The United Nations proclaimed January 24th as International Day of Education in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

Educating women is a mission we really care about at Women Flix. The effect it can have on not only the life of the individual, but also society as a whole, is truly amazing!

This article is about how providing a better education for girls and women can transform and shape the world, contributing to its sustainable development.

Economic Growth

Women being educated and better prepared to work can have a huge impact on economic growth nowadays, as they are joining the workforce in larger numbers.The effects of women working can include better productivity and higher incomes.

Women with a higher level of literacy generally earn 95% more than women with poor or no literacy skills. Higher wages for women mean a more comfortable life for many people and also a larger tax intake for governments, and higher spending to boost economic growth.

Communities

Seeking an education encourages women to develop a professional life within the public sphere, allowing them to become part of the community and develop their own identities away from the home.

An educated woman with increased earning potential is more likely to invest in her community. Women tend to value compassion, empathy and community engagement.

One of the more surprising advantages of female education is that it can work to reduce extremism and terrorism and increase security. Research has found that educated women are less likely to support terrorism and militancy than men of the same education level.

Marriage and Motherhood

In more traditional developing households, women are viewed as domestic commodities existing in the home and for the home, only to leave when married off to a new household.

Educated women are more likely to marry later in life, pushing back the age that they have their first child. Marrying later means she won?t be a child herself when she becomes a mother.

Their knowledge about health care contributes to reduced maternal mortality rates during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.

Furthermore, educated women are often more knowledgeable about children?s nutrition, proper sanitation practices and medical care, so it saves children?s lives.

Intergenerational Success

Educated women provide a better starting point for the next generation, as their children are more likely to attend school and pursue higher levels of education. 

Overpopulation and Environment

An educated woman has better knowledge about contraception and has fewer children. 

Improved female education could result in fewer population which consequently reduces the need for resources and carbon emissions.

Human Rights

When women in a society are more educated, more emphasis is placed on gender equality. As women achieve equality, human rights become a strong value of communities, as women in leadership tend to fight for disenfranchised groups. Female leadership in government also becomes more common, and when women lead, women push for more equitable systems of governance, because resources are allocated more fairly and effectively.

Women make up more than two-thirds of the world's 796 million illiterate people.

Across the globe, women continue to suffer from extreme examples of patriarchal societies that keep them from receiving the same access to education as their male counterparts.

According to UNWomen, global statistics show that just 39% of rural girls attend secondary school. This is far fewer than rural boys (45%), urban girls (59%) and urban boys (60%).

It's about time that we begin to consider women?s access to education on a global scale and advocate for the future of those with less opportunity.

When we help them, we truly help everyone!