girls' education

We focus on the empowerment of girls

There are many countries where girls do not attend school because their parents do not feel that it's necessary for girls to be educated. For them, a girl should get married at a young age, stay at home and housework whereas boys need to be educated in order to contribute to the family income.  

Enfants du Monde helps poor girls who are not attending school by offering them a basic education, regardless of whether they are still children, or already young women. We also support them to continue their education at secondary level, or do an apprenticeship. We focus on the empowerment of girls because it is through education that girls will be able to protect themselves against multiple abuse and determine their own futures.

Our strengths:

• In our schools, we make sure that at least half the pupils are girls.
• We raise parents' awareness on the importance of educating their daughters as well as their sons.
• Because our schools also accept girls who are over school age, all girls get a second chance – including those traditionally considered to be of marriageable age.
• The education and vocational training of girls curbs the practice of early marriage and hence all the negative consequences associated with it, such as pregnancies at a young age.
• In our education centres, all skills and subjects are open to girls. We encourage them to take up courses in subjects traditionally reserved for boys, such as carpentry, welding, or computer programming.
• Sending girls to school makes them self-sufficient and responsible in their everyday lives. Educated girls have the skills and knowledge they need to improve their living conditions and take their future into their own hands.
• By taking action to educate girls, we are fighting to prevent them from being exploited, for example in the textile industry, prostitution networks or domestic work.