Education

Universal education for women and girls remains an elusive goal. In poor families, girls are often valued more for their work in the household than for their potential as breadwinners, thus leaving them home while their brothers go to school. Early marriage and entrenched gender discrimination result in lower levels of girls' enrollment in primary school through university.

The high value placed on the chastity of girls and the severe limitations on their freedom and mobility can make it impossible for girls to travel even short distances to school or to study in a coed environment. The shortage of educated women teachers exacerbates the crisis, as do schools that lack basic facilities such as toilets. High rates of poverty in developing countries can force girls to drop out of school and exposes them to potential sexual abuse. Because such a high percentage of adult women are illiterate, they remain vulnerable to multiple forms of exploitation and are often excluded from the most basic rights of citizenship.

Global Fund grants provide access to both informal and formal education for women and girls. We pay particular attention to the needs of girls and women in minority and marginalized communities. Our grants underwrite public campaigns promoting the importance of girls' education among parents and community leaders. Some grantees advocate to make schools safer and more accessible to girls. Others develop gender-sensitive and culturally appropriate school curricula, and train female and male teachers in its application.