Paying the price: the economic cost of failing to educate girls
Education is vital to the future prospects and development of children across the globe. Gaining a good education is at least as important for girls as it is for boys. This report presents a new analysis of the economic cost of failing to educate girls. Based on World Bank research and economic data and UNESCO education statistics, it estimates the economic cost to 65 low and middle income and transitional countries of failing to educate girls to the same standard as boys as US$92 billion each year. This is just less than the $103bn annual overseas development aid budget of the developed world.
The report's primary message is that investment in girls’ education will deliver real returns, not just for individuals but for the whole of society. For girls in particular, schooling offers the chance of independence. Girls who are educated are less likely to be exploited, less likely to fall victim to trafficking and less likely to be infected with HIV. Girls’ education also creates a virtuous cycle: women who are educated are more likely to have healthy children of their own.
The report is organised into the following areas:
- girls’ education: recent improvements and continuing challenges
- the economic cost: failure to educate girls is a missed opportunity for all
- Plan’s analysis: counting the cost country by country
The report finishes by reflecting on statistics collected. Countries in South and West Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have the worst record on educating girls to secondary level. India alone misses out on potential economic growth worth about $33bn per annum. Other major losers include Turkey ($20bn) and Russia ($9.8bn).
