Studies have shown that educated women are more likely to have smaller and healthier families, lower HIV infection rates, and higher wages, yet out of the 121 million children out of school, 52% are girls. Room to Read's Girls' Education Program seeks to reverse this reality by supporting girls to complete secondary school with the skills necessary to negotiate key life decisions. In India, the program has benefited 11,340 girls to date, and is enrolling 900 new participants in 2015.
Educated women are more likely to have smaller and healthier families, lower HIV infection rates, and higher wages. Yet girls continue to lag behind boys in their completion of secondary school; out of the 121 million children and young adolescents who are out of school, 52% are girls. Girls face additional barriers to education, including cultural bias, safety concerns, increased school costs, and pressure to marry and begin a family.
Room to Read's Girls' Education supports girls to complete secondary school with the skills necessary to negotiate key life decisions. Our program implements four core components based on local conditions, individual need and grade level: - Life skills education - Mentorship - Material support - Family, school and community engagement
In 2015, the Girls' Education program in India will enroll 900 new girls in the program, for a total of 12,240 program participants. The girls in our program will be supported to graduate secondary school and pursue a career after school; in fact, 72% of program graduates have continued to tertiary education. Additionally, we strive for the program to result in increased gender equality and a greater importance placed in girls' education in school, home and community environments.
