Understanding Gender Inequalities in Access to Education: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions

Gender inequalities in access to education: causes and consequences

Girls trapped in poverty

Worldwide, one in ten women live in extreme poverty and cannot meet their basic needs.. Trapped in the spiral of precariousness, many girls and women are deprived of a future promising and do not have access to education and their vital needs, due to lack of financial means.

Food insecurity and access to water: a worrying reality

In 2022, more thanone in four women worldwide face food insecurity or do not have safe access to drinking water. A situation caused in particular by the poor access of women to the world of work due to the numerous gender discrimination that they may suffer, but also by climate change, pollution and decades of poor management of access to water in many countries. The majority of women and girls without access to water reside in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

More and more women and girls are living in conflict contexts

The number of women and girls living in conflict contexts saw a dramatic increase of 50% between 2017 and 2020. They are mainly the most affected and are facing major challenges such as food insecurity, poverty and a high risk of violence and domestic violence. Women and girls living in conflict zones are also extremely limited in their ability to access to education and employment.

Girls still discriminated against in access to education

In 2023, approximately 129 million girls worldwide will not be in school. They are also fewer than boys to pursue education, training or obtain employment. Although this gender gap has narrowed over the years, girls are still discriminated against and do not benefit from the same chances of emancipation than boys in the world. These inequalities are particularly marked in Central and South Asia.

Violence and forced marriages of girls: a scourge that continues

Every year, 245 million women and girls aged 15 and over experience violence physical and/or sexual perpetration by an intimate partner. Practices which also have their source in forced marriagewhich still affects 1 in 5 young girls today, married before they reach the age of majority. Forced into marriage, these young girls no longer have access to education and are forced to abandon any dream of emancipation and autonomy.

Sponsor a girl in the world and promote her emancipation

Access to education: a priority to enable the emancipation of girls

The emancipation and empowerment of women can only happen through better access for girls to education.. By sponsoring a girl internationallyhis godfather or godmother guarantees him a access to quality educationover time, and offers it every chance of success.

International sponsorship to combat child labor

Many girls are also exploited and forced to worksometimes as servants or even in factories. Thanks to the sponsorship and actions of our association, measures are taken to keep these children away from work and give them back a real child’s life: parental awareness to the benefits of education, financial contribution thanks to sponsorship donations, accommodation of certain young girls in boarding schools to allow them to concentrate on their studies and not on domestic tasks.

Sponsorship around the world: moral support to regain self-confidence

Beyond the essential financial support that godparents provide to their goddaughter, they can also be a real source of motivation for sponsored children around the world. Encouraged by their godparents thanks to letter exchanges, sponsored young girls benefit from significant moral support which gives them confidence and allows them to realize their dreams.