Most of the world’s population now live in urban centres, where virtually all population growth in the next century will also be absorbed. Urbanization offers unprecedented opportunities for increasing living standards, life expectancy and literacy levels, environmental sustainability and more efficient use of increasingly scarce natural resources. For women, urbanization is associated with greater access to employment opportunities, lower fertility levels and increased independence. Yet urbanization does not necessarily result in a more equitable distribution of wealth and wellbeing. In many low and middle income nations, urban poverty is growing compared to rural poverty.
Urban residents are more dependent on cash incomes to meet their essential needs than rural residents, and income poverty is compounded by inadequate and expensive accommodation, limited access to basic infrastructure and services, exposure to environmental hazards and high rates of crime and violence. This gives urban poverty a distinctive gendered dimension as it puts a disproportionate burden on those members of communities and households who are responsible for unpaid care work. Cash-based urban economies mean that poor women are compelled, often from a very young age, to also engage in paid activities.
It’s AWID – 10/04/2015 – It has been one year since the abduction by Boko Haram of 276 female students from their boarding school in Chibok, Borno State in northeastern Nigeria. The #BringBackOurGirls campaign began following the kidnapping, but the whereabouts of most of the young girls remains unknown[1]. AWID spoke to Nigerian and Cameroonian feminist activists to learn more about the situation of women and girls in Nigeria and neighboring countries as well as the national and international response, and challenges of taking appropriate and efficient action a year after the Chibok kidnappings.
By Mégane Ghorbani - AWID
Boko Haram, which translates to “Western education is forbidden,” is an armed Islamist group that launches daily attacks against civilians in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad. The group have staged various attacks which include abducting unmarried women and young girls and executing men. Human Rights Watch estimates the number of 2014 civilian deaths following these attacks at no less than 3,750 and the 2015 number is growing in comparison to the first quarter of 2014. Recently, Boko Haram declared allegiance to the self-proclaimed Islamic State, adding additional concern in terms of strengthened military and financial support.
Two 5th graders do their assignment during class at PS La Pan Tan in Viet Nam. Photo: Tuan Nguyen/EFA Report UNESCO
Gender parity will be achieved at the primary level in 69 per cent of countries by 2015. Child marriage and early pregnancy continue to hinder girls' progress in education as does the need for teacher training in gender sensitive approaches and curriculum reform. Women continue to make up almost two-thirds of the illiterate adult population. Half of sub-Saharan African women do not have basic literacy skills.
Despite major gains, world’s education goals are far from achieved - UNESCO
9 April 2015 – Just one third of countries have achieved all the measurable education goals set in 2000 and only half of all countries have achieved universal primary enrolment, the United Nations agency mandated with promoting learning spotlighted today, urging countries to bridge the $22 billion annual finance gap needed to achieve quality basic education for all by 2030.
