Thirty-eight years ago my mother left a small province in the north of Tunisia and joined her brother to find work and support her family. Coming from a large family, with seven brothers and one sister, she was forced to drop out of school and be the breadwinner.
From Switzerland, she moved to Italy, and continued to invest so much in my education. I completed all my studies in private schools, as she was convinced that this was the best environment for me to grow and learn. This seems quite common in families migrating from the South to the North of the world looking for a better life. Investing in education means investing in the future and the dreams of the younger generation for a fulfilled life of dignity.
An educated woman is a woman who can stand up for her rights
Despite not being able to finish her studies and follow her dreams, my mother understood the value of education. From an early age she told me that an educated woman is less vulnerable to violence as she is aware of her rights and able to sustain herself. Consequently, she will not be physically and emotionally dependent on someone else. Indeed, as the daughter of a woman who has faced violence, especially domestic violence for years, I ended up realising later how an educated woman, aware of her rights and potential, is better equipped to speak out and stand up for her rights. It is not just about getting education, but it is about accessing education in a safe environment, building trust with teachers, exchanging with other girls and boys, and building friendships and memories. It is about learning how to question what’s around us, and recognising what violence is.
Excelling in education became my personal commitment to my mother and her efforts to ensure that my right to education was always protected. Years later, education became a part of my engagement within my activism for gender equality, especially for migrants, refugees and displaced women and girls.
Girls remain more vulnerable to drop out
In spite of the global effort to raise awareness around education, girls are still more vulnerable to drop out. In families facing financial hardship, the education of boys is seen as an investment in the future. This is not always the case for girls. In other circumstances, due to lack of sensitisation, girls are forced to leave school after their first period.
Yet I remain hopeful because young people and communities around the world are mobilising to ensure that education is accessible for everyone, and especially for girls. From Africa to Latin America, people recognise the urgent need to provide provide girls with the education they need to unlock their potential as change makers and active members of the community.
We need a quality curriculum that is gender sensitive and culturally and contextually relevant
On International Day of the Girl, I join UNGEI in emphasising that education is a right for every girl. We not only ask for access to education, but for a quality learning experience that is gender sensitive. We wish to reiterate the importance of building a curriculum that unlocks the potential and creativity of girls and fuels their dreams of leadership, dismantling stereotypes of what a woman should be or look like.
On this day, we wish to bring to light the challenges faced every day by girls in conflict settings, where, in the face of extreme poverty, education is seen as an unaffordable luxury. We recognise the many difficulties girls experience in refugee settings, where the curriculum is often not properly translated or sensitive to the many challenges they face in the aftermath of war. We understand the barriers faced by girls migrating to new countries, and the difficulty of adapting to a new environment while learning a new language. We recognise the pivotal role of teachers who are also role models and mentors, inspiring girls to become amazing women.
With UNGEI we call for a global commitment of less promises and more action to ensure that every girl can fulfil her right to a safe and quality education.
