Empowering Women Through Education: You've Made a Difference! 👩🎓💕
Gender Inequality in Education
Did you know that over half of children out of school are girls? In most parts of the world, being born a girl comes with disadvantages in attaining an education. Less than 40% of countries provide equal access to education. Girls fall victim to factors that prevent them from going to school such as poverty, child marriage, and pregnancy. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has provided the following statistics about this issue and the lasting effects. Which statistic surprises you the most?
The Statistics
- There are still 31 million girls of primary school age out of school. Of these 17 million are expected never to enter school. There are 4 million fewer boys than girls out of school
- Three countries have over a million girls not in school: In Nigeria there are almost five and a half million, Pakistan, over three million, and in Ethiopia, over one million girls out of school.
- There are also 34 million female adolescents out of school, missing out on the chance to learn vital skills for work.
- Slow education progress for children today will have lifelong effects: Almost a quarter of young women aged 15-24 today (116 million) in developing countries have never completed primary school and so lack skills for work. Young women make up 58% of those not completing primary school.
- Two-thirds of the 774 million illiterate people in the world are female
The Good News
It is so important to understand the severity of this issue in order to know that action must be taken. We believe that education is a basic human right and everyone should have the opportunity to be in control of their future.
Luckily, you can make a difference! Have you bought a DefineMe fragrance? Then you’ll be happy to know that a portion of your purchase has contributed to an educational scholarship to a girl in need through She’s the First. This amazing non-profit provides scholarships to girls in low-income countries that will be the first in their families to graduate high school. We are so happy to introduce to you two beautiful students that have received scholarships from the proceeds of your 2017 purchases.
Meet Achol at Project Education in South Sudan! Achol lives at home with both of her parents, who are farmers, in South Sudan. At school, she enjoys taking classes in English, commerce, math and physics. One day she hopes to become a doctor, to promote a better health system for others in her country.
Meet Ayen at Project Education in South Sudan! Ayen lives in South Sudan. After she was orphaned at the age of twelve, her older brother took over care for her family. At school, Ayen studies science subjects to prepare for a future as a nurse. "There is a rampant high rate of diseases in our country," she says, "so we need to overcome them."