UNICEF - Official Launch of State of the World Children 2004
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PRESS RELEASE
The State of the World's Children 2004 Girls, Education and
Development
See web site: http://www.unicef.org/sowc04/index.html
To read the report online chapter by chapter go to:
http://www.unicef.org/sowc04/15579_contents.html
Download the report as single Adobe PDF file (156 pp. 3.5 MB!) at:
http://www.unicef.org/files/SOWC_O4_eng.pdf
UNICEF Says Getting More Girls into School Is First Step to
Reaching Global Development Goals.
Hanoi, 11 December 2003: At the launch of its annual flagship
publication, The State of the World's Children 2004, UNICEF
calls on development agencies, governments, families and commu-
nities to focus and intensify their efforts on addressing the
challenges that keep girls out of school. Unless action is ac-
celerated to get more girls into school efforts to reduce pov-
erty and improve human development will not be reached, the
agency reports.
The State of the World's Children 2004 shows that girls denied
the right to a quality, basic education are more vulnerable to
poverty, hunger, violence, abuse, exploitation and trafficking.
They are more likely to die in childbirth and are at greater
risk of disease, including HIV/AIDS. On the other hand, studies
indicate that education increases girls' self-confidence, social
and negotiation skills and earning power and makes them less
vulnerable to violence and ill health.
Poverty, language barriers, poor nutrition and health, long dis-
tances to schools, absence of clean water and poor sanitation
facilities at schools have been identified as some of the major
impediments affecting girls' education in many developing coun-
tries. Far fewer girls than boys from certain ethnic minority
groups are attending primary school, while disabled children
never go to school.
Figures for completing primary school show a significant drop-
off from the enrolment rates. Many students do not complete pri-
mary school. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child,
all states have a duty to realize the rights of every child to a
basic education. Marginalised groups, such as disabled children,
poor migrant children and children from minority groups need
special attention. Implementation of plans of action should fo-
cus on girl sensitive policies that include the elimination of
all primary school fees; gender-sensitive textbooks; child-
centred teaching-learning methods; ensuring the availability of
clean water and good sanitation facilities at schools and en-
couraging girls' participation in activities, such as sport,
cultural events and leadership.
Developing new gender-sensitive teacher training modules is
needed to ensure that future textbooks and the new primary
school curricula are gender balanced. Training in gender and
child rights for primary school principals, teachers and parent-
teacher associations need to be put in place.
This year's report focuses on girls' education and its implica-
tions for development. It presents the many benefits of educat-
ing girls, examines the barriers that keep more girls out of
school and the lasting impact such exclusion has on a country's
development, details why education is the most effective means
of combating many of the most profound challenges to human de-
velopment and presents concrete and practical recommendations
for the way forward.