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Girls’ Education
Girls’ Education
Introduction
Introduction
Around the world, over 30 million girls aren’t in school, and millions more are fighting just to stay there. There are lots of reasons why girls aren’t in school. I’m going to tell you about three of the reasons, in the following order: poverty, water crisis, and religion.
Lots of children are out of school today!
Poverty
Poverty
"The effects of poverty on children are wide-reaching and can lead to lifelong struggles, especially when young people don’t receive full educations" (Poverty and Education). In many countries, school is free but additional costs are required because of the payment for books, school uniforms, and transportation. And there’s more to pay when school isn’t free. Besides, school can’t be free everywhere. This occurs in a lot of places, especially in rural areas. About 49% of students are not in school because of poverty. Girls in some countries don’t go to school because they work every day getting water for their families, tending their younger siblings, cooking, and even outside jobs. Child labor is forcing children, including girls, to either leave school early or drop out of school to work. About 168 million children are out of school because of child labor. Also, girls don’t get an education because when parents choose between a girl and a boy to go to school, the boy gets chosen because people see them as “more valuable than girls.”
There is, however, a way to stop poverty, which is a full education for children, including girls. Campaigns Girl Up and The Malala Fund are also helping to fix this poverty problem.
Child labor is one out of many different types of poverty!
Water Crisis
Water Crisis
"Waterborne diseases are caused by drinking contaminated or dirty water" (Waterborne Diseases). Students, especially girls, miss class to get water for their families. Girls walk miles to a pond to get water, and could get hurt if they are barefooted, because they may step on thorns. And the water they get is usually very dirt
The water crisis is especially troublesome for girls. Eventually, they start dropping out. Some schools have girls go to a nearby pond or lake to get water for the class. Unfortunately, the water there is usually dirty, and can make the children, who drink it, very sick. Children can get waterborne diseases from drinking dirty water. The sicknesses eventually start making children drop out of school. However, America is working to get clean water to those countries with dirty water. They are building wells, pumps, and other things.
Drinking dirty water can cause waterborne diseases.
Religion
Religion
Religion is the main reason why girls aren't in school. "The Pakistani Taliban doesn't agree with Western-style education for children and particularly girls." (Why the Taliban Targets Schools). But why does the Taliban think girls shouldn’t go to school? Because the Taliban doesn't agree with western-style education for girls. The Taliban sees educated boys and girls representing threats. The Taliban came to Pakistan in the early 1990s, and started taking away girls’ education.
In October 2012, The Taliban shot a schoolgirl called Malala Yousafzai in the head. This happened when she was on her way home from school, on the bus. They did this because they were unhappy that Malala was speaking for girls’ education. She was taken to two hospitals, first to the Pakistan hospital, then she was flown to an England hospital. Luckily, she recovered from her injury, at the England hospital. After Malala returned to Pakistan, she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her efforts to help girls’ education. Today she continues to help bring girls’ education back.
The Pakistani Taliban is one of the many groups that is keeping girls away from their education.
Conclusion
Conclusion
There are lots of reasons why girls are not in school, including poverty, water crisis, and religion. Girls are sick from dirty water, they are being forced into child labor, religion is keeping girls away from school, and there are other reasons why girls are not in school. But you don’t have to sit there and feel bad for them. You can help too! Lots of people are helping to get the education that girls need. You can join a group that’s helping to bring girls’ education back. So don’t be afraid to ask, “Can I help you?” After all, it’s not just girls that are missing their education. Think about it, what if you were in their shoes.
Girls don't have education all over the world!
Glossary
Glossary
Education - learning
Poverty - the state of having very little money
Water Crisis - a situation in which the water is very dirty or polluted
Religion - the beliefs of a person or country
Child Labor - the use of children for an industry or business, usually illegally
Taliban - one of the many groups that is keeping girls away from school
Schoolgirl - a girl that goes to school
Waterborne Diseases - a series of diseases that you can get from drinking dirty water
Campaign - a series of military operations that work in an organized and active way toward a certain goal
Malala - one of the many girls that's helping to bring back girls' education
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