Task Force: Breaking Down Education Barriers for Girls

Congratulations!

You have been hired by UNICEF as part of a research team to investigate the biggest issues that girls around the world face when it comes to accessing education. 

Why Are We Doing This?

Around the world, girls still face logistical, cultural, and financial barriers to accessing quality education. According to UN Women, only 39 percent of rural girls, and 59 percent of urban girls attend secondary school. This causes life-long impacts on womens’ wages, health, and families. The reasons that girls lack access to education vary from place to place so it’s a difficult issue to fully understand and solve. Researching the causes and impacts of the issue is a key step towards solving it in the future. 

Steps

1. Research some statistics and other data about girls’ education around the world. Notice common reasons for girls not attending school and some countries or regions where the issue is most profound. As you conduct your research, notice what data and information is missing, what questions you have, and what else you would like to know. 
2. Now, craft your research plan. Think about: 
   1. How can you add to current data on the issue? 
   2. Where will you focus your research? Will you focus on any particular issues? 
   3. Who do you want to talk to? (Affected girls, teachers and school officials, government leaders, etc.) How might you contact them? What information could each group give?
   4. What kind of data do you want to collect? What are some possible ways to collect the information you want?  
3. Think through the possible objections to your research plan and how you would defend it.   
4. Share with the group and see if you can convince them that your research will add to current research on the barriers to education for girls. 

Things to Keep in Mind:

• You do not have to come up with an exhaustive plan. It’s better to come up with a few ideas that you feel confident with and spend time thinking through possible objections to them. 
• You don’t have to worry about answering all possible objections, but you should have some defense of why you think your idea would work. 
• Your suggestions should be things that UNICEF could realistically implement.