On October 11, the International Day of the Girl Child, educators around the world reaffirm their commitment to advancing girls’ rights through education. This year’s theme, “Girls’ vision for the future”, highlights their potential to effect change and to build a world where all girls are protected, respected, and empowered.
But girls cannot realise this vision alone. They need allies who listen and respond to their needs. Teachers everywhere are dedicated to this mission.
We asked classroom teachers from around the world to share their practice and commitment to empowering girls’ vision for the future. These are their stories.
Advocating for girls’ right to education across borders
Across all contexts, from the classroom to the global stage, educators are working to advance girls’ rights through education. For decades, Education International and its member organisations have been advocating for girls’ access to free quality inclusive public education as a critical way to empower and support them to reach their full potential and lead fulfilling lives.
While significant progress has been made in terms of access to education, millions of girls today still see their right to education and to a better future denied.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban regime has banned girls from school, deliberately depriving 1.4 million girls of education. Female teachers are also banned from teaching and confined to their homes. While brave women teachers and students have organised secret classrooms, all girls in Afghanistan have the right to education and all female teachers have the right to exercise their profession. Education International has been working to collect the testimonies of Afghan teachers to inform global advocacy for women’s rights in Afghanistan and push for structural change across the country.
Girls’ right to education is also under attack in Iran. From December 2022 to April 2023, as women across the country were raising their voices for “Woman Life Freedom”, girls’ schools were targeted in a chain of chemical attacks. Education International documented 358 instances of gas poisoning in girls’ schools in this period to raise awareness and to advocate for inclusive and equitable environments for all students.
Teachers and their unions continue to work to advance girls’ rights and their vision for the future through education around the world. Click here to find out more about Education International’s work for gender equity.
The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of Education International.
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