LONDON, Oct 27 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) — Making sure all girls are finishing secondary education by 2030 could boost the gross domestic product (GDP) of developing countries by 10% on average over the next decade, a report said on Tuesday.

Every $1 spent on girls' rights and education would generate a $2.80 return — equivalent to billions of dollars in extra GDP, according to the study by rights group Plan International and financial services firm Citi's Global Insights team.

"COVID-19 recovery plans that prioritise investment in girls' education and well-being will help communities and economies build back better and stronger," said Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen, chief executive of Plan International.

Some 130 million girls worldwide were already out of school before COVID-19, according to the United Nations cultural agency UNESCO, which said more than 11 million may not return to classes after the pandemic.

Girls are more likely than boys to miss out on school, UN children's agency UNICEF says. Many families choose to invest in sons over daughters, while violence, poverty, and child marriage also impact their access to education.

Read the full article about investing in girls' education by Sonia Elks at Global Citizen.