Overcoming the global gender disparity in education may seem like an overwhelming task, but it’s not hopeless.

As a young child, Kadisha Phillips, a sophomore television, radio and film major, recalls her father always reminding her to appreciate the opportunities she was given to obtain an education. Since then, Phillips has developed a desire to help girls who have not been as fortunate.

This dedication to helping others motivated her to join the student organization She’s the First.

Last week, She’s the First hosted an awareness week to bring attention to a global leading injustice: the lack of access to education for girls. She’s the First is a nonprofit organization which sponsors education in the developing world by helping girls be the first in their families to graduate or attend school.

In most impoverished parts of the world, there is an unfortunately tremendous gap between female and male student enrollment. Girls face obstacles like poverty, forced marriage and physical abuse.

The United Nations Population Fund estimates 63 percent of the163 illiterate youth in the world are female. According to the World Bank, Nigeria, Pakistan, India and Ethiopia are among the highest with out-of-school female children.

Many families in these countries struggle to earn enough to send their children to school. When families do have this ability, they are more likely to send their sons to school than their daughters.

Instead of going to school, girls are sent to work or to become a child bride. The International Center for Research on Women approximates that if the current trend in girls’ education continues, 38,000 young girls will get married every day for the next 10 years.

Despite these daunting numbers, She’s the First is rightfully dedicated to changing this trend, even if it means educating one girl at a time.

The money raised by the SU chapter goes to a student in Kenya named Mbithe Pius. She attends the Kibera School, her favorite color is red and she loves math. She is also the first girl in her family to attend school.

“She sends us report cards, a little bio she writes about herself and pictures she colors for us,” said Makaela Newsome, a sophomore nutrition and dietetic major and president of the organization. Without the help of She’s the First, Pius may have never had the opportunity to pursue an education.

When girls like Pius are given the opportunity to attend school and excel, they have the chance to positively change their community. Various studies have demonstrated when women gain economic mobility, they are more likely to invest their income into the wellbeing of their family than men are.

According to Education First, an initiative of the United Nation Secretary General, girls with eight years of education are four times less likely to marry as a child, and an extra year of school leads to a decline in fertility rates. The Word Bank also revealed that girls with an extra year of year of education can earn 20 percent more as an adult.

She’s the First has been instrumental in helping Pius in achieving her dream of going to school. Although the organization is only able to sponsor the education of one girl so far, it is progress.

When a group of people identify a problem and continuously take action to address the issue, they have the potential to overcome challenges like the global gender disparity in education.

Rahimon Nasa is a sophomore newspaper and online journalism and international relations major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @rararahima.

Published on April 8, 2013 at 1:12 am