For example, in Tanzania, households currently finance one third of recurrent spending on education. Cost-sharing in education represents an even bigger barrier to girls' education. Drop-out rates for girls are higher than for boys, and girls are less likely to go on to higher education. In addition to cost sharing, the indirect costs of education, such as contributions towards the maintenance of school buildings, the requirement to wear school uniform and the expectation that pupils will perform domestic tasks for teaching staff, all have a greater impact on girls than boys. Inadequate water and sanitation, long distances between home and school, poor transport facilities and few efforts to ensure girls' security are also barriers to their attendance in schools.
Research shows that poverty and underdevelopment are major factors in maternal mortality.
Participation and ownership Equity issues are inseparable from issues of democracy and accountability. People living in poverty have little say in shaping public spending priorities and few avenues of complaint when spending is unevenly distributed and services are poorly run. People living in poverty tend to lose out in public spending rounds because they lack the information, resources and the organisation to promote their own interests. Southern governments should be empowered to democratically represent all their citizens, in a fruitful dialogue with them, including people living in poverty. EU policy rhetoric emphasises the need to involve 'relevant social actors' in dialogue, but the role they should play in practice is very unclear.