Investing in the girls child to boost economies [The Morning Call]

Educated and healthy girls stay in school longer, marry later, delay childbearing, have healthier children, develop life skills, and earn higher incomes. That is according to a report released in London last week by the United Nations Population Fund. The report reiterates the girl child agenda that has existed for the past three decades indicating that initiatives put in place, are not reaching the most marginalized adolescent girls who continue to be left out or overlooked. For instance, in Arab countries and Sub Saharan Africa, 70 percent of girls are aged 10 years and in general 16 million girls aged between 6 to 11 years will never see the inside of a classroom.