The concept of girls’ education goes beyond getting our girls into school. It is also about ensuring that they learn and feel safe while in school; have an equal opportunity to complete all levels of education. We must ensure that they acquire all the necessary knowledge and vocational skills to compete in the labour market; gain the socio-emotional skills required to adapt to a changing world.

According to a study, if all girls complete their education and participate in the workforce, India could add a whopping $770 billion to the country’s GDP by 2025! What more reason do we need to believe that donating to sponsor girl child education today is the way to a brighter future?

“When you educate a man, an individual is educated, but when you educate a woman, the whole family is educated.”

In our country, many people are unaware of how girl child education can transform lives for the better. It is a sad state of affairs when people across socio-economic strata think that investing in a girl child education is a waste of money. The fact that they would rather justify spending on their daughter’s marriage expenses or dowry instead of their education is even more disheartening. Early education can be instrumental in shaping the society towards progress. When a girl is educated, she is empowered. She can make decisions for herself, raise the standard of living for her family and children, generate more employment options and reform the society as a whole. Therefore, a change in the mind-set towards girl child education in India is the need of the hour. Every girl child must be treated equally with love and respect.

The government has been making persistent efforts to raise the status of the girl child in the society as well as incentivize her education through various schemes and programs. These have surely contributed to girl child education to an extent yet a lot more needs to be done for girls to be truly treated as equal to boys.

How is World Vision India making a difference in the lives of Girls across the country?

World Vision India’s programming benefits thousands of girl child each year. Donate online now to World Vision India’s ending violence against children initiatives, particularly the programs which focusses on girls. These programs engage with children and youth to build positive and equitable gender norms and relationships, to empower them to advocate for equality with their families and communities as well as to focus on girl child education, which is an important protective factor against child marriage, early pregnancy and intimate partner violence. Education has been linked to increasing girls’ well-being, empowerment and access to opportunities as they become adults, as well as to better health and education outcomes for any children they may have in adulthood.

Alongside formal education, informal learning and life skills training can be helpful to support girls’ well-being and education outcomes too. Through girl power groups, World Vision India is supporting adolescent girls to develop skills, relationships and confidence to lead initiatives in their communities and to participate in community governance. Girls are more likely than boys to participate in civic life and advocacy; we have an opportunity to amplify their voices on issues important to them.

Donate online today and aid World Vision India’s efforts towards girl child education. Every girl child in India deserves a chance to education and a brighter future.