Several obstacles stand in the way of girls receiving access to education in African countries. Factors such as child pregnancy, forced marriage, rapid population growth, political instability, lack of sanitary facilities, disease, poverty, and female genital mutilation all contribute to this denial of education. A report by the World Bank stated, “… the obstacles to girls’ participation are so diverse. Macrodevelopment factors, national policy and legislation issues, institutional, social and cultural concerns and local community/household factors all have an impact.” In areas such as Ethiopia, Eritrea, Angola, and Mozambique, girls are much less likely to attend primary school than boys, and this inequity grows in secondary education, according to UNICEF. African countries make up fifteen of the twenty countries with the highest prevalence of child marriage worldwide as well as the highest rate of child pregnancies. Furthermore, the stigmatization of girls who are pregnant and unmarried often results in forced marriages.
Elin Martínez, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated, “…many governments insist on tackling this social and public health challenge by punishing girls and jeopardizing their future…governments should focus on helping girls prevent unintended pregnancies and support their efforts to stay in school.” Studies reveal that Sierra Leone and Tanzania have discriminatory policies toward pregnant girls, young mothers, and girls who are married. Oftentimes, pregnancy tests are administered by schools, and girls face expulsion. Some regions such as South Africa, Cameroon, and Zambia have “re-entry” systems, which are designed to allow girls the opportunity to return to school after giving birth. However, this policy is rarely carried out, and it has numerous flaws. Even in cases where girls are allowed re-entry, they lack the resources and support to continue their education.
Many girls become pregnant due to sexual assault, lack of reproductive health services, and absence of sexual education, or a combination of these factors. World Bank research shows that African girls are more likely to be impacted by HIV/AIDS than girls in any other part of the globe. Moreover, poverty disproportionately affects girls’ education in comparison to that of boys, and studies reveal that girls spend significantly more time on productive work than any category of adult men. Cultural gender roles result in loss of opportunities for girls as do direct costs of education, which have shown to be higher for girls in most cases. Many African families live below the poverty line, forcing them to choose which children will be allowed to attend school. Fifty percent of parents surveyed in the Ashanti area of Ghana said they would rather keep their sons in school, compared to only 10% who opted to allow their daughters an education. Sending girls to school has proven to be an expensive pursuit. Furthermore, girls’ time and energy is often seen as more useful completing domestic tasks, thus depriving them the option of education. Plan International reported, “Entrenched assumptions about girls’ roles as carers, mothers, brides and household labourers influence perceptions of the value of girls’ education and the life and career choices that are available for them.”
Expanding girls’ access to education in Africa is a complex, multifaceted process; however, numerous strategies have shown that positive change is possible. According to Plan International, providing quality education to students in conjunction with recognizing sociocultural sexism is essential. Cultural gender norms must be addressed and overwritten in order for girls’ educational opportunities to be valued equally to that of boys. Furthermore, girls should be protected from violence, sexual harassment, and assault. Forty six percent of girls reported that they had experienced abuse or violence at school in survey conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Human Rights Watch reported that African governments should provide free quality education since poverty is a major contributor to girls’ exclusion. African governments should reverse discriminatory school policies such as allowing the expulsion of pregnant girls, mandatory pregnancy testing, and the denial of married girls. The legal age requirement for marriage should be raised to eighteen, and comprehensive sexual curriculum should be provided in schools. Lastly, girls should have access to support services and adequate healthcare. UNICEF and UNESCO suggest that countries should concentrate their efforts on broadening education systems, enhancing the quality of education, and providing interventions for those who are most in need.
