Press Release
Norway makes major donation to UNICEF to advance girl's education
in Africa
Tuesday, 21 November 2000 - The Government of Norway has donated $21.2
million to UNICEF to support education programmes for girls in Africa.
Education, especially for girls, is a major area of emphasis for UNICEF
globally.
"Girls are all too often consigned to a life of poverty and dependence.
Norway is helping lead the way in the fight against poverty and inequality
- especially for girls," said UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy.
"Girls' education is a UNICEF priority and Norway's gift is an
infusion not only of needed funds but of moral leadership on this issue.
It recognized the right of every girl to a basic, quality education."
The donation from Norway is targeted at expanding access to education,
strengthening education systems, promoting advocacy and social mobilization,
improving the quality of education and promoting partnerships between
civil society, government ministries and the private sector.
Of the 625 million children of grade-school age worldwide, 110 million
are not attending school. Almost two-thirds of these children are girls.
Obstacles to girls' education include poverty, poor quality education,
gender biases, cost of education, lack of female role models and cultural
traditions and practices. Access to schools is equally important as
distant schools often place the safety of girls at risk. As they travel
to and from school, girls are vulnerable to sexual harassment and sometimes
rape.
Gender discrimination is pervasive throughout the world. The cost of
schooling - including uniforms, books and bus fares - often leads parents
to only send their boys to school. This is partly due to the prevalent
notion that it is only the sons who need to earn money and establish
a household. In cultures where the daughters who marry become part of
the husband's responsibility, the incentive to educate girls is still
weaker. Also, in many countries pregnant girls and young mothers are
excluded from school or forced to drop out.
Girls' education is also important within the context of the growing
HIV/AIDS pandemic, because it can dramatically impact their health choices
later on in life. An educated mother tends to be healthier and raise
her family accordingly. Studies show that an extra year of schooling
for girls reduces fertility rates by 5 to 10 per cent. Because an educated
girl is likely to get married later, she reduces her risk of developing
infection and dying during childbirth. Her babies are also more likely
to survive the first year of life.
UNICEF is convinced that an investment in girls' education can help
eradicate poverty. Education decreases social burdens on governments,
increases family incomes, raises standards of living and produces a
larger and better prepared workforce. Girls' education is a clear UNICEF
priority. The organization leads the UN Girl's Education Initiative
- launched by the Secretary-General in April 2000.
Norway is the largest per capita donor to UNICEF. It was the fourth
largest government donor in 1999. It is a key contributor to UNICEF's
emergency programmes. The Government of Norway is the largest donor
to UNICEF's multi-country programme on child labour. It has also announced
that it will donate $22 million to the Global Alliance for Vaccines
and Immunization (GAVI). GAVI was formed in 1999 to co-ordinate a global
network of international organizations, governments, philanthropic organizations,
private sector leaders and others in re-energizing the world's commitment
to vaccines and immunization. The GAVI secretariat is housed in the
UNICEF offices in Geneva, Switzerland.
* * *
For further information, please contact:
Marc Vergara, UNICEF Communication Division, Geneva, (41 22) 909-5513
mvergara@unicef.org
Jehane Sedky-Lavandero, UNICEF Media Section, New York (212) 326-7269
jsedky-lavandero@unicef.org
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