EducationinWomenof

ThirdWorldCountries

Theopportunitydeniedfromwomen,families
andcountries
JenniferMorales
TascheBryant
BlackstoneAcademyCharterSchool
April28,2016

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Allovertheworldmanywomenarerestrictedfromgoingtoschool.Dailytheylosethe
valueofhavinganeducationandbeingmoresuccessfulintheirfuture.Educatingwomencan
improvenotonlythefamiliesofthewomenbutthecountryingeneral.Manywomenin
countriesoftheMiddleEastandAfricaseethenegativeimpactsofnotbeingeducatedsuchas
earlypregnancy,andchildmarriage.Inaddition,culturecanbeanegativeimpactonnotbeing
educatedbecauseofthewayparentsandsocietyviewwomenintheircountry.Theglobal
communityneedstoplacehigherpriorityonencouragingandempoweringdevelopingcountries
likeKenyaandAfghanistantoeducatewomenbecauseitwillbenefittheirfamilies,their
countriesandtheglobaleconomy.

Background:
Childmarriagecauseshighdropoutratesingirls.Girlsaged15to24,childmarriage
andpregnanciesdirectlyaccountforbetween5%and33%ofdropouts,dependingonthe
country(Nguyen&Wodon).Earlymarriagealsoconnectstoearlypregnancy.Statisticsshow
thateducatedwomenhavelesschildren,infantmortalitylowersandthechildrenshealth
improves.Childrenofeducatedmothersaremorelikelytosurvive.ForexampleinIndiainfant
mortalityrateofbabieswhosemothershavereceivedprimaryeducationishalfthatofchildren
whosemothersareilliterate(Unicef).Thisshowshowhavingevenminimaleducationhelps
womenwiththehealthandlifeoftheirchild.Notonlyaretheseyounggirlssavingthelivesof

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theirinfantsbutalsotheirownlives.Withaneducationnotonlyaretheyhelpingtheirchildren
butdeliveringthemselvesfromharm.
ChildMarriageleadsgirlsnottoenrollinschoolanddropoutbeforefinishingprimaryor
secondaryschool.Withgirlsbeingmarriedatayoungage,theyaremorelikelytohavenegative
impactsintheirlife.Theseimpactscanbethreateningandfatalwhichcanimpacttheirlives
forever.Girlswithlittletonoeducationarefarmorelikelytobemarriedaschildren,[and]
sufferdomesticviolence(PopulationReferenceBureau).Withouteducationgirlshaveno
choicebuttorelyontheirspousetosurviveandaremorelikelytofacedomesticviolence.
Womenwhoarepoorlyeducatedaremorelikelytoenterachildmarriage,anditforces
womentodependonamalefortheirsurvival.

Educatedwomenarelesslikelytobedependent
uponmenbecausethemoreyearswomengeteducatedthemoretheirwageswouldrise.Studies
fromanumberofcountriessuggestthatanextrayearofschoolingwillincreaseawoman's
futureearningsbyabout15percent.(Unicef).Educatingwomenwouldstarttoclosethe
gendergap,andeconomicallyhelpfamilies.
Sincewomenaremorelikelytorelyontheirspousetheysometendtoturntoamore
fatalsolution.Anestimated2,000Afghanwomenandgirlsattemptsuicidebysetting
themselvesonfireeachyear,whichislinkedtodomesticviolenceandearlyorforcedmarriages
(HumanRightsWatch).Afghanwomenarejustoneexampleofmany,wherewomenwhoare
forcedtomarryormarryatanearlyagetrytotaketheirlives.
Thiscanhelpeliminatenotonly
childmarriagebutdomesticviolenceinfamiliesandwives.
Livinginpovertyleadsyounggirlstonotenrollinschool.Parentsofthesegirlscant
affordthecostofsendingthemtoschool.Fourcoststhatmostparentshavetofaceare,Direct

