Over 133 million girls worldwide still not enrolled in school: UNESCO

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation's Global Education Monitoring (GEM) team, at least 133 million girls around the world are still not in school.

The 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action called for women's full and equal participation in all aspects of life, including education. While significant progress has been made over the last three decades, the most recent data from UNESCO highlights ongoing challenges, according to PTI.

Since 1995, significant progress has been made toward gender parity in education. 

Girls are now enrolling in primary, lower, and upper secondary school at comparable rates to boys. Globally, there are 91 million more girls in primary school and 136 million more in secondary school than thirty years ago. Women's enrollment in higher education has also increased significantly, from 41 million to 139 million. 

These figures reflect decades of collective efforts to remove barriers and expand opportunities. Despite this, 133 million girls are still not attending school.

The GEM team pointed out that progress varies greatly across regions. Central and Southern Asia have achieved parity in secondary enrollment, while Sub-Saharan Africa continues to lag behind.

The report pointed out that the Beijing Declaration called for comprehensive transformation beyond enrollment. Despite progress, the situation remains uneven. Sex education is required in approximately two-thirds of countries at the primary level and three-quarters at the secondary level, leaving many young people lacking critical knowledge and skills. In many cases, textbooks reinforce stereotypes rather than challenging them.

Furthermore, while women make up the majority of teachers, they are underrepresented in leadership positions, with only 30 per cent of higher education leaders globally being female. These systemic gaps undermine education's ability to truly promote equality.

UNESCO stated that, while the Beijing Declaration was a significant step forward, long-term progress requires moving beyond milestones to meaningful change.