By Danielle Wright, Trainee Research and Development officer

International Women’s Day 2024, observed on the 8th March, marks a tradition dating back to 1911, honouring the achievements of women worldwide.   Beyond celebration it serves as a pivotal moment for pushing the acceleration of women’s equality to the forefront of the global agenda1. This year’s  theme,  ‘Inspire Inclusion’, highlights the  importance and benefits of women’s participation in all aspects in society. While the day highlights women’s accomplishments, it is equally crucial for all genders to rally behind the cause to see the value in uplifting women and to foster a culture of support and empowerment within their own communities and further afield.

Education and International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day aims to accelerate equality, and there is no sector more pivotal in this endeavour than Education. 

The World Bank draws attention to the profound societal cost of denying girls access to education, estimating  a staggering loss of human capital wealth   between $15 and $30 trillion globally. This reality highlights the critical role education plays as a gateway to full participation in society for women worldwide.. As the Borgen Project rightly states, education is the way out of poverty, and with women currently making up 70% of the poorest people,  globally inclusive education must be prioritised to lay the foundation for a more equitable and prosperous global community for generations to come.

The Current Position of Women’s Inclusion in Education Globally

Despite progress, we still have a long way to go to achieve women’s inclusion in education around the world as an estimated 129 million girls remain out of school.. In West and Central Africa  there has been an increase in participation of adolescent girls in secondary education between 2000 and 2017. However, this progress is overshadowed by concerning reports, such as in Cameroon  where‘15 percent of sexual violence against adolescent girls occurs in the school environment’. Places of education must become safe for all to attend, in order for women and girls to reap the benefits of attending school. Additionally, in the ASEAN and Pacific region SaveTheChildren found that after the Covid-19 pandemic girls had a harder time returning to education, due to families requiring female children to stay home and

complete extra household and childcare responsibilities exacerbated by the public health crisis

Moreover, in the pursuit of educational equality for all, we must confront the harsh realities faced by girls living in conflict zones and displaced communities. For example, in the arid landscapes of the Horn of Africa, drought isn’t just parching the land: it’s fueling a troubling trend as child marriages are on the rise. Families, burdened by the harsh realities of economic strain, are marrying off their daughters as a desperate means of financial relief, cutting their education short and perpetuating a cycle of inequality.

The Future of Women’s Education

The current situation of girls’ inclusion in education makes for a hardly inspiring read, so it is important to showcase the initiatives happening globally to include more women in the global educational forefront. Among these is the United Nations Girls Education Initiative with the upcoming launch of their ‘Ending Gender Stereotypes’ campaign for 2024. Moreover, through the continuation of the highly successful ‘Ending Gender Stereotypes through Schools through Play-Based Curriculum’ programme, the UNGEI is spearheading efforts to engage whole communities in recognising the benefits of early years girls education.Such initiatives not only break down barriers to education but also lay the foundation for a more equitable and inclusive society, where every girl has the opportunity to fulfil her potential and contribute meaningfully to her community and beyond. 

Crucially, it must be remembered that education is not a privilege, it is a fundamental  right. Women’s rights are human rights. This International Women’s Day, let’s inspire inclusion by participating in events, celebrating  the invaluable contributions of women educators, and championing the importance of preserving the future of women and girls education. By collectively inspiring inclusion and steadfastly advocating for equitable educational opportunities, we pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future for all.

 

Sources:

 

https://www.internationalwomensday.com/.

https://hdl.handle.net/10986/29956. 

https://borgenproject.org/4-reasons-why-womens-education-leads-to-less-poverty/. 

 https://www.unicef.org/education/girls-education. 

https://data.unicef.org/resources/adolescent-girls-in-west-and-central-africa-data-brief/. 

https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/899_asean_and_the_pacific_marginalised_girls_education .pdf/. 

https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/child-marriage-rise-horn-africa-drought-crisis-intensifies. 

https://www.ungei.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/UNGEI_Report_Card_2023_FINAL.