Source: The Print
Context:
The UNESCO Global Education Report 2025 highlights that 133 million girls worldwide remain out of school, three decades after the Beijing Declaration (1995), despite significant improvements in enrolment.
Global Snapshot
- Progress: Since 1995, over 91 million more girls attend primary school and 136 million more attend secondary school.
- Persistent Gaps: Despite enrolment gains, major disparities remain in access, quality, and educational outcomes.
Regional Parity Achievements and Challenges
- Central and South Asia: Achieved gender parity in secondary education.
- Sub-Saharan Africa & Oceania: Lagging due to poverty, rural isolation, and conflict.
- Example: In Mali and Guinea, fewer than 20% of girls complete lower secondary education.
Persistent Quality Gaps
- Only two-thirds of countries provide compulsory sexuality education at primary level.
- Gender bias in textbooks and curricula persists, reinforcing stereotypes.
Leadership Inequality
- Women dominate teaching professions, but only 30% of higher education leadership positions globally are held by women.
- Structural barriers exist in academic governance and decision-making.
Economic and Social Significance
- Education of girls is a societal investment: improves poverty reduction, labour participation, and inclusive economic growth.
- The World Bank (2024) estimates closing the global gender education gap could boost global GDP by $15–30 trillion.
