Girls’ education could be a catalyst for Africa’s transformation
Source: Global Voices
By Raby S. Diallo and Stéphanie Manguele
While Sub-Saharan African countries have made progress on gender equality and significant strides in education, girls’ schooling remains a major challenge. Millions of young girls still lack the opportunity to attend school. Even when they do, they rarely complete their studies. Nearly 32.6 million girls of primary and lower secondary school age are currently out of school. This number rises to 52 million at the upper secondary level. Yet it is well established that women’s empowerment drives economic growth, which cannot be achieved without ensuring inclusive access to education.
The persistence of socio-cultural barriers
Girls’ education in Africa cannot be reduced to a mere issue of school access; it must address structural inequalities and patriarchal norms that hinder their progress. Gender biases are deeply entrenched in many societies in Africa and are perpetuated within social structures, including schools. These biases make it difficult for girls to envision themselves in roles beyond those traditionally assigned to them. Educational materials often reinforce these gender disparities: women are rarely depicted in leadership roles and are typically shown only in domestic ones. A recent memo issued by certain national departments in Senegal allowing women to leave work early during Ramadan to handle household chores illustrates this contradiction. Far from trivial, this example reflects the persistent gendered division of labor, relegating women to domestic roles while men occupy strategic decision-making positions in organizations.
Truly inclusive education requires gender-sensitive policies that ensure girls have a safe and supportive learning environment. It is therefore critical to revise educational content to break stereotypes and encourage girls’ participation in science and technical fields.
Full article published here.
By Raby S. Diallo and Stéphanie Manguele
While Sub-Saharan African countries have made progress on gender equality and significant strides in education, girls’ schooling remains a major challenge. Millions of young girls still lack the opportunity to attend school. Even when they do, they rarely complete their studies. Nearly 32.6 million girls of primary and lower secondary school age are currently out of school. This number rises to 52 million at the upper secondary level. Yet it is well established that women’s empowerment drives economic growth, which cannot be achieved without ensuring inclusive access to education.
The persistence of socio-cultural barriers
Girls’ education in Africa cannot be reduced to a mere issue of school access; it must address structural inequalities and patriarchal norms that hinder their progress. Gender biases are deeply entrenched in many societies in Africa and are perpetuated within social structures, including schools. These biases make it difficult for girls to envision themselves in roles beyond those traditionally assigned to them. Educational materials often reinforce these gender disparities: women are rarely depicted in leadership roles and are typically shown only in domestic ones. A recent memo issued by certain national departments in Senegal allowing women to leave work early during Ramadan to handle household chores illustrates this contradiction. Far from trivial, this example reflects the persistent gendered division of labor, relegating women to domestic roles while men occupy strategic decision-making positions in organizations.
Truly inclusive education requires gender-sensitive policies that ensure girls have a safe and supportive learning environment. It is therefore critical to revise educational content to break stereotypes and encourage girls’ participation in science and technical fields.
Full article published here.