On International Women’s Day 2024, we are spotlighting, through stories and interviews, the urgent need for girls to go -- and #KeepGoing -- to secondary education, so they can reach their full potential and contribute to their countries’ economies.
In Eastern and Southern Africa, close to 60% of girls are likely not to be enrolled in secondary school. She has more than a 20% chance of having a child as a teenager, and about a 30% chance of getting married before the age of 18. When she reaches working age, she will most likely work in the informal sector and earn significantly less than her male peers.
While gender parity has largely been achieved in primary education, the enrollment gaps are wider in secondary education and especially in countries impacted by fragility, conflict, and violence. Even in countries that have adopted a Free Secondary Education Policy, access and enrollment have been stagnant for the last two decades. The time a young person enters secondary education is critical, as decisions taken in adolescence can have lasting effects into adulthood.
Some of the barriers that prevent girls from completing secondary education include early marriage and childbearing, and restrictive social norms and laws. Proximity to school and poverty are the two most important determinants of timely enrollment and completion for girls.
Reducing Barriers to Girls’ Secondary Education
In Eastern and Southern Africa, all children and youth should have a chance to pursue their education, acquire skills and contribute to the sustainable development of the region. As a study shows, if all gender gaps in employment globally were to be closed, long-term GDP per capita would be nearly 20% higher on average across countries. To ensure girls enroll and complete secondary education, countries need to reduce barriers by working across multiple sectors and providing incentives. Solutions include:
In its investments and research, the World Bank is increasingly focused on empowering adolescent girls and finding innovative ways to improve their chances of reaching economic success in adulthood. For example:
Many more examples of successful programs are discussed in the stories below.
Gender Equality
Girls Education
Jobs and Skills
Social Protection
This report focuses on Regional Gender Action Plan implementation across strategic priorities: elimination of gender-based violence; human capital development; boosting economic opportunities.
On International Women’s Day 2024, we celebrate women’s achievements, yet recognize the urgent need to accelerate gender equality and equal opportunity for all. Too many women are still held back, and the cost of inaction is high.
A new strategy will be formally launched in 2024, shaped by extensive and inclusive engagement with public and private sector clients, development partners, civil society and other key stakeholders.
The World Bank’s Africa Region Gender Innovation Lab (GIL) conducts impact evaluations which assess the outcome of development interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa, to generate evidence on how to close the gender gap in earnings, productivity, assets, and agency.
