State of the World's Children Report Launched

The State of the World’s Children report will be officially launched by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Training, Mr. Lesao Lehohla, at Masianokeng Primary School on Friday, December 12.

The State of the World's Children 2004 presents girls’ education as one of the most crucial issues facing the development of the world's nations, according to the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Assistant Communication Officer Ms Amina Said.

A year ago UNICEF launched the girls education campaign, which aims at  accelerating efforts to eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education, according to Ms. Said, who added that the campaign focuses on countries where girls' education faces significant challenges and where assistance is required to meet the Millennium Development Goal of gender parity by 2005.

On the situation in Lesotho, she said that a fact sheet focusing on Lesotho girls' education has been produced by UNICEF in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, and that it shows government's commitment to ensuring education for all through improving the provision of education to both boys and girls, including Free Primary Education in Grades 1 to 4.

The girls’ education fact sheet shows that many boys in Lesotho face gender discrimination when it comes to attending school because they are expected to look after cattle, society's wealth. This is especially so in the mountain areas.

Girls on the other hand, are sent to school if their help is not needed as home. With deepening poverty, the impact of HIV/AIDS and the current humanitarian crisis in the country, enrolment and completion rates of girls in both primary and secondary schools are severely affected, Ms. Said revealed.

The UN Resident Representative Ms Scholastica Kimaryo and the UNICEF Representative Dr. Bertrand Desmoulins will also attend the launch and  are also expected to deliver statements.
11 December 2003