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fees,IndirectFees,IndirectCosts,andOpportunityCost(Herz&Sperling).Parentstakethese
costsintoconsiderationbeforesendingtheirdaughterstoschool.Eachhasawaytoeffectthe
parentsandthewaytheirliveswork.Someofthesefeesareobvioustotheparentsothersare
feesaretherebutnotnoticed.
Directfeeisthetuitionpaidforeachstudent.Tuitionmakesup510%ofthefamily
incomeandfamilieslivinginpovertycantaffordtakingout510%oftheirincomeforschool
becausetheyneedthatmoneytosurviveonadailybasis(Herz&Sperling).Thoughtuitionfor
boysandgirlsisntsignificantlydifferent,parentswouldratherinvesttheirmoneyintheirsons
thantheirdaughter.Parentsoftenthinktheirdaughterswillgetmarriedearlierthantheirsons.
Thesecostsvaryforeachstudentbutstillareabigfactorinwhygirlsdontattend
school.Parentshavingtopayfortheirdaughter'ssafetyshowshowwomenareseeninthese
countriesandthequalityofsafetytheschoolprovidesforgirls.Manyparentsworrythattheir
daughtersmaybesubjectedtoattackorsexualassaultoncetheyareinschool(Herz&
Sperling).Furthermore,parentstakeintoconsiderationtheopportunitycostofsendingtheir
daughterstoschool.Withtheirdaughtersbeinginschooltheylosetimetodochoresandother
houseduties.
Whatalsohurtstheincomeofthefamilyistheindirectfeestheyhavetopay.Indirect
feesaretheadditionalcostsoftheireducation.Forexample,parentsneedtopaytheteachers
theirsalaries.Sometimesthesalariesareasexpensiveasthetuition(Herz&Sperling).These
arenttheonlycoststheparentshave.Indirectcostsincludethegirl'spersonalexpensestogoto
school.Someofthesecostsaretheuniforms,transportation,clothingandsafety(Herz&
Sperling).Someofthesefactorslikesafetyparentspayextrasotheyknowtheirdaughtersare

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safeattheschooltheychoosetogoto.Theseitemseverydayexpensesthatparentspaywithout
beingobligatedbytheschoolorgovernment.

1.AfghanistanEducationIssues:

LongaftermanywarsandtragediesAfghanistanhassufferedmanyfallseconomically
andsocially.ThepeoplewhohaveauthorityandpowerwhichinthiscasewastheTaliban,have
takenawaythepeoplesrights.WomenarethemostaffectedbythischangeinAfghanistan.
Womenandgirlshaveoftenbeentheworstvictimsofconflict.UndertheTaliban,womenwere
forcedtowearanallencompassingburqainpublicandbarredfromworkingoutsidethehome.
Theywerealsobannedfromattendingschools,ridingbicycles,wearingbrightlycoloredclothes,
orlaughingloudly.Asmanyas1millionwomenhavebeenwidowedbyAfghanistanswarsand
leftwithfewoptionsforsupportingthemselvesandtheirfamilies(RaziasRayofSunshine).
ThechangesthepeopleinpowerhavebroughttoAfghanistanhaveimpactedthelivesofwomen
throughoutthecountry.Asaresultitleadswomentohavelittletonoeducation.Andhavingno
educationleadstopoverty,childmarriageandearlypregnancy.Ultimatelythisnotonlyaffects
theirlives,butalsotheirfamiliesandoverallthecountry.
NadyaisatwentyfiveyearoldfemaleteacherinPaktika,Afghanistanwhoispaidbythe
SwedishCommitteetoteachgirlsoffifthandsixthgrade(IRINNews).Nadyastartedteaching
girlsinthisprovinceafterolderwomenfoundoutshewasliterate.TheyrequestedtoNadyas
husbandtheideaofherteachingyounggirlsandmostlytheoldergirlswhowerentallowedto
betaughtbymaleteachers(IRINNews).Nadyabelievesthatoneofthebiggestproblemsof

