What Impact Does Girl Child Education Have on a Girl’s Future?

Here are some ways education can dramatically impact a girl’s future:

• Education delays marriage. This may seem insignificant, but in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, it is crucial as it impacts child marriage rates. When girls are in school, they are less likely to marry prior to age 18.[1]
• Education significantly increases lifetime earnings.[2] This benefits individuals as well as communities. Millions of educated girls could boost global economy by up to $12 trillion USD.[3] Educated women are also better able to provide for their families and help them out of poverty.

• Child and maternal mortality rates decrease. While reporting on a recent study, EuroHealthNet says, “The meta-analysis found that each additional year of fathers’ and mothers’ schooling is linked to a reduction in under-5 mortality of 1.6% and 3.0% respectively.”[4]
• Educated girls are typically healthier citizens and lead more stable lives. And when women and girls are educated, communities benefit. According to the Malala Fund: “When a country gives all its children secondary education, they cut their risk of war in half. Education is vital for security around the world because extremism grows alongside inequality.”[5]