In Afghanistan and throughout the developing world, girls face significant barriers to getting a quality education. Often, families living in poverty cannot afford to send all of their children to school and, when forced to choose, send their sons.
Traditional divisions of labor often leave girls at a disadvantage regarding education, because tasks given to girls in agriculture, water and fuel collection, cooking, and caring for young siblings and the sick often interfere with schooling. Consequently, millions of the poorest, most vulnerable girls are not in school or are expected to drop out early, despite the fact that research shows girl’s education boosts economic growth and improves the health and wellbeing of families and communities.