International Women’s Day Statement by Education Cannot Wait’s Yasmine Sherif
NEW YORK, March 8, 2025 — Education Cannot Wait is uniting with global partners this International Women’s Day to advocate for the human rights and empowerment of women and girls worldwide.
Education is the foundation of empowerment. Globally, nearly two-thirds of adults who cannot read are women, according to . This issue is exacerbated in areas affected by conflict, climate change, and displacement, where around 234 million children are in need of educational support (half of whom are girls).
In Afghanistan, an entire generation of girls is being denied their fundamental right to education, leading to their deliberate disempowerment. Data indicates that approximately 2.5 million Afghan girls are currently out of school. This equates to 2.5 million individuals being deprived of the chance to grow and contribute to the rebuilding of their long-suffering nation.
This week, a new film, tells the inspiring stories of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team’s resilience and courage. In reality, ECW’s Global Champion Somaya Faruqi guided this team to victories in global competitions. Now, she joins other prominent global advocates in urging leaders to listen and advocate for equality and equal access to quality education for all Afghan girls and women.
Education is also crucial for asserting and safeguarding human rights. Today also marks the 30th anniversary of the , a landmark commitment to ensuring women’s human rights globally.
“Investing in formal and non-formal education and training for girls and women yields exceptionally high social and economic returns, and has proven to be one of the best ways to achieve sustained and sustainable development and economic growth.” ~ Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Education represents the most valuable investment: providing quality education to every girl leads to the empowerment of every woman. It is not a quick fix or an impossible goal, but rather the pathway forward.
SOURCE Education Cannot Wait