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educationinwomenisthelackoffemaleteachersandhelpbythegovernmentandworld
community.
Iftheproblemislackoffemaleteachersandschoolbuildings,thenIdontthinkit
isimpossiblefortheinternationallysupportedAfghangovernment(IRINNews).Nayda
believesthegovernmentcanhelpthegirlsinruralareasreceiveaneducationbecauseofthe
globalaidAfghanreceives.Withaneducationchallengeslikechildmarriage,earlypregnancy
andpovertycanbelowered.
Inthemiddleeastateenagegirlspokeoutasanactivistfortherightsofeducating
women.MalalaYousafzaiwasastudentinPakistanwhowithsupportofherfatherspokeout
againstthetaliban.MalalastartedtoblogfortheBBCsecretlywhichbecameprevalenttothe
Talibanafterawhile.ShealsoshowedheractivismbymakingaspeechwhichshecalledHow
daretheTalibantakeawaybybasicrighttoeducation?(Biography).MalalaknewtheTaliban
hatedher,andonedaywhenshewasridingonthebusfromschoolamanaskedwhowasnamed
Malalaandherfriendsgaveawayherspot.Shewasshotontheleftsideofherhead,thisman
wasapartoftheTaliban.IdontwanttothoughtofasthegirlwhowasshotbytheTaliban
butthegirlwhofoughtforeducation.ThisisthecausetowhichIwanttodevotemylife.
(Yousafzai,309).In2014,Malalawonthenobelpeaceprizeforthedevotionshehasforthe
educationofgirlsinthemiddleeast.
AsinotherMENAcountries,Afghanistanchildmarriagecanbeawaytostopyoung
girlsfromgoingtoschool.Manyfamiliesmarryofftheirdaughterstopaydebtorresolvefamily
issues.Andafterbeingmarriedmanygirlsstopgoingtoschool(TrustinEducation).Young
marriedwomenoftensufferthroughthemarriage.Morethan50%ofgirlsareengagedbefore
theyretwelveyearsold(TrustinEducation).Theycanalsobesubjectedtodomesticviolence,

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becausethemalehasfullpowerovertheyounggirls.
Anestimated2,000Afghanwomenand
girlsattemptsuicidebysettingthemselvesonfireeachyear,whichislinkedtodomestic
violenceandearlyorforcedmarriages

(HumanRightsWatch).Ifwomeninruralareasof
Afghanistanwouldreceiveaneducationchildmarriagerateswouldlower.Girlswithlower
educationprospectsbecausetheymaybeweakeracademicallyfacesmallerexpectedlossesin
futureearningsandtherebyhavelowerincentivestocontinuetostudyascomparedtogirlswho
areacademicallystronger(Unicef).Thisshowshoweducatinggirlscaninfluencewhetheror
nottheybecomewivesearlier.Helpingthemhavestrongereducationcanbeusedasanincentive
tostayinschool,ratherthangettingmarriedatayoungage.
Relatingtochildmarriageisearlypregnancy.Onceayounggirlismarriedtheyaremore
likelytobecomepregnantthanthosewhoarenotmarried.Nothavinganeducationcanalso
haveeffectsonyoungwomenbecausetheyarenoteducatedabouttheriskstheymightface
beingpregnantatayoungage.Educationhelpsmotherslearnwhattheirchildrenneedtostay
healthyandhowtosecurenecessarysupportsfortheirchildrenbyusinghealthservices,
improvingnutritionandsanitation,andtakingadvantageoftheirownincreasedearning
capability(Herz&Sperling).Havinganeducationcanhelpnotonlythemothersofthechildren
butthechildrenthemselves.
CultureisalsoanotherreasonwhyyoungAfghanistanwomenarentabletoattendto
school.Socialcriticismisabigroleintowhyfamilieswouldrathernotsendtheirdaughtersto
school.
"Somefamiliesstillsayiftheirdaughtersstudyhigherclassestheywillforgettheir
culturalvalues(PBS).Someoftheseculturalvaluesinclude,theimportanceoffamily,orhouse
responsibilities
Investingingirlseducationiscriticaltoaddressinggirlsneedsandconcernsas

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wellashumanrights.Ithasbeenshownthatgirlswhogotoschoolandstayinschoolaremore
likelytofindjobsasadults,getmarriedolder,havefewerchildren,andareabletoearnmorefor
theirfamiliesandcommunities

(RaziasRayofHope).Beingeducatedcanhelpthewomenin
Afghanistanhaveapositiveimpactintheircountryandfamilies.

