How Does Educating Girls Empower the Economy?

Photo courtesy of Going to School

The PaperSeed Foundation is officially focusing on girls during 2017, and the unique challenges they face. We are proud to be partnering with Girl Rising India and Going to School to bring girl-oriented programs to rural parts of India, where gender discrimination continues to hold girls back. In addition, we are to sponsoring the East Africa Girls Leadership Summit in partnership with the Creative Action Institute, among others.

In the past, we have discussed the inequalities that exist, some overt, others more deeply ingrained, which keep girls from completing school and stepping into their full potential. But, you may wonder, what is it about girls that put them in the unique position to empower the economies of developing countries?

Family Planning

Educated girls tend to delay marriage, and ultimately have fewer children. Moreover, according to The World Bank, for each year of a mother’s education, her child attains an extra 0.32 years. Educated mothers are also more likely to send their children to school, thus maintaining the positive ripple-effect of education.

Health and Wellness

Education has been proven to lower infant mortality rates. In fact, according to a four-year study conducted by CARE.org:

For every year that a woman is educated, the mortality rate of her young children is reduced 5-10 percent—her children are better fed, better cared for, and more likely to have their medical needs met.

Greater Community Investment

“The evidence is very clear: when we invest in girls’ education, and we embrace women in our workforce, that doesn’t just benefit them, it benefits all of us.”- Michelle Obama

When girls and women earn money, they invest 90% back into their families (compared with 35% for men). In fact, did you know that if India enrolled just 1% more girls in secondary school, the country’s GDP would rise by $5.5 billion?

Greater Earning Potential

World bank states that girls with just one additional year of secondary education, a girl can earn up to 25% more later in life.

Right now, girls are being disenfranchised from school. In many places, they are married off at very young ages to older men, subject to domestic violence, and at risk for preventable maternal deaths. Educating a girl is investing not only in her future, but in the futures of her potential children and her community at large. We hope you will join us in 2017 as we continue to put critical funding into programs that will empower and educate girls!