Boris Johnson says improving education for girls could be the single most effective intervention in some of the world's poorest and most troubled countries. He wants people to be "angry" rather than "complacent" about girls missing out on school because of discrimination.

"In countries where there is poverty, civil war, that have massive population booms, that are prey to radicalization, the common factor is female illiteracy, the under-education of women and girls," said Mr. Johnson. "I don't think that people know how stark that problem is and the damage it is doing," Mr. Johnson told the BBC.

The foreign secretary said that at next month's gathering of Commonwealth leaders his priority would be the push for all countries to ensure that girls received at least 12 years of good quality education.  "The figures are unbelievable. In some parts of sub-Saharan Africa you've got 60%, 70%, 80% illiteracy among women," said Mr. Johnson.

There have been previous promises from the international community to ensure that all children have access to primary school at least.Another target has been set for 2030 - but the United Nations has already warned that is unlikely to be met and has raised other concerns that many more children are in schools of such poor quality that they leave without having learned even the basics of literacy and numeracy.

The UK has been one of the most diligent funders of international education projects, and Mr. Johnson says there needs to be an "escalation" of efforts to stop so many young people being excluded from education.

Read the full article about Boris Johnson's anger over girls access to education by Sean Coughlan at BBC.