Lack of education for girls hampers their earning potential, costing the world’s poorest countries billions of dollars a year in lost revenue, according to a new report released Tuesday in Toronto.
“Study after study confirms that if young women are economically active, their country’s economy grows and all members of their family benefit,” said Rosemary McCarney, president and CEO of the Canadian arm of Plan International, which released the report.
“Investing in girls delivers a higher return than any other investment made in a country’s development, and yet this isn’t happening. That’s a huge loss for everyone.”
The third annual Because I Am A Girl report found that countries with high levels of institutional discrimination against girls and women were also the least developed.
Just a one per cent rise in the number of girls attending secondary school boosts a country’s annual per capita income growth by 0.3 per cent, the report said.
In the case of Kenya, $3 billion could be added to the economy if the country educated its girls to secondary school level.
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Oh great, something else for Obama to blame on America and apologize for.
Education would likely improve the lot of women, regardless of what country, but touting the imagined economic benefits without touching on the other possible ramifications is like cheerleading for raising the minimum wage. Yes, it might cause improvements for some people but it also displaces and/or excludes others while it drives up prices…
There is no logical argument against education a counties population, male of female.
DTDT — Well I don’t know about anyone blaming this on Obama, but it is appalling nonetheless.
Mac – “Touting the imagined economic benefits?” Believe me, they are not imagined. I know that first hand. While it was very hard at the time (student loans, etc and subsidized childcare), I somehow managed to get teacher training when I was first on my own as a single parent. And, it was that educational opportunity that made it possible for me NOT to collect welfare and to be a part of my community and the economy. Did I take a job away from a man? Who knows? The point being that it would be no different than one man getting a job over another man. Which is why I don’t usually like affirmative action programs. I got a job because I was qualified to do it.
Same for poor countries. Women start small businesses and that in turn stimulates their economies. During the 1960′s, 70′s and 80′s, Paulo Friere was a well known philosopher/educator in South America. He used literacy training to emancipate women. For example, once they could read and understand what they were reading, they became aware of their circumstances — and more often than not, wanted to improve them. And, whole society’s benefitted. Illiteracy and patriarchy don’t grow societies. Ah, yes, there may be more children, but they live in abject poverty.
Yes, there are always ramifications. At the start of WWII, the factories and industries were desperate for workers so millions of women responded and went to work. They did just fine and there were no complaints that I have ever read about. Then, bingo, after WWII, they were suddenly not needed any more because the men were coming home. Back into the home they went, whether they liked it or not. Most didn’t complain, but it was a very difficult transition for many.
So, I agree with Larry on this one. Equality means equal opportunity for both genders. In other words, there should be no excuses when it comes to educating females. As the article states, patriarchal countries are usually the least developed.
I simply cannot fathom what it must have been like for all the girls in Afghanistan — every last one of them — who had to stay locked inside their houses for all the years the Taliban ruled. And, one of the reasons we should never lose sight of what our troops are doing there — providing a future for the entire population, including the 50% who are female.
Well said, Sandy. You sound like you are on the mend.
Hi Jack,
Getting there slowly. The anti-viral medication did the trick on the blisters. But, the pain is something else. All I can say is thank God for chiropractors as my lower back and left hip are constantly going “out” because of the inflammation — making the problem a double wammy. Shingles can last several weeks so — one day at a time.
I am finding it fun at the moment just surfing and reading what everyone else is saying. There are a lot of new bloggers out there that I hadn’t noticed before.
Glad you’re on the mend, Sandy!
I’m not arguing against equal opportunity, especially when it comes to education. I’m saying the article wasn’t balanced. In re-reading, I could have chosen a better analogy.