In a majority of developing countries girls continue to face discrimination with regards to access to school. As a result, they comprise about 57 per cent of all out-of-school children.

Over 70 countries are at risk of not achieving the Education for All goal of gender parity by 2005, and some will not even meet this goal by 2015.

UNESCO supports girls� education by promoting their access to, and retention in, primary education and by supporting education policies that are equitable. UNESCO�s strategy is based on three main objectives: consolidation of knowledge, building partnerships, advocacy, and policy development. At present, UNESCO is carrying out activities in the areas of advocacy, networking, information campaigns, seminars, training, capacity building and community-based projects.

This section of the portal on �Gender Equality and Girls� Education� will focus in particular on primary education, with plans to extend this focus to basic education.

SOURCE: UNESCO

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Out of school children fall to 100 million for the first time

UNICEF�s latest Progress for Children report says that though more girls are going to school worldwide, the gender gap in many regions is still very high. The report says the number of children not in school may have dropped for the first time, to below 100 million, but the world will miss the goal of universal primary education by 2015 unless there is a dramatic jump in the number of children who go to school.

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