2.KenyaEducationIssues:
SomegirlsaresubjectedtoFemaleGenitalMutilation,whichhasnotonlyaffectedtheir
livesbutcanevencausedeath.GirlsinareaswhereFGMispracticedsuffercommonproblems
associatedwithit,suchasearlymarriage,droppingoutofschoolandothernumerousphysical
andpsychologicaltypeofsufferings(Munyao).Ifwomenwereabletogotoschoolpractices
likeFGMwoulddecreasebecausetheywouldbeeducatedonwhattheirrightsaswomenare.
Theywouldalsobefreeofanyfatalsickness,suchasHIV.EducatingwomeninKenyawillnot
onlysavemillionsoflivesitwouldmakeamoresuccessfulcountryandsociety.
KakenyaNtaiyaisafemaleteacherinKenyawho,likeotherwomenfromthatcountry
hadtofacemanychallengesinordertobecomeeducatedandhaveamoresuccessfullife.Atthe
ageoffiveshealreadyknewwhoshewasgoingtomarryandstartedpreparingtobecomeawife
untiltheageoftwelve.Sheknewthiswholetimeshewantedtobeateacherandstayinschool.
Soshemadeadealwithherdadsheonlysawonceayear.Sheagreedtogetcircumcisedin
ordertocontinuehereducation.AndIsatdown,andIopenedmylegs.AsIopenedmyleg,
anotherwomancame,andthiswomanwascarryingaknife.Andasshecarriedtheknife,she
walkedtowardmeandsheheldtheclitoris,andshecutitoff(TEDTalk).Shelatermovedto
theU.S.andlearnedthatcircumcisionforwomeninKenyawasillegal.Shenowcreateda

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schoolwhereonehundredtwentyfivegirlsattend."Onehundredandtwentyfivegirlswillnever
bemutilated...Onehundredandtwentyfivegirlswillnotbemarriedwhenthey're12yearsold.
Onehundredandtwentyfivegirlsarecreatingandachievingtheirdreams(GirlEffect).
KakenyaisoneexampleofwhatwomeninKenyagothroughforeducation.Mutilationisjust
oneofmanystrugglesyoungKenyanwomenface.Culture,povertyandhealthissuescan
decreaseifyoungwomenhadtheopportunitytogetaeducation.

AgainsimilartoAfghanistan,oneofthereasonsforloweducationinwomenisthe
culturetheylivein.Inruralareasandareaswherethereishighpovertymanyparentsbelievethat
youngwomenhavetostayhomeandtakecareoftheirresponsibilitiessomeofwhichare
workinginthefarmsordomesticwork.Parentsprefertopayschoolfeesforboyswhilegirls
stayathomeandassistwithfarmlabor,housework,andoftenactassecondparentstosiblings
(Johannes).Thisshowshowtheculturethesewomenliveincanaffecttheireducation.Itsets
thembackfromtheopportunitytomoveforwardinlife.AccordingtoElizaJohannes,notonly
doparentsprefertheirdaughterstostayhome,theywanttomarrythemassoonaspossible
becausetheybelievetheyaremoreofaburdentotheirfamily.Thesoonertheygetmarriedthe
lesstheyhavetoworryaboutfeedingthem.ThesefactorscanaffectbothAfghanistanand
Kenyabecauseofthewaywomenliveinthosecountriesandtheirculturesperspectiveonthem.
Alsoduetonochangeintheculturethecycleofwomennotreceivingagoodeducation
continues.
BeingmarriedearlyisalsoareasonwhywomeninKenyaarelosingoutonaeducation.
LikeKakenyaNtaiyayounggirlsarebeingpreparedtobecomewives,andwithoutaneducation

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theyaremorelikelytodropoutofschool.Becauseofearlymarriagedropoutratesincreasein
women.PupildropoutinKwalepeaksduringthelateryearsofprimaryschool,asstated
reflectingthewithdrawalofchildrenfromschoolduetoearlymarriageorpregnancy(Munyao).
Eventhoughyounggirlsattendprimaryschool,amajorityofthemdontmoveontosecondary
schoolbecauseofearlymarriage.Lackofeducationforwomenbringnegativerepercussionsfor
therestoftheirlives.

