Shanti Conly reports on the problem and some promising solutions. The girls at the high school in Lahore, Pakistan, pointed proudly to the colourful posters on the drab white-washed walls, illustrating the importance of education in their eyes. One poster showed four girls, arms linked, breaking through a brick wall towards the sun. The girls who painted these inspirational posters did not need a scientific study to understand the impact of education on a woman s quality of life. Still, studies all around the world agree that the more schooling a girl has, the brighter her future.
Education opens the door to a healthier, more prosperous and productive life.
Women with more schooling have a greater say over all aspects of their lives, including decisions about contraception and childbearing, and have fewer, healthier children than their less-educated sisters. But Shireen Jejeebhoy, author of a recent book on education and reproductive behaviour, cautions that especially in male-dominated societies where the status of women is very low, girls probably need at least six to seven years of schooling to reap the full benefits of education in all spheres of life. Research sponsored by the Bank suggests that, in several Asian countries, expanded education of girls has contributed to greater labour force participation, productivity and economic growth. Yet in much of the world, women and girls remain at a disadvantage in access to education. Of almost one billion illiterate people in the world, two-thirds are women.