UNICEF REPORT HIGHLIGHTS PLIGHT OF GIRLS

December 11, 2003 – (IRIN) Ethiopia is one of the worst places on earth to be born a girl, according to a new report by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Girls lack access to education and the country suffers from one of the highest maternal mortality rates anywhere - where 850 mothers for every 100,000 die giving birth.

Only six out of 10 can read and write while less than six percent would have any skilled help during birth, UNICEF said in the 147-page report.

Ethiopia also has one of the highest numbers of children under 14 infected with the HIV/AIDS virus at 230,000 - half of which are girls - and increasing by 80,000 a year.

The State of the World's Children - which was launched globally on Thursday - emphasises the key role that education has in improving the lot of women.

Bjorn Ljungqvist, head of UNICEF in Ethiopia, said that educating girls was the "single most effective tool" in fighting poverty, lowering mortality rates and improving health.

"There is no tool for development more effective than the education of girls," he said as he launched the report in Addis Ababa.

The Ethiopian government insists it is making rapid inroads in fighting the gender gap between boys and girls education.

Education Minister Genet Zewdie said that the government is increasing enrolment of girls by six percent each year.

"The underlying cause for unmet needs of girls education lies in poverty and the traditional cultural values attributed to women in society," she said. "Poverty coupled with the negative attitude towards women's place in society affects girls attendance to school, completion and achievement."

She added that female teachers were being trained, alternative education schemes where girls can learn at times that suit them and the use of locals languages, were all being employed to help.

"In essence, it is essential that our education system will be more women friendly and everything evaluated from the perspective of women," said Genet.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200312110019.html