They were considered property
They had to obey their fathers or husbands!
Few people thought it worthwhile to educate them. Who are they?
Girls!
We should spend more time considering the health of girlhood
Fifty years ago 49% of primary-school-age girls in lower-income countries were in school compared with 71% of boys; today the share of both is about 90%
In 1998 only half of the of the world’s secondary-school-age girls were enrolled; today two-thirds are and over the same period rates of illiteracy fell from 1 in 5 young women aged 15-24 to one in ten roughly on par with young men
Girls are less likely to be married off in childhood down from 25 to 20%; but that’s still too high
When societies handle girlhood well the knock-on effects are astounding. A girl who finishes secondary school is less likely to be a child bride or a teenage mother. Education boosts earning power and widens choices. She is less likely to be poor or suffer abuse and is healthier!
Adolescence is crucial for girls – its when many health problems emerge or are averted; and many social ones too. This phase is the most important for brain development after infancy
Gender Equality starts during girlhood and the UN SDG 5 focuses on achieving Gender Equality by 2030
We can’t afford to get girlhood wrong
Do you agree?