The loss to a country of not investing in women’s education is significant. Women who complete secondary school earn almost twice as much as those with no education at all. They are far less likely to marry before the age of 18, and thus also less likely to face the risks of early childbearing. Later entry to child-bearing tends to reduce the number of children each woman has, meaning she’s far better able to care for them physically, emotionally and financially. This, in turn, lowers the risks of infant mortality, as well as malnutrition and stunting, both of which have lifelong implications.

Supporting girls to complete their education is about more than just getting them into school. Many schools in low income countries fail to meet the basic needs of girls in terms of safety, sanitation and gendered approaches to learning.

Read about how our project in Liberia is providing a safe space for young women, at https://www.dearfoundation.ch/projects/employment-focused-education-and-training/.