Essays

It has been rightly said, 'if you educate a man you educate a person, but if you educate a woman you educate the entire family'. Also, girls are found to be more determined and committed towards education and they generally outperform boys in various examinations. Girls are found to be diligent, coupled with higher maturity levels than boys. Educated Girls are known to support their parents in their old age when their Brothers fail to do so. Dowry system can also be put to an end if educated women stand up against the system. Thus, education of the girl child would mean the emancipation of women and social development of the nation

Still, reformists and leaders of the developing countries are found to be pondering over the question, 'What does it take to get girls in school and keep them there?' As per UN statistics, two-thirds of the out of school children are girls, many of them out of school by virtue   of discrimination on the basis of gender alone. Lately, progress is being made and experience gained worldwide, and the related knowledge base is expanding greatly with regard to girls' education.

Initial efforts to promote girls' education focussed on the barriers that served as obstacles. These are fairly well documented now, and there Is a growing understanding of the range of technical approaches that can be employed to overcome them according to the particular context. Thus, many successful strategies for addressing girls' education are known and have been documented. There has also been an evolution in the activities that are being Emphasized by nations and agencies that support girls' education. The  Initial  emphasis on their access remains a key concern, but it has been  Combined  with attention to educational quality and learning achievement,  As it is clear that keeping girls in school is just as important as getting  Them. There.

There has also been a subtle but important shift from a focus on girls to a focus on gender issues, which has allowed for deeper and more substantive analysis of the causes, outcomes and responses to gender disparity Increased experience and assessments of progress have resulted in a general commitment to mainstreaming girls within gender- sensitive education systems that have been opened up lo include a range of approaches, reflecting the need for greater flexibility throughout, Another area where considerable evolution is evident is in the increase in the number and range of partnerships that are being formed to support' girls' education.

Some of the critical environmental factors for facilitating successful implementation of good technical approaches in support of girls' education and to get a 'jump start' in support of education for all girls are political will, leadership, supportive fora, new partnerships, systemic approach, and research and good data. Recognizing the value of political will is not new, but there is a I better understanding of what this involves. Political will cannot be a one- time tiling; it has to be reflected in coherent policies that are implemented I to support their education. It requires tenacity at the highest levels. Another aspect of political will that is critical is the building of a national consensus for girls' education. Consensus must be more than verbal agreement and should include social mobilization and involvement of all aspects of society, including but not limited to parents and communities.

Moving the education agenda forward requires more than politicians with the political will. They also have to be extremely pragmatic, knowing when to compromise and negotiate in order to build alliances on a common agenda. This requires flexibility that is combined with good judgment in terms of understanding what compromises are the least likely to have negative outcomes for girls, paying special attention to unintended consequences. Strong female leaders have had a particularly large impact on building and maintaining political will in support of girls' education.

Advocacy is essential lo sharing key information, building partnerships and maintaining political will. A key element in building advocacy has been the full range of for those have kept attention on the need for affirmative action in support of girls' education. This includes international conferences, working groups,  informal networks, newsletters and organizations that are  specifically dedicated to girls ‘education such  visible conscience to those  who are not continuously working in support of every girl's right to education.

An area where girls' education has made important and new contributions has been in building new and   kinds of partnerships in order to have the commitment and support that is necessary for their education. Agencies have been brought into partnerships in new ways and have been more than willing to change the terms of countnerships more egalitarian. The search for financial resources that may be gard to find for girls' education has resulted in partnerships unlike organizations and agencies, including non-governmental

Organizations, teachers' organizations and communities. Such partnerships May have been complicated, but have also enriched dialogue and Contributed to innovation.

Within girls' education, two kinds of partnerships are noted as Critical in enabling this education to move ahead: networking and Mentoring.. Through these partnerships, leaders, and women in Particular, found spaces for encouragement and sharing ideas.  Interestingly, these two areas are noted as being particularly relevant for ensuring the tenacity and leadership that are necessary to make a difference in their education.

Changing systems is difficult and may be slow, but it is the only way of ensuring that mechanisms and processes that address quality education all girls are sustainable. The only way that major gains in girls’ education have been achieved has been through a long-term, coherent and dedicated commitment to the development of quality, gender-sensitive education systems. Focusing on education systems ensures a multi-pronged approach wherein teachers, classrooms, inspection, administration and planning are all addressed, so that interventions complement and build on each other, and are not single action that can be easily lost in massive institutions such as the ministries of education.

The importance of good information is obvious, but in countries where significant gains in girls' education have been achieved, research and data have been used in a variety of strategic ways beyond develop in good project design through the use of appropriate technical approaches.  When discussed, research findings and information serve to share power In subtle ways, which result in greater ownership of both the problem And its solutions. Furthermore, good information that is publicly known has been demonstrated to be one of the most powerful tools for effective Lobbying that has been put into use.

Unfortunately, the struggle for girls' education is not yet over. While it is know known that the above discussed elements, if taken into account, will facilitate achievement of education for all girls, there are several challenges emerging that need to be addressed. At the same time, most of the old challenges to girls' education remain, even though more is known about how to overcome them. Some of the new challenges that need to be addressed include forces of fundamentalism, information technology advance and globalization. Thus, even as the agenda for girls’ education remains unfinished, more challenges are confronting (his human right on a daily basis.