Local MP Supports Save the Children's Girls' Education Campaign

6.00.00pm GMT Tue 8th Mar 2005

Save the Children calls for more education for girls

The charity 'Save the Children' has brought the Millennium Development Goals and gender disparity to the forefront in the House of Commons.

Save the Children launched a campaign and report on Girl's Education on 8 March 2005, International Women's Day, in the Commons. The campaign highlighted the disappointment that over 100 million children around the world are unable to go to school; about 60 million of these children are girls.

Annette Brooke MP has signed Early Day Motion 675: 'Girls' Education In developing Countries' in support of rectifying the education gender disparity in the developing world, which now has over 120 signatures, and has written to the Secretary of State for International Development urging that these matters be put higher on the political agenda.

Annette said,

"It is important that more aid is spent on girls' education in developing countries. Encouraging countries to keep their promise of 0.7% from the Millennium Development Goals will help women's social issues in the developing world."

Education provides more options for the people of the developing world. Particularly, for women and girls a proper education is empowerment. The consequences are smaller families, awareness and understanding of health issues such as HIV/AIDS, and being better equipped to earn money and support themselves and their families. Women who have access to an education are also less likely to contract HIV/AIDS and their children have a higher infancy survival rate, which is a big concern in many countries in Africa.

Annette Brooke MP is Lib Dem Spokesperson for Children and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Microfinance.

EDM 675: GIRLS' EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

That this House notes with concern that more than 100 million children around the world are unable to go to school, almost 60 per cent. of whom are girls; is very disappointed that the Millennium Development Goal for Eliminating Gender Disparity in Primary and Secondary Education by 2005 has been missed; looks forward to the UK presidencies of the G8 and EU this year and the chance this holds for the UK Government to make a significant difference to gender inequality in education, by consolidating the influence and resources of prosperous countries around this issue; welcomes the new Department for International Development strategy, launched this month by the Chancellor and the International Development Secretary, Girls' Education - Towards A Better Future For All; and hopes this will provide the education so many girls have a right to receive, in order for them to lead healthy, productive, rewarding lives and play a role in decision making and government in their countries.