Three reasons why investing in education will break barriers for girls
September marks back-to-school season when Canadian families and children prepare for the school year ahead. It’s a hopeful time, because education, inside and outside of the classroom, is the most empowering tool available to young learners so they can change their world. However, access to education isn’t always equal. As we invest in our children’s futures here in Canada, it’s worth considering how investing in education at the global level, particularly providing access to girls, can create a better and brighter future for everyone. Here are three reasons why:
Girls can add $30 trillion to the global economy
If every girl worldwide received 12 years of quality education, it’s estimated these educated women could contribute up to $30 trillion to the global economy and add half a per cent to every country’s per capita gross national product.
When educated women work, they invest 90 per cent of their income back into their children’s health, education, and communities, compared to 35 per cent for men; proving that girls’ education is not another problem to be solved, but rather the solution.
Girls can protect the planet
According to research in the book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, educating girls was ranked at number six in the top 10 solutions list on effectively addressing climate change, while electric vehicles were ranked much lower at 26!
By empowering girls, fostering climate leadership, and developing green skills for green jobs, the transition to a green economy and adapting to the impact of climate change can become a reality.
Girls can end child marriage and save lives when empowered
Educated girls who are actively in the classroom are three times less likely to marry before the age of 18 compared to girls with no education.
Educated girls are also better prepared for motherhood with 50 per cent of children born to literate mothers surviving past the age of five. They are also better protected against human trafficking and can financially contribute to their household.
“With the global pandemic, war, wildfires and floods, Canadians can be forgiven for feeling a lack of hope and for thinking that their international giving won’t achieve much at all,” said Children Believe CEO, Fred Witteveen. “However, there is a solution to some of the toughest issues affecting the world today – educating girls. While climate change, child marriage and conflict can seem overwhelming, by supporting Children Believe’s Believe in Girls Like Me Education Fund with $10 dollars a month, Canadians can directly contribute to a better world for us all.”
About Children Believe
Canadian charity, Children Believe, supports access to education in six countries worldwide. Its Believe in Girls Like Me Education Fund combines donations from supporters across Canada to provide equal access to quality education for children to thrive in school and life.
Education is not only a human right but also a direct driver of development in boosting the global economy as it promotes employment, earnings, health, and poverty reduction. Consider investing in global education and supporting girls this school year to empower young learners to reach for the stars. To find out more, visit childrenbelieve.ca.
