Global efforts continue to boost prospects for girls

Saturday 11 October marked the United Nations’ (UN) International Day of the Girl, a day which aims to promote efforts to improve opportunities for female children around the world.

Despite years of combative measures, the educational and employment outcomes of men and women vary widely in both developed and developing countries. Solomon W. Polachek highlights the prominent wage gap that persists between men and women.

Many fear that this is set to continue due to ongoing barriers and social trends which curb girls’ attainment levels; according to the UN, only 30% of girls in the world are enrolled in secondary school and, in many countries, under a third of university students are female.

This correlates with high global rates of child marriage in girls, and large proportions of young girls being sold into the sex trade industry.

However, a growing number of policies are being created to improve outcomes for young girls. There will soon be a child marriage-free zone in the Pakistani province of Sindh, in which marrying children under 18 will incur a prison sentence. Meanwhile, the Zambian government is currently reviewing policies in a bid to end violence against girls and provide adequate protection.

According to Lisa Cameron, well-designed social protection programs can improve outcomes for even very vulnerable and marginalized women. She suggests ways in which policymakers can tailor programs specifically to reach women, to better protect them from social and economic risks.

However, greater education and general awareness are needed to balance opportunities for boys and girls in the long term.

For example, US charity LitWorld launched an initiative earlier this year aimed at improving educational opportunities for girls around the world, through mentoring programs, and provision of resources to help them to stay in school. As Núria Rodríguez-Planas discusses, mentoring programs can bring huge benefits to young people by improving their expectations and general educational outcomes.

However, Sher Verick notes that improving employment outcomes for women relies on quality employment opportunities as well as improved access to education.

As knowledge and public awareness improve, it is hoped that more policies can be implemented to help young girls around the world to succeed.

Read more here.

Related articles:
Equal pay legislation and the gender wage gap, by Solomon W. Polachek
Social protection programs for women in developing countries, by Lisa Cameron
Do youth mentoring programs change the perspectives and improve the life opportunities of at-risk youth? by Núria Rodríguez-Planas
Female labor force participation in developing countries, by Sher Verick