3.WorldWideEducationIssues:
Noteducatingwomenhasaworldwideimpact.AfghanistanandKenyaarejusttwo
examplesofthedevelopingcountrieswholackeducationforthewomenlivingthere.According
toUNWomen,womenmakeuptwothirdsoftheworlds796millionilliteratepeople.This
causesdevelopingcountriestohavemoregenderinequality.Accordingtoglobalstatistics,just
39percentofruralgirlsattendsecondaryschool.Thisisfarfewerthanruralboys(45percent),
urbangirls(59percent)andurbanboys(60percent)(UNWomen).Thenumberofgirlsthat
continuetheireducationafterprimaryschoolislowerthanthemen.
Throughoutdevelopingcountriesthenumberofgirlscompletingschoolsislow.Some
girlsarentablefinishthefirstgradeformanyindividualreasons.Accordingtoa1999study,in
SouthAsia,morethan40percentof15to19yearoldgirlsfrompoorhouseholdsnever
completedevenfirstgrade,andonlyoneinfourcompletedfifthgrade(Herz&Sperling).This
showshowwomenindifferentcountriesalsofacethesamesituationsasthewomeninKenya

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andAfghanistan.Thiscausesaproblemworldwide,becausenotonlydothewomensufferbut
theircountriesandothercountriesthatassociatethemselveswiththem.
Inordertohavemoresuccessfulcountries,therehastobechangesinthewaythe
governmentisviewingtheeducationofwomen,therealsohastobeachangeinsociety.
Furthermore,educatingwomencanbringpositiveimpactsonthecountryseconomy.Although
womenoftenstartfromaweakereconomicpositionthanmen,evidenceshowsthateducating
girlsgenerallyproducesgreatergainsinproductivityandincomethaneducatingboys,and
educatinggirlshasasmuchormoreimpactonnationaleconomicgrowth(Herz&Sperling).In
orderforthesecountriestogrowoutofbeingdevelopingcountriestheyhavetochangethe
waytheyviewthevalueofeducatingwomen.Thegovernmentcouldseemoreeconomicgrowth
iftheywouldinvesttheirmoneyandeffortstoeducatingwomen.

4.CounterArgument:
Itisarguablethateducatingwomenisnotthemainpriorityfordevelopingcountries.Leaders
andothercountriesaroundtheworldmaysaythattheeducationofwomenisnotanissuethatis
importanttotargetrightaway.Thereareotherproblemssuchasterrorism,wars,etc.thatare
puttingmanylivesatrisk.
The
reportsaidIraqwasthecountryhithardestbyterrorism,
with
2,492attacksthatkilledmorethan6,300people.ItwasfollowedbyAfghanistanandPakistan,
withNigeriaandSyriainfourthandfifthplacerespectively

(Dawn).
Thisshowshowmanyof
theseissuesimpactthecountriesandwhyleadersmightfocusontheseissuesbeforeeducation.
Theymayalsoarguethatthesedevelopingcountriesdonothaveenoughmoneyorresourcesto
investinschoolsandhirefemaleteachers.Howevereducatingwomenwillnotonlyimprovethe

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livesofmanyfamiliesbutwillalsohelpthesedevelopingcountriesinaneconomicstance.
Empoweringwomenwiththeopportunitytogetaeducation,willcreatemorejobsforthemand
helpyounggirlsleavethecycleofearlymarriage/pregnancy.Educatingthemisalsoeducating
theirfamilies,andtheircountries.

5.Conclusion:
Therearemillionsofwomenwhoarenotattendingschoolorwereforcedtodropoutdue
togenderinequality,poverty,andearlymarriage/pregnancy.
Womennotbeingeducatedaffects
thewaytheylive.Havinglittletonoeducationcanleadwomentohavealifeatrisk.Someof
theserisksarepoverty,domesticviolence,andchildmarriage.Thatswhyeducatingwomenis
importantandwhydevelopingcountriesandtheglobalcommunityshouldputmoreeffortinto
givingwomentheopportunitytochangetheirlives.Notonlyaretheygivingwomenthe
opportunitytochangetheirlivesbutthecountriesaregivingthemselvestheopportunitytomove
forwardfrombeingconsideredadevelopingcountry.Educationisthewaytoimprovemany
livesaroundtheworld.

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