International Women’s Day- March 8th

Women are making great progress in so many areas throughout the world but progress can sometimes be painfully slow in the rural areas of Africa.

We have just finished our survey of the schools we support- the most positive gender ratio we have currently achieved in Primary Schools is 42% girls to 58% boys in Maasai areas, falling to 35% girls in the Samburu areas, with some classes as low as 13% girls. In order not to ‘lose’ this whole generation of girls we are currently conducting a house to house survey, with the help of very active Chiefs and Community Health Workers, to see how many children are still at home (both boys and girls) and to work with families on ways to help the parents to register their children. Sometimes something as simple as a uniform can be the difference between parents giving their child an education or not.

Imagine having your whole future hinging on a dress or a pair of shorts.

It goes without saying that education is a basic human right. We often have to remind ourselves here that this is the 21st century: just because kids here were born on the wrong side of the equatorial divide they still have equal rights. Girls have as much right to education as boys- but in educating girls the benefits for the future can be far, far larger. In the rural areas where FGM rates are still very high- 98% in the most remote communities, early marriage is inevitable. Since in the developing world 70,000 adolescents are killed by pregnancy the health risks involved in FGM are far reaching: keeping girls in school delays FGM and therefore delays marriage and saves lives: that simple. Babies born to adolescent Mum’s are 50% more likely to die in their first year. This is the 21st century. That figure is just not acceptable. Education saves lives.

In addition the effects on the economy and the environment are clear. Whilst there is enormous debate on the actual statistics, there is nevertheless an agreement that there is a clear correlation between the number of years a girl spends in school and her family size. Many studies agree that a 10% increase in female literacy leads to a decline of 0.5% total fertility; seven or more years in school leads to half the number of children; giving a girl no education she will bear 6.8 children, if she completes secondary this will fall to 3.2 children. Whatever figures you are reading the correlation remains. Moreover a mere one year in Primary school boosts the earning power of women with girls putting up to 90% of their earnings back into the family income compared to boys who will put back only 35%. Statistics are statistics and open to abuse, but the trend is clear.

An educated girl accesses health care not only for herself but also for her family. She is more likely to access pre and post natal care, to give birth in a health facility, to access family planning, to have a reduced risk of HIV AIDS both for herself and her family. She is less likely to be spending the 3 - 7 hours a day by an open fire exposing herself and her infant to smoke that is 100 times above accepted safety levels- the equivalent of smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day...... and so the list goes on.. and on...

Study after study has shown that educating girls is one of the most effective ways to fight poverty and social prejudice. An educated girl has more say in her home, family decisions are more democratic and domestic violence is reduced.

Despite all these benefits, 30 million more girls than boys are out of school in the world. Empowering women and achieving gender equality is a difficult and slow process that entails shifting attitudes, traditions and practices.

How can we afford NOT to educate women? If only as the most effective way of improving health care and reducing healthcare costs. If only to reduce population growth. If only to improve family incomes. If only to give the girls in the developing world some of the chances that our girls in the West have had for three generations.

Above: meet Rose and her daughter Selina...Rose, who was unable to finish her own Primary education, was the first woman in the locality to open a bank account saving for Selina's 'university' education, Rose was also the first woman to wear trousers - I have often thought that the best gender equality motivator in schools would be to offer the girls a chance to wear trousers. (Rose is also an excellent pancake tosser......)

Support girls education today in whatever way you can!!