While gender gaps in secondary completion have narrowed in many parts of the world, girls continue to face significant barriers in sub-Saharan Africa, where only 88 girls complete upper secondary school on time for every 100 boys.
The picture becomes even more stark in STEM fields. In many countries across sub-Saharan Africa, women account for fewer than 30 per cent of engineering graduates, and globally they represent only 35 per cent of STEM graduates, a figure that has remained stagnant for the past decade, constraining access to high-growth careers.
For girls the decision on whether to study in STEM fields is often influenced not by their talent and their choice but by being told that STEM is not for girls, that they don’t belong. This blog gives a short insight into the UNICEF project that aims to change this and offer opportunities for girls.