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Press Release

First spouses gather today for teach-in on girls' education

Thursday, 7 September: The spouses of about 70 Heads of State attending this week's Millennium Summit are gathering today to exchange information, share experiences and draw attention to the gender gap that leaves millions of girls out of school around the world.

Mrs. Nane Annan, wife of the Secretary-General and Honorary Chair, is opening this historic UNICEF meeting, which also includes Mrs. Cherie Blair, Mrs. Stella Obasanjo and about 70 other first spouses. UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy is moderating an open discussion among the participants, with particular focus on two major issues that often keep girls out of school: concerns about their personal safety and the impact of child labour.

Photo: UNICEF supports a project in Yemen where women are trained to teach children to read and write.

"The basic rights of women and girls are violated or ignored at many points in their lives," Bellamy said prior to the meeting. "But when a girl is deprived of an education, her entire trajectory through life is diminished - her health, her income, her opportunities. That is unacceptable - and it is completely correctable. That's what this forum is about, and it is outstanding that so many spouses of world leaders are taking this issue personally."

Bellamy said that girls' education - a top priority for UNICEF - is an essential element in the healthy development of any society. She noted that educated women tend to be healthier, raise healthier families and have better-educated children than women without the benefit of schooling. Educated women are also better able to protect and support themselves, their families and their children. They are more productive at home and better paid in the workplace.

"The social and economic benefits of educating girls have been documented in country after country, and boys as well as girls benefit when educational systems are free of gender bias," Bellamy added.

UNICEF is a leader in supporting the Girls' Education Initiative, launched by the Secretary-General at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal, in April 2000. Education for girls is also a priority issue in the Secretary-General's Millennium Report and is on the agenda for the Millennium Summit. The Secretary-General has urged leaders at the Summit to reduce the gender gap in education by 2005 and to ensure that all children, regardless of gender, are getting a quality basic education by 2015.

In addition to Mrs. Annan and Ms. Bellamy, Dr. Penina Mlama, Executive Director of the Nairobi-based Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), will address today's gathering.

See also:

Educating girls: Transforming the future (short brochure produced by UNICEF)

Education for all: No excuses (booklet produced by UNICEF)