The Pakistani government and the United Nations’ education agency unveiled a plan today to motivate girls around the world to enroll in schools by the end of 2015.
Organizers dubbed it the “Malala Plan,” after Malala Yousufzai, the 15-year-old education activist who survived being shot by a Taliban gunman in October. Malala’s father, Ziauddin, attended the ceremony along with Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari, who announced a $10 million in seed funding for the plan.
(via New UN plan to get girls in school boosted by Malala’s father - CSMonitor.com)
BOSASO, Puntland State of Somalia — On September 27, the Somali Youth Leaders Initiative (SYLI) with the Puntland Ministry of Education launched a five-year program to build and rehabilitate secondary schools in Puntland. The objective of the initiative, funded by USAID, is to boost enrollment and retention of secondary school students, particularly girls.
The SYLI education project is being implemented through a consortium involving Mercy Corps, Save the Children, and CARE International, in partnership with the Puntland Ministry of Education. The project is currently assisting 10 secondary schools—with a target of 20—across all regions of Puntland. It is increasing the number of classrooms, laboratories, and other learning facilities. In addition, to ensure that more girls in particular attend secondary school, the project will construct separate sanitation facilities for girls and boys, train more women teachers, run local campaigns on the importance of girls’ education, and involve the communities in school management.
As India celebrated Akshaya Tritiya on Tuesday, a festival associated with mass weddings, many activists renewed their calls against child marriage. “Raise your voice against child marriage on #AkshayTritiya, an auspicious day for Hindu marriage in India,” UNICEF India said on Twitter.
There are many campaigns around the world against child marriage in India, where the practice remains common despite being illegal. Perhaps the most original one is “The Girl Store” - which some may find is in bad taste. (via ‘Buy a Girl:’ An Unusual Anti Child Marriage Campaign - India Real Time - WSJ)
Improving the lives of women begins with investing in girls. Educating girls brings enormous benefits far beyond improving the lives of the girls themselves. Once an educated girl becomes an adult, it is estimated she will earn 20 percent more for each additional year of education she receives beyond grade three or four. Statistics show she will more likely share up to 90 percent of her earnings with her family and her community. She will marry and bear children later, and they will be healthier and more likely to go to school than will the children of her less literate sisters. (via Investing In Girls | Editorials | Editorial)
[KENYA] Dadaab — A mix of cultural practices, such as early and forced marriage, as well as child labour, are depriving girls of education in the Dadaab refugee complex in eastern Kenya.
Out of Dadaab’s estimated population of 463,000 mainly Somali refugees, more than half are children under 18; of these about 38 percent attend school. The proportion of girls in the camps’ primary and secondary schools is 38 and 27 percent, respectively, according to the UN Refugee Agency. A third of girls aged between 5 and 13 in Dabaab go to school; for those aged 14 to 17, only one in 20 are enrolled.
[PAKISTAN] … around 50 government girls’ primary schools have been shut down in Peshawar, mostly in Matani, Badhber, Urmar, Garhi Atta Mohmmad and Adezai areas, due to unavailability of teachers, while many boys and girls primary schools faced shortage of teaching staff.
![[SOUTH SUDAN] Education is a key priority for the government of the world’s newest nation, South Sudan.
Sixty-four per cent of children aged 6 to 11 are out of school, and the primary school completion rate is only 10 per cent, among the lowest in the world.
Gender equality is also a huge challenge, with only 37 per cent of girls aged 6 to 13 attending school. Still, thanks to the efforts of dedicated teachers, accelerated learning programmes and children’s clubs, there have been encouraging developments in girls’ education over the past year. (via UNGEI - Republic of South Sudan - Prioritizing education and promoting gender equality in South Sudan)](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybkttw2T31qb8rnio1_250.jpg)
[SOUTH SUDAN] Education is a key priority for the government of the world’s newest nation, South Sudan.
Sixty-four per cent of children aged 6 to 11 are out of school, and the primary school completion rate is only 10 per cent, among the lowest in the world.
Gender equality is also a huge challenge, with only 37 per cent of girls aged 6 to 13 attending school. Still, thanks to the efforts of dedicated teachers, accelerated learning programmes and children’s clubs, there have been encouraging developments in girls’ education over the past year. (via UNGEI - Republic of South Sudan - Prioritizing education and promoting gender equality in South Sudan)
![[RWANDA] On the outskirts of Rwanda’s capital, a UNICEF-supported child-friendly school is helping to transform the way girls access education.
Rubingo Primary School, in Gasabo District, is one of 75 schools in Rwanda being overhauled with UNICEF support to become ‘child-friendly’. Child-friendly schools take a holistic approach to improving education quality in schools, including refining teaching methods, improving school infrastructure, and making sure girls feel as welcome and comfortable as their boy classmates. (via UNGEI - Rwanda - A brighter future for Rwanda’s girls)](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lybkh3IMkz1qb8rnio1_250.jpg)
[RWANDA] On the outskirts of Rwanda’s capital, a UNICEF-supported child-friendly school is helping to transform the way girls access education.
Rubingo Primary School, in Gasabo District, is one of 75 schools in Rwanda being overhauled with UNICEF support to become ‘child-friendly’. Child-friendly schools take a holistic approach to improving education quality in schools, including refining teaching methods, improving school infrastructure, and making sure girls feel as welcome and comfortable as their boy classmates. (via UNGEI - Rwanda - A brighter future for Rwanda’s girls)
The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary schools will be introducing the teaching of Female Genital Mutilation and Girls’ rights as one of the life skills subjects in schools.
![[ZIMBABWE] After completing the fourth grade at the top of her class, 13-year-old Ellen Mbedzi was forced to drop out of Mafeha Primary School in Bulilima, a district in south-western Zimbabwe. Her unemployed father did not see the value of spending the family’s limited resources on a girl. (via In Zimbabwe, school grants provide equal learning opportunities to girls | Back on Track)](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwl7t7pe3I1qb8rnio1_400.jpg)
[ZIMBABWE] After completing the fourth grade at the top of her class, 13-year-old Ellen Mbedzi was forced to drop out of Mafeha Primary School in Bulilima, a district in south-western Zimbabwe. Her unemployed father did not see the value of spending the family’s limited resources on a girl. (via In Zimbabwe, school grants provide equal learning opportunities to girls | Back on Track)
