This archive report was first published on 6 July 2019.
Published on July 6, 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron called on G-7 nations to double funding for girls' education in Africa's Sahel region, emphasizing the need to address the significant gap in educational opportunities for girls in the region.
Speaking at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters in Paris, Macron highlighted the importance of education in fighting inequality and promoting economic growth. He noted that while progress has been made in increasing gender parity in education globally, there are still significant disparities in some regions, including conflict zones and the poorest parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
Macron specifically pointed to the Sahel region, where only 30 girls for every 100 boys completed their secondary education between 2013 and 2017. He urged G-7 nations to increase their financial commitment to girls' education in the region and to ensure that funds are spent efficiently and effectively.
Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai also spoke at the event, emphasizing the need for increased funding for girls' education in developing countries, particularly in Africa. She noted that educating girls could add up to $30 trillion to the global economy and urged G-7 nations to guarantee girls worldwide have access to at least 12 years of schooling.
