls receive education, we should never stop spreading awareness and learning about the different situations and circumstances in which women and girls may be prevented from going to school.
Many of the issues restricting female education are still far from being solved but with collective effort, we can maximize the rates at which girls receive education. Step by step, it is imperative that we make education accessible and a reality for women and girls all over the world.
- 10 nonprofit organizations empowering women around the world — Crimson education ca. (n.d.). Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.crimsoneducation.org/ca/blog/campus-life-more/10-nonprofit-organizations-empowering-women-around-the-world
- Girls’ education through UNICEF. (n.d.). UNICEF Canada : For Every Child. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.unicef.ca/en/girls-education
- Kamprad, D. (n.d.). 10 best charities for female education(Complete 2022 List). Impactful Ninja. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://impactful.ninja/best-charities-for-female-education/
- Owen, J. (2021). Girls’ education: Facts and how to help. World Vision. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.worldvision.ca/stories/education/girls-education-facts-and-how-to-help
- (2019, November 12). Gender issues in education. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.slideshare.net/SoumyaS45/gender-issues-in-education
- Why girls around the world are still denied an equal chance of education. (n.d.). Theirworld. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://theirworld.org/news/why-girls-are-still-denied-equal-chance-of-education/
- Women and girls. (n.d.). Right to Education Initiative. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.right-to-education.org/girlswomen
- Women and the right to education. (n.d.). United Nations Human Rights. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Women/GenderAndEquality/Infonote_Women_and_the_right_to_education.pdf
