Helpdesk Report: Girls' Education in Islamic Countries

This report examines which methods have worked well to improve access to education for girls in Islamic countries

Abstract

Query

Provide a literature search to cover: Conditional cash transfers (CCT) to girls, asset transfers to mothers, scholarships for women teachers, school sanitation, bussing girls to school, and mobilising school-based management (SBM) to monitor teacher attendance.

Summary

This report provides information on which methods have worked well to improve access to education for girls in Islamic countries. The report covers the following areas:

  • Conditional cash transfers to girls- Evaluation results from programes include examples from Bangladesh, Punjab, Yemen and Nigeria. All showed increased female enrolment.
  • Women teachers increasing girls' attendance- Information was found on the need for women teachers, with evidence from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Somalia showing a huge increase in girls' enrolment when female teachers taught in schools.
  • School sanitation- Schools sanitation is very important, an example of this is that a UNICEF intervention in Bangladesh to improve school sanitation increased attendance of girls by 11 percent.
  • Transport for Girls- Articles are included on Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. A significant problem is also noted; men are not allowed to come into contact with school girls but women aren't allowed to drive.
  • Mobilising school based management (SBM) committees to monitor teachers attendance- Examples from Islamic countries were found discussing SBM and community schooling in general. Information is on Pakistan, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Egypt.

Citation

Bolton, L. Helpdesk Report: Girls’ Education in Islamic Countries. Human Development Resource Centre, UK (2011) 15 pp.

Helpdesk Report: Girls’ Education in Islamic Countries

Updates to this page

Published 1 January 2011