Four African countries (Mali, Niger, South Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania) are among the first target countries of the joint programme, which will be rolled out gradually in 20 countries where the education gender gap is most critical. Nepal and Pakistan will also join the programme in this first phase.

“We know increasing the education of adolescent girls and young women carries impact across generations,” said Irina Bokova, UNESCO’s Director-General, during the launch event.

“We know education is the best cure against transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to child. We know it is the best way to avert child marriage. We know if all women completed primary education, we could reduce by 70 percent the number of women dying in childbirth in sub-Saharan Africa – saving over 100 000 lives every year. Some 6.1 million children under five die in poor countries every year –- we know we could cut this by half if all women had secondary education.”

For example, we could reduce by 70 percent the number of women dying in childbirth in sub-Saharan Africa – saving over 100 000 lives every year. Some 6.1 million children under five die in poor countries every year –- we know we could cut this by half if all women had secondary education.

The new programme was announced by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin during the 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at United Nations Headquarters in New York. It provides a coordinated and collaborative effort to close the persistent gender gap in education and accelerate development.

Focus on four areas

The programme concentrates on four areas:

1. improving quality and relevance of education;
2. raising awareness at all levels to create a favourable environment for gender equality;
3. strengthening links between the health and education sectors; and
4. improving the data base of statistics on gender and education.

It will also harness the potential of information and communication technologies to improve education delivery and content and encourage their further application for income generation, lifelong learning and exercising citizenship.

The new programme falls under the framework of the Global Partnership for Girls and Women’s Education, launched by UNESCO in 2011, and is guided by the conviction that educating girls and women can break the cycle of poverty and foster greater social justice, economic development and sustainable peace.