PHA-Exchange> UNICEF - Official Launch of State of the World Children 2004

[Claudio]

> PRESS RELEASE
>
> The State of the World’s Children 2004 – Girls, Education and Development
>
> UNICEF Says Getting More Girls into School
> Is First Step to Reaching Global Development Goals.
>
> Hanoi, 11 December 2003: At the launch of its annual
> flagship publication, The State of the World’s Children
> 2004, UNICEF calls on development agencies, governments,
> families and communities to focus and intensify their
> efforts on addressing the challenges that keep girls out of
> school. Unless action is accelerated to get more girls into
> school efforts to reduce poverty and improve human
> development will not be reached, the agency reports.
>
> The State of the World’s Children 2004 shows that girls
> denied the right to a quality, basic education are more
> vulnerable to poverty, hunger, violence, abuse, exploitation
> and trafficking. They are more likely to die in childbirth
> and are at greater risk of disease, including HIV/AIDS. On
> the other hand, studies indicate that education increases
> girls’ self-confidence, social and negotiation skills and
> earning power and makes them less vulnerable to violence and
> ill health.
>
> “Poverty, language barriers, poor nutrition and health, long
> distances to schools, absence of clean water and poor
> sanitation facilities at schools have been identified as
> some of the major impediments affecting girls’ education in
> many developing countries. Far fewer girls than
> boys from certain ethnic minority groups are attending
> primary school, while  disabled children
> never go to school.
>
> Figures for completing primary school show a significant
> drop-off from the enrolment rates. Many students do not complete primary
school.
> Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all states
> have a duty to realize the rights of every child to a basic
> education.  Marginalised groups, such as disabled children,
> poor migrant children and children from minority groups need
> special attention.
Iimplementation of plans of action should focus on girl sensitive policies
> that include the elimination of all primary school fees;
> gender-sensitive textbooks; child-centred teaching-learning
> methods; ensuring the availability of clean water and good
> sanitation facilities at schools and encouraging girls’
> participation in activities, such as sport, cultural events
> and leadership.
>
Developing  new gender-sensitive teacher training modules is needed to
ensure that
> future textbooks and the new primary school curricula are> gender
balanced. Training in gender and child rights for> primary school
principals, teachers and parent-teacher
> associations need to be put  in place.
>
> This year’s report focuses on girls’ education and its
> implications for development. It presents the many benefits
> of educating girls, examines the barriers that keep more
> girls out of school and the lasting impact such exclusion
> has on a country’s development, details why education is the
> most effective means of combating many of the most profound
> challenges to human development and presents concrete and
> practical recommendations for the way forward.
>