UNITED NATIONS (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Leaders of France, Canada and Britain called on world nations on Tuesday to boost efforts to educate girls, warning that “catastrophes” can result from failure to provide access to quality schooling.
Without educating girls, nations lose productivity and risk instability and conflict, they said on the sidelines of the annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations.
More than 130 million girls, many in conflict-ridden or poor regions around the world, do not attend school, according to the World Bank, costing as much as $30 trillion in lost earnings and productivity.
A lack of education puts girls at risk of child marriage, poor health, early pregnancies, joblessness and poverty, experts say.
But the rest of the world pays a price as well, in terms of economic power and political stability, world leaders said at a U.N. event promoting girls’ education.
“It’s an investment. If we don’t do it, then we will be preparing for catastrophes,” French President Emmanuel Macron said.
“If we don’t do anything, others will take hold of the agenda and there will be a crisis.”
Quality education must include cultural and social standards that address gender inequality, he said.
“It’s because we haven’t stepped up to the mark and provided appropriate education that we are entrenching those traditional values instead of overturning them,” he said.
British Prime Minister Theresa May called on other nations to ensure girls have access to 12 years of free quality education.
“Improving access to education is not only the right thing to do, it’s also at the heart of the UK’s drive to boost economic growth, improve stability and reduce conflict around the world,” she said.
Ensuring quality education for all was among the 17 global goals adopted unanimously three years ago by U.N. members to eradicate such issues as poverty and inequality by 2030.
“When you empower women to take better decisions than have been taken in the past, we all end up benefiting,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience.
Latest Stories
-
GOIL introduces Super XP to give consumers more affordable options
11 mins -
Scottish Premiership: Mathew Anim Cudjoe and Dundee United secure promotion after Championship win
1 hour -
Leicester City trigger buy option for Fatawu Issahaku
2 hours -
We will ensure recent poor run of results is reversed – Hearts of Oak management to fans
2 hours -
GRA terminates 2 SML contracts, suspends upstream and minerals audit deal
2 hours -
Sister Derby joins Medikal on stage at 02 concert
2 hours -
Medikal’s 02 Concert: Shatta Wale, Sarkodie bring fireworks on stage
2 hours -
Livestream: Newsfile discusses Cecilia Dapaah’s case, vote-buying allegations in Ejisu
3 hours -
NACOC embarks on a search at Nsawam Prison
3 hours -
Ban on noise-making commences May 6
3 hours -
Foden wins Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award
3 hours -
FDA discovers expired food items at Zuarungu SHS storeroom
4 hours -
Bahamas World Relays: Ghana paired with world and Olympic champions in Heat 1
12 hours -
Bahamas 2024 Relays: Star-studded cast ready to put on pre-Paris show
12 hours -
Bahamas Relays preview: clash of global title-winning teams in men’s 4x100m
12 hours