Giving Compass' Take: 

• Global Citizen reports on a recent gathering of world leaders called "Leave No Girl Behind," where a list of commitments were put to paper on increasing access to education for girls across the globe.

• Words are one thing, actions are another. In what ways can we track the progress of these commitments? Which programs and collaborations between countries will prove most effective?

• Here are more details on investing in girls’ education and technology in Africa.

During the lead up to the Global Citizen Festival 2018, world leaders gathered to call upon countries to dismantle the barriers that stop girls from getting an education. The "Leave No Girl Behind" event, co-hosted by Global Citizen, Canada, UK, France, Niger, Kenya and Jordan, was led by Canada’s Justin Trudeau, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and Britain’s Theresa May.

In a joint statement, the host countries, together with several education initiatives including UNGEI, acknowledged the significant progress that has been made towards Sustainable Development Goal 4. However, 132 million girls are still unable to access quality education. The statement calls on countries to take action to increase girls’ access to schools and learning pathways with a particular focus on the most marginalized, as well as provide all the girls the opportunity for 12 years of free, safe, and quality education.

  • Promote gender-responsive education systems.
  • Improve coordination between humanitarian assistance and development cooperation.
  • Enact and enforce legislation, providing opportunity for 12 years of free basic education, and dismantling barriers to education through wider reform.
  • Invest in teachers.
  • Focus on the hardest to reach girls.
  • Champion schools as safe spaces for learning.
  • Engage communities, parents, boys and men, and girls themselves to challenge the patriarchal beliefs, practices, institutions and structures that drive gender inequality.

Building on these resolutions and significant call to action, Norway, Denmark and Netherlands made significant commitments to advancing education at the event. Minister Nikolai Astrup of Norway announced that in 2018-2019 Norway will spend close to $40M on education, especially for girls.

Read the full article about countries pledging to leave No Girl Behind by Neha Shah at Global Citizen.