The Facts Behind the Statistic

There are an estimated 110 million children around the world who do not attend primary school - more than 60 million of these are girls. Basic literacy and numeracy skills are the fundamental tools that will enable girls and women, as well as boys and men, to take hold of their lives and develop solutions adapted to the needs of their communities and country.

Research convincingly shows that programs directed to the education of girls are more effective than virtually any other community investment in the developing world.

Basic quality education provides girls with access to health and nutrition information for themselves and their families - including helping to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS. It provides a safe place to grow as they learn. It gives them the knowledge to provide economic support to their family. It delays marriage and pregnancy, thereby lowering infant and maternal mortality. And an educated woman is more likely to send her children - both boys and girls - to school, thereby increasing the likelihood of future generations receiving an education.

Education of women is the key to economic productivity and political stability.

Healthy, safe, empowered girls transform families, communities and countries.

We have chosen to invest in the women of tomorrow.

Did you know?

For each additional year of schooling that a girl receives, maternal mortality and infant mortality rates decrease by 10%.

Just 1% of the annual international defense budget, if spent on education, would be enough to enable every child on the planet to attend school.