Dutch gov't funding to promote girls' education

The Dutch government has donated US $3.4 million to promote girls’ education in Ethiopia under a programme launched by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Dutch Ambassador Rob Vermaas said it was critical to get more girls into schools and provide them with a quality education. “The government of the Netherlands is dedicated to closing the gender gap in Ethiopia's schools and ensuring that all children have access to a good quality education,” he said. Educational support is a central plank of the Dutch government’s aid to Ethiopia. The money – donated to UNICEF for a three-year programme - will be used to promote girls' education in five regions where there are the widest gender gaps and the lowest levels of girls' enrolment in schools. Some 80 percent of out-of-school children are concentrated in these regions. The five - Oromiya, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Gambella, the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR) - along with Tigray region, will benefit from the funding. "Educating girls benefits every member of Ethiopian society," UNICEF head Bjorn Ljungqvist told IRIN on Wednesday. “They are the ones who will grow up to be responsible for vaccinating their children, protecting them from HIV/AIDS and making sure their families have clean water. “By educating girls today, we can make sure that Ethiopian families have a healthier and better quality of life in the future,” he said. Currently a fifth more boys in Ethiopia go to school than girls. UNICEF’s Girls' Education programme is aimed at overcoming hurdles – such as extreme poverty - which limit girls attending school in Ethiopia. Factors include harmful traditional practices (HTPs), such as early marriage, abduction, and female genital mutilation (FGM), and these affect girls’ access to quality education. In addition, the learning environment for girls may not be conducive like a lack of female teachers or teaching that does not address their specific needs. The UN agency is trying to promote girl-friendly schools by directly supporting school systems and strengthening the capacity of teachers and education officials. It is also trying to attract and keep girls in the classroom by providing a safe water supply at schools, separate latrines for girls and school-feeding programmes.