A Call to Action: Bridging the Gap in Girls’ Education with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Indra Nooyi, the first (and so far, the only) female CEO and Chairman of PepsiCo, the American beverage giant, once said ^[4], “We need the talent and insights of girls today to lead our businesses tomorrow. That’s why expanding educational opportunities for girls isn’t charity. It’s a smart investment in a stronger global economy and in our future.” This statement, by the two-time second Most Powerful Woman in Business, emphasizes the importance of investing in the girl child’s education and personal development, for a thriving present and secured future. The statement:

• Acknowledges that girls possess unique and valuable skills, knowledge, and perspectives that are essential for success in the business world.
• Highlights that education is crucial for unlocking their potential and preparing them to take on leadership roles in the future.
• Stresses the long-term benefits of such investments, both for individuals and society.
• Suggests that by empowering girls and providing them with opportunities to develop their skills, societies can contribute to building a stronger global economy.

Despite the obvious importance and benefits that abound, the reality is entirely different and worrisome. Globally, approximately 129 million girls are out of school and lack access to formal education. Of these millions of out-of-school girls, 32 million are of primary school age, 30 million are eligible for lower-secondary school education, and 67 million are of upper-secondary school age ^[6]. Fifty million girls in sub-Saharan Africa, which amounts to more than one-third of the global out-of-school children, are without access to education at all levels ^[8].  In Nigeria, where 20% of out-of-school children in sub-Saharan Africa are found ^[5], 7.6 million are females ^[1], who have been denied access to crucial education that will position them to be leaders of tomorrow. These disheartening statistics stem from a multitude of factors.

Poverty has long been a pervasive issue in Sub-Saharan Africa, exerting significant constraints on the development and advancement of the education sector, particularly the girl child’s education. Many families in Africa are unable to afford the costs associated with sending their children to school, providing them with scholastic materials, while supporting household needs at the same time. These poverty-stricken families are forced to make decisions about how to utilize highly limited resources, resulting in boys being sent out for education, in some cases, earning a living, while the females remain at home for household chores and family maintenance.

Another factor is negative social and cultural norms that confine girls to repressive gender roles and limit their access to education. It is a commonly held belief in certain regions across the world and households, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, that girls belong in the kitchen to take care of household chores and manage the homes or belong in the bedroom to bear and raise children for their partner. This results in girls being married off at a young age, a tradition known as child marriage. The highest rate of child marriage is found in Niger, a West-African country, where 3 out of every 4 girl-child are married off before they turn 18, with nearly 30 percent of them being younger than 15 years old ^[2]. Thus, girls who marry young are much more likely to drop out of school, complete fewer years of education than their peers who marry later, have children at a young age, and are exposed to higher levels of violence perpetrated by their partners. This significantly impacts female enrolment and literacy rates at all education levels. Instead of attending school and receiving a quality education, girls become homemakers with no aspirations.

Girls in conflict-prone and crisis-affected countries are liable to drop out of school and become uneducated. In these regions, girls face severe obstacles in accessing education, leading to a troubling rise in the number of out-of-school girls. The ravages of armed conflict often result in the destruction of educational infrastructure and the displacement of families, compounding the challenges faced in pursuing education. Faced with dire circumstances, many girls are forced to forgo schooling in favour of basic survival needs, perpetuating a cycle of generational educational deprivation and vulnerability. This not only violates their fundamental rights but also undermines their prospects for economic independence and social empowerment. It also exposes them to heightened risks of exploitation and gender-based violence, exacerbating an already dire situation.

A rarely discussed factor creating additional out-of-school girls on the African continent is tax abuse by wealthy individuals and big corporations, due to weak tax legislations and policies. Lower-income countries, of which 22 are African nations ^[7], lose about $47 billion annually to tax abuse by multinational companies and individuals, estimated to be 22% of their education budgets ^[4]. The revenue loss from tax evasion in addition to large national debt places significant constraints on public resources, negatively affecting education financing in Africa. These constraints are partly responsible for the millions of out-of-school girls on the continent. Moreover, endemic corruption and lack of political will to invest in education are also culpable.

Lack of gender-responsive teaching practices, violence and discrimination, lack of safety, unavailability of hygiene and sanitation materials, lack of parental support, and disconnect between school and academic work, are some other factors responsible for creating more out-of-school girls.

These significant disparities not only perpetuate cycles of poverty and inequality but also deprive societies of the valuable contributions and perspectives that educated girls can offer, thereby hindering progress towards the sustainable development goals.