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A $10-trillion mistake the world can no longer afford: ignoring girls' education costs us all
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Disease. Malnutrition. Conflict. Child marriage. $10 trillion.
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These are just some of the costs we pay when girls are denied a basic right to education.
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With 122 million girls currently out of school around the world, it is more important now than ever for the G7 leaders to address education inequality at the upcoming G7 Leaders' Summit.
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Supporting girls' education is one of smartest investments we can make in our shared global future, directly addressing some of our largest international challenges. But education remains chronically underfunded and deprioritized at a time when the world simply cannot afford it.
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Among the issues the G7 leaders will discuss this month in Kananaskis are international peace and security, economic stability and growth. The research is clear, the evidence is abundant, backed by no less than the World Bank, World Economic Forum and UNESCO: educating girls is consistently shown to improve these very issues.
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International peace and security? Countries with higher rates of girls' education experience correlated decreases in 'violent conflict at the global level' by a 'substantial' amount.
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Economic stability and growth? According to the UN's 2024 Gender Snapshot, the world could unlock $10 trillion in economic gains every single year — simply by closing the gender gap in education. Each additional year of school can increase a girl's future earnings by up to 25 per cent.
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Health? Educated women raise healthier families. Infant mortality could be cut in half if all women had a secondary education.
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Ultimately, investing in girls' education doesn't just change lives, it transforms societies. In countries where girls are educated, we see a reduced reliance on foreign aid, a decreased need for military intervention and a decrease in the spread of disease. Investments in education today will scale up to global peace, economic stability and prosperity, creating exponentially better outcomes for everyone.
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The G7 nations control almost one-third of global GDP, but education receives barely five per cent of global development funding. This must change. Areas where girls can't access school see higher rates of child marriage, substantially more violent conflict and increased spread of disease.
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Things only get worse in a crisis — whether from conflict, displacement or climate emergencies. When disaster strikes, education is often the first thing to go and, for girls, the stakes are even higher. Girls are the first to be pulled out of school, the last to be fed, and the most vulnerable to exploitation and violence by armed groups.
