UN calls for more investment in the girls 10-years – Observer

The United Nations appeal on Thursday to an investment in the girls of ten years, arguing that if this group of more than 60 million people have a future of prosperity, the whole world will win, including the economy.

In the report on the "State of World Population", now released, the United Nations Fund for the Population concludes that there are currently 125 million children of 10 years in the world, of which 60 million are girls, who are "systematically disadvantaged" in the face of the young men: are less likely to finish school and more likely to be forced to marry and work and be subject to other harmful practices such as female genital mutilation.

More than half of these 60 million girls live in the 48 countries with the worst indicators on gender equality; nine out of ten live in developing countries and one in five live in one of the least developed countries. Currently, 16 million between six and 11 years never starting school, twice the proportion of men.

however, its potential is greater than that of the men: each year of education a girl has reflected in an increase of 11.7% on your future earnings (in boys the increase is 9.6%). If all girls of 10 years are currently out of education in developing countries complete secondary education, would have an annual dividend of 21 billion dollars.

on the contrary, the report’s authors write, if the girls of 10 years old of today are prevented from reaching their full potential and contribute to the economic and social progress of their communities, the sustainable development goals (SDGS), set last year by the UN for 2030, will not be achieved. "In many ways, the trajectory of the lives of the girls of 10 years will be the true test on the agenda 2030 will be a success or a failure," writes the executive director of UNFPA, Babatunde Osotimehin in the foreword of the report.

The vice-secretary general of the UN also states: "Whenever the potential of a girl is not done, we lose all. On the contrary, when a girl can exercise their rights, it is healthy, complete school and make decisions about her own life, she – and everyone around you – earn". "When a girl is 10 years old, your world changes," writes the director-general.

In some parts of the world, the approach of adolescence is an opening of possibilities, but elsewhere a girl at puberty is viewed as a well, which can be sold or exchanged. You can be forced to marry, withdrawal from school and forced to have children and start a life of servitude. The report recognises that the prospects for a girl of 10 years are now better than a generation ago, but the improvements have been uneven both between countries and within countries. Indeed, the differences within countries may be greater than between countries.

Currently, 10% of the girls from five to 14 years of age are more than 28 hours of domestic work per week, double that of young men. Three in each four girls who work are not paid. It is estimated that every day there is 47.700 at-risk girls from marrying before 18.

To counter these numbers, the UN proposes 10 actions that pass for legislation to provide gender equality or to ban illegal practices and prohibit marriage before 18 years, but also for the promotion of quality education, health care and universal sex education from puberty, among others.