Unit 4: Enriching Exchanges (1ère AMC)

 Unequal Access to Knowledge

Why is it important to invest in girls’ education?

The document under study is an infographic published in 2014, it from UNICEF. It deals with the evolution of gender parity at school in sub-Saharan Africa.

It is striking/astonishing/surprising to see that, throughout the school years, there are less and less girls enrolled in school.

If girls would stay at school longer, they will have a chance to marry years later. They would not die during pregnancy or childbirth. Moreover, their children would have fewer children therefore, they would be more healthier and they would be able to go to better schools, even universities to have better job prospects.

In fact, the reasons for gender inequality are because of social and structural barriers that stereotype and discriminate girls.  On top of that, girls are often more exposed to sexual violence. Besides, the lack of sanitary facilities can also be a big issue for girls. On a financial level, parents would prefer to pay school fees for their sons rather than for their daughters. To finish with, young girls are forced into early child marriage, as their parents cannot take care of them, so they end up marrying older men to take care of them.

Homework: Learn the lesson.