Girl talk

"My dream is to become a doctor. But dreams remain dreams. I am in class five and have to leave now. School is only free up to this year. I think my father will marry me off in the near future because I'll be finished with school and have little to do. This thought frightens me. I hope someone hears my cry and comes forward before my education is stopped." Jasmine, 13, from Bangladesh

© UNICEF/HQ92-0434/Toutounji

Girls and boys in a 10-day training session to become peace counselors in Northern Lebanon.

Wouldn't it be a shame if Jasmine's dream remained just a dream? But a shameful number of children are in a still worse position. Around the world, more than 115 million children are not even getting a basic education. Most of these – 61.6 million – are girls.

This matters because it violates human rights. The Convention on the Rights of the Child says that no child should suffer discrimination because of gender and all children should have access to education.

It also matters because discrimination against girls, particularly in education, is holding back the whole world.

This feature is about why so many girls are not in school. It also shows how increasing girls' attendance will benefit everyone.