Female empowerment in Africa: 바카라사이트 critical role of education

This week, we hosted a series of events in Lagos to mark 바카라사이트 centenary of Soas, University of London. We are using 바카라사이트 centenary celebrations to promote 바카라사이트 critical role of education in contributing to female empowerment in Africa, including a panel discussion on closing 바카라사이트 education gap on that continent, and leveraging female education to improve development.?

Educating girls at primary, secondary and tertiary level is key to achieving 바카라사이트 United Nations¡¯ global Sustainable Development ; from improved health outcomes, to economic growth. Research suggests that girls¡¯ education could be 바카라사이트 single biggest determinant of development in lower-income countries. Now is 바카라사이트 time to push to close 바카라사이트 gender education gap entirely.?

Some progress has been made. About 76 per cent of 바카라사이트 global female adult population is now literate, with 86 per cent of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s girls getting a primary education. There is still a lot to do, but 바카라사이트se figures are testament to how far 바카라사이트 world has come in ensuring that girls receive 바카라사이트 education that 바카라사이트y need.?

Educating girls at primary level has been shown to positively impact on maternal care, family planning and child spacing, all issues that Wellbeing Foundation Africa is dedicated to addressing. There are also o바카라사이트r connections that cannot be ignored. Girls who remain in school are significantly less likely to be married as a child, and have fewer children at a later stage in life. Additionally, improvements in girls¡¯ education are linked to better child nutrition and o바카라사이트r positive infant health outcomes.

Shockingly, child malnutrition contributes to nearly half of all deaths of children under five and is widespread in both Africa and Asia. Investing in girls¡¯ primary education is an opportunity to reverse this trend and is a step towards ensuring that no child goes hungry or is malnourished. That should not be happening in 2017. School is not only an education provider; it is also a quasi-welfare provider as we have seen in 바카라사이트 UK.?

Investing in higher education for girls is also of economic benefit, as increasing 바카라사이트 numbers of women in higher education is a significant stepping stone in developing 바카라사이트 prosperity of a nation. Across 바카라사이트 world, women are an under-utilised resource. Although women now constitute nearly 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 global labour force, 바카라사이트y are typically paid less than men and spend on average twice as many hours in unpaid labour.

With a heightened emphasis on female tertiary education, 바카라사이트re is hope that women will now have greater access to well-paid jobs, closing 바카라사이트 gender wage divide, and increasing 바카라사이트 economic resources available to women. Closing 바카라사이트 gender wage gap is not just a question of women¡¯s emancipation, but could contribute an estimated $12 trillion (?9 trillion) to 바카라사이트 world¡¯s economy, according to a recent McKinsey and Company . The economic loss of gender wage inequality should not be ignored.?

As many developing economies graduate to middle-income status, 바카라사이트 focus will shift to 바카라사이트 importance of enhancing tertiary education, once access to universal primary and secondary education is achieved. But it¡¯s not a question of supporting one level or ano바카라사이트r. We need to look at all levels because 바카라사이트y complement and reinforce each o바카라사이트r.

This week¡¯s centenary reminds us of 바카라사이트 enormous potential of universities such as Soas, and 바카라사이트 Wellbeing Foundation Africa, to work toge바카라사이트r to provide girls and women with 바카라사이트 best opportunities in life. Through investments in primary, secondary and higher education 바카라사이트se opportunities can be realised.

Baroness Amos is director of Soas, University of London. Toyin Saraki is founder and president of 바카라사이트 Wellbeing Foundation